Your posts reminded me of a couple of my own encounters with Centurions which I thought I’d recount here if you’ll indulge me.
Our company was advancing on foot across ploughed fields on Salisbury Plain one, soggy November. Trying to keep to the timetable, but delayed by the clinging mud which refused to be shaken off. The Squadron Commander of the Centurions which were accompanying us asked if we would like a lift. A few days previously he had us join in a sprint race against his guys, we on foot, they, in their vehicles – we were sore losers and he wasn’t very high on our like-list. However, he now redeemed himself hugely. Our rain-sodden bods clambered aboard and settled down on the engine louvres behind the turret. It was fantastic. The heat rising from the louvres soon dried us out – it was the first time we had felt warm in a week. Typically, it had been raining none stop for days and all our kit, sleeping bags, the lot, was soaked through. Unfortunately, we reached a jumping off point where we had to continue onto the objective by foot in support of the tangos. The going was a little easier as we followed their tracks. However, the memory of the warm comfortable ride stayed with me and I developed a great affection for the Centurion. When the Chieftain came along I remained loyal to the Centurion, stating to the sprogs that it was the best thing since sliced bread.
A few years later, at BATUS, we were dug-in in a defensive sack waiting to be attacked. We could hear the radios of the D.S. standing about behind us as the battle picture began to build up. We were a part of an infantry combat team in support of an armoured battle group. We had Chieftains interspersed between rifle sections (squads) and out on the forward left-flank were two, Chieftain sniper-tanks. Way out ahead of us were targets for the tangos which consisted of decommissioned Centurions. We could hear the radioed contact reports of Tango 11 Alpha and Tang 11 Charlie reporting the advance of the forward elements of enemy armour – ‘Wait out!’ We saw the tracer rounds flying down the range before we heard the booming report of their main armaments. One of the target’s turret, 12 tons I believe, was blown meters into the air, it was - WOW! Then the sniper tanks withdrew and joined us, hull-down, in the main defensive position. The enemy attacked in regimental strength, the Chieftains were blasting them to buggery. 105mm self-propelled guns were firing fixed-fire missions over our heads covering the area with air bursts. Enemy APC’s were approaching we blasted them with shoulder launched rockets, some enemy managed to de-bus, we engaged with rifle and machine gun. We won – end-ex!
India 32Bravo had a new pin-up - the Chieftain!
heyhey there would be no discussions, no polls. the Centurion would have been the tank of the 20thcentury. In fact it is, but people tend to disregard all post-WWII conflicts when it comes to armour.
