Contributed by: Mark Tucker
Date: January 1998
This series of images was taken in 1998 at Holsworthy Army Base, Sydney Australia.
Centurion 169017 has an interesting history and is one of perhaps only two vehicles surviving with South Vietnam modifications in place. Subsequent to these images being taken, 169017 was relocated north to 1 Brigade in Darwin where it remains on duty as a gate guardian.
According to Shane Lovell’s “Military Briefs 3: Australian Centurions in Vietnam”, the “original” 169017 was part of the first shipment of Mark 3 vehicles received by the Australian Army in 1951/52, and subsequently served in South Vietnam with 1 Armoured Regiment, C Squadron September to December 1968. It was badly mine damaged, and returned to Australia where it was rebuilt using a hull cannibalised from a Centurion purchased in a batch of 8 from New Zealand. A “rebirthed” 169017 returned to South Vietnam in November 1970 and served again with C Squadron January 1971 to September 1971.
This series was taken a few years after our initial Australian Centurion ARN 169017 Walkaround, before she was rellocated to Darwin, and shows very clear overhead details of the turret, the external fuel tank and of the side storage bin modifications.
