CENTURION MARK 1, B SQUADRON, 1ST ROYAL TANK REGIMENT, DETMOLD, GERMANY, 1947
The Centurion entered service with the British Army in
December 1946. One of the first units to receive the tank was
1st Royal Tank Regiment, known at the time as the ‘Prime
Panzers’. The vehicle is painted Deep Bronze Green and carries
the famous red jerboa of the 7th Armoured Division. On the
left of the glacis plate is the Royal Armoured Corps arm-ofservice
flash surmounted by a white bar with the legend ‘I R
Tks’ (the correct abbreviation of 1st Royal Tank Regiment)
superimposed in black. The name ‘MECHILE’ on the turret
sides indicates a Centurion of B Squadron, as their tanks were
named after regimental battles of the North African campaign
and Italy. A Squadron tanks displayed those of A Battalion
during the Great War while C Squadron named theirs after
battles in northwest Europe. Shipping instructions are painted
on the right front track guard indicating the port of destination
– Hamburg – and the shipping number FSO 9925/3 and, on
the side of the track guard stowage bins, the directive ‘NOT
TO BE STOWED ON DECK’. Other markings include the
vehicle registration number T351822 on the top right of the
glacis plate below which is stencilled ‘THIS VEHICLE IS
FILLED WITH ANTI-FREEZE 1.8.46. & MUST NOT BE
DRAINED’.