Preserved for Posterity: ARN 169110

By Michael Cecil, Assistant Curator, Military Technology, Australian War Memorial Canberra.

The Australian War Memorial is custodian of a complete and functional Centurion tank. It was allocated to the A WM by Army at the time of the disposal of the Centurion fleet as a vehicle with operational service in South Vietnam. Little detail of that service was known at the time of transfer, so Centurion ARN 169110 was simply preserved as a representative example of that type's extensive service in South Vietnam. It is currently housed at the AWMs Mitchell B Annex, a large building used for the storage of technology items and not normally accessible to the general public. It is maintained in operating condition by the workshop's senior technical officer, Tom Tubbs, an ex RAEME WO.


This is NOT 169110 but it does show what it is like...Photo Brian Ross More recent research has begun to provide a better appreciation of the history of ARN 169110, and the following is a brief overview of the research as it currently stands. ARN 169110 was one of the last batch of new Centurion tanks to be ordered during the mid-1950s, arriving about 1956, but remained in storage until 1959, when it was issued to 1st Armoured Regiment at Puckapunyal. It remained with that unit until the end of 1962, when it was transferred to the Armoured Centre for a short period before being sent to Bandiana for base overhaul.

Following the completion of base overhaul in 1966, ARN 169110 was returned to storage. The applique armour and various other modifications to bring the vehicle to MARK 5/1 ( Aust) standard were carried out during base overhaul and during the subsequent storage period. The vehicle was then issued to 1 Armd during 1968, for service in South Vietnam, arriving in country during September. It commenced operations sometime between March and June 1969, and was c/s 2 at the end of November. By the end of December 1969 had covered 1,412 miles in total, With at least 1,264 miles being in South Vietnam Operation Hammersley commenced in the Long Hai Hills, south east of Baria, on 10 February 1970 and continued until March 91970. On 15 February 1970, ARN 169110 was still c/s 2, commanded by L T Jack Brennan with Graeme Footer as the operator. Graeme was injured during re-supply on the night of 15 February, and was replaced the next morning by Ted Beazley, who apparently remained with the vehicle for the remainder of the operation. The other crew members were possibly John Hamilton and Michael Prior. Though this has yet to be confirmed.

During the operation, an M125Al mortar carrier ARN 134421 was destroyed by enemy fie and the crew, CPL B Whinston and TPR H Carlyle, were killed. Two Troop were involved in an but unsuccessful attempt to recover the carrier crew, during which Gary Gott crew commander of c/s 2 B, was wounded. ARN 169110, along with cis 2A ( SGT Rip Riley), was providing covering fire. Two Troop were also involved in the later successful foray to recover the carrier with the SEQ troop dozer. During the engagements, ARN 169110 received three RPG strikes and Jack Brennan was slightly wounded.

Following repairs, ARN 169110 continued as c/s 2 for the remainder of 1970, though the crew changed as personnel from the action on 18 February were posted home. Around 2 November, ARN 169110 was declared" BLR" and returned to Australia aboard the LSM Harry Chauvel during December 1970. It then underwent a base overhaul at 4 Base Workshops, Bandiana, Victoria before being placed into storage. In February 1973, it was issued to 1 Armd at Puckapunyal for training, but how long it remained there is currently not known.

As far as can be currently ascertained, ARN 169110 carried the same callsign" 2" from at least November 1969 to November 1970. The author would like to hear from any member who served on cis 2 or in Two Troop during this period, Or has any recollections of c/s 2,in order to compile additional historical information about ARN 169110. He can be contacted at the A WM on (02) 62434296 or by email at mike.cecil@awm.gov.au.

Indeed, the author would like to hear from any member with experience with Centurions in SVN as part of his on-going research into Australian armoured operations in SVN ( both tank and carrier)

Aclrnowledgements: The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Gary Gott, Peter Moore, Graeme Footer, Terry Drew and John Brooker in the compilation of this article.

[ Sign my Guestbook] - [Read my Guestbook ]
[Guestbook by TheGuestBook.com]