The Documentary
The Veterans Well Being Centre-Hornsby has been granted funding from the Department of Veterans Affairs to produce a video documentary on tank crews in Vietnam. The documentary will salute and recognise their service, highlight the important role tank crews played in the Vietnam War as the majority of documentaries record the role of the Infantry. Relate a true story from a first hand prospective of an Australian tank crew in Vietnam.
During the 1950s the Army standardised on the British Centurion tank, which saw action in Vietnam and remained in service until it was replaced with the German Leopard 1 in the mid-1970s. After an internal debate on whether the Army should continue to operate tanks as part of its force structure, the Australian Government replaced the Leopards with a small fleet of American M1A1 Abrams tanks in 2007, which are now the Army’s only tanks.
The video documentary will highlight the important role tanks played in the various conflicts in Vietnam.
Hundreds of tank crewman served in the Vietnam War between 1968- 1971. The tank crews performed an important role in the Vietnam War.
In particular the Battle of Bin Bah, Coral, Operation Hammersley, Operation Matilda the largest Armoured operation since World War 2 just to name a few.
Australian Tank Crews of Vietnam : The Documentary.
The documentary will start with an outline of Australia’s tank Squadrons involvement in the Vietnam War.
From here we will move to cover the major operations that the Australian tank crews participated in.
The story will then move to the first hand experience recounted by the crews of 1 Troop A Squadron 1 Armoured Regiment.
