Canadian Centurion tanks question

[Clifford A. Logan]

Hi Dan,

During the time I was "taking the Queen's shilling" I was an avid AFV/softskin vehicle photo-nut. Unfortunately, after I bailed out in '91, I sold half a dozen albums worth of pix I took or traded with buddies around the world including those from my time in NWE. Only have about three Centurion related pix remaining. Depict an MRT job to change out a metadyne at Beausejour and Bergen Hohne circa '70 during my first tour with 4 Maint Coy.

My '74-'78 tour with the Dragoons was one of the highlights of my career, sort of a dream come true. Started with FALLEX 74 as B Sqn. FCS Tech crewing 28C with "Joe Joe the Wildman" MacIntyre. Rained for 40 days and 40 nights, not a good time to be driving a 113! There are some action photos of Joe and I attending 24B during a breakdown, featured in the Library and Archives Canada photo collection along with a bunch of other great Centurion related pic during Reforger 74.

A story that comes to mind is the time the Cent fell off the flat car at the rail head in Lahr; that was a bit of a challenge for the recovery gang to be sure. I'd been promoted and shifted to HQ Sqn. by then so wasn't involved. Got stuck into the Leo loan training program subsequently and that's another story.

[Dan Martel]

Originally Posted by Clifford A. Logan

...at Beausejour and Bergen Hohne circa '70 during my first tour with 4 Maint Coy.

Clifford,

Thanks for replying back.

You didn't mention being up north with the 'real Army' in the 70's. Did you make the trek from Beausejour to Lahr in October '70? Who was the armoured regiment CO when you were there? Did you witness the rebadging in June '70?

Enquiring minds want to know.

Cheers,
Dan.

[Clifford A. Logan]

Hi again Dan,

I was posted to 4 Maint Coy in Ft. Chambly in Nov. '69. One of my duties was as a Mobile Repair Team member thus the second line task of changing out Centurion FVGCE metadynes when they fail. Got to do the last Sennelager ftx at which 3 Mech Cdo Regt. was stood up; rained like a *****! Did the great gypsy caravan trek down the autobahn to Lahr in Fall of 70. Did some more metadyne and rotary base junction box changes in Lahr.

Posted to the Dragoons in time for Fallex 47/Reforger 74. Lt.Col. Dangerfield was the CO at the time, as I remember. I worked with B Sqn. during FALLEX then sent back on course to Borden where I was promoted to Sgt. and thus on return to Lahr, got stuck into HQ Sqn. Did the Ypres/Nijmegen Marches then in the fall, was involved with the Leopard Loan event. Attended a Bundeswehr tech school for training on the Leo 1 electrical/electronics systems. Turned this knowledge into a course for 1st and 2nd Line techs and taught same along with a WO from Maint Coy. Was then tasked to go as a tech QA rep to the Bundeswehr depot workshop where the Loan Leos were being refurbed after being withdrawn from an Bundeswehr armoured unit and prior to being issued to us. In '77, I was tasked as the FCS team leader for the RCD CAT Trophy team which they subsequently won. The interesting things about that was that the Leo 1 had a huge stereoscopic (?) rangefinder which our guys just couldn't quite come to grips with. So, if I remember correctly, one of the burly tankers came up with the brilliant idea of jury- rigging a sight using a washer and piece of rod that could be used as a quick fix aiming point. That could be bumkum but that's as I remember it.

Rotated back to Canada in '78; end of RCD saga.

My apologies to those readers expecting Centurion related war stories but next time I'll reveal what happened in '73 when the Armoured Squadron at the Combat Arms School in Gagetown received some rebuilt
Centurions from 202 Workshop. The story starts with the unit welder being tasked to take his torch and disable an equal number of Centurions that were being replaced. The reburbs and junkers were parked side by each. Later.