THIS is the story of a little-known Australian Army tank which, if it were an aircraft or battle ship, would most likely have been the star of a celebrated chapter in the nation’s military history.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
It’s the story of a Centurian Main Battle Tank (ARN 169041) nicknamed Sweet Fanny, and Mirrabooka man Graham Munsell who was to become the vehicle’s crew commander.
“Sweet Fanny is probably the most unique piece of military equipment in Australia today,” Mr Munsell said.
It’s a tank which defied all expectations when it survived one of the British government’s atomic bomb test blasts at Maralinga, in 1953, at a distance of less than 500 metres.
After the blast, the tank was decontaminated, overhauled, and reassigned as a tow vehicle before being placed into storage in 1960.
But that was not the end of the story.
In 1962, the tank was issued to the 1st Armoured Regiment as a training vehicle.
After a second overhaul and upgrade, the tank was reassigned for active service in South Vietnam where, in 1969, it was penetrated by a rocket-propelled grenade.
Incredibly, the tank survived the blast, and although the young Corporal Munsell and his crew were injured, they were able to restart the vehicle and carry on their way.
Talk about indestructible.
Mr Munsell and the tank’s former driver, Barry Hodges, of Gol Gol, near Mildura, knew it was a story worth telling, and a legacy worth preserving.
The pair recently researched the tank’s history and compiled a 50-page photo album of images and text which they presented to the 1st Armoured Regiment at the RAAF base in Edinburgh, South Australia, where the tank holds ground.
The men had a plaque made to commemorate Sweet Fanny’s remarkable tale of resilience.
Making news:
“Even the regiment didn’t know the history of the tank,” Mr Munsell said.
Centurian tanks were designed by the British to counter Germany’s Tiger tanks near the end of World War II, but they didn’t come off the production line in time to see action in that theatre.
They did, however, serve in theatres in Vietnam, Korea and, into the 1990s, in Israel.
“It was a state-of-the-art design. It had stabilisers so that the turret and gun would stay still while the tank was rolling along,” Mr Munsell said.
Sweet Fanny was one of three Centurians exposed to atomic bomb testing at Maralinga on November 15, 1953.
“The blast blew the tank back five feet, and the dummies (mannequins) they had inside were absolutely wrecked,” Mr Munsell said.
“It had lots of pieces stripped off it, but the motor and gearbox survived the blast.
“It then went out under its own power, towing a truck and trailer, until it threw a con (connecting) rod. They left it there, just before Christmas in 1954, with guards.”
Fast forward to April 1969, and the refurbished Sweet Fanny (which also became known as The Atomic Tank) was sent to war in Vietnam, with Mr Munsell, then aged 24, as its crew commander.
It was May 7 when Sweet Fanny took a direct hit from a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG).
“The RPG penetrated the tank, and the RPG is designed to ignite the ammunition inside the tank, but it missed by several inches,” Mr Munsell said.
“We all got injured.
“I describe it as the loudest experience I’ve ever heard, followed by the most deathly silence.”
The tank’s engine stopped, and its electrical components shorted.
There was only smoke and flames inside the turret.
“The gunner yelled out ‘We’re on fire! We’ve gotta get out’.”
Two smaller-calibre guns were all the crew had access to.
“Half an hour later we started her up and we were off again with a hole in our side.
“They were a marvellous old tank. And Sweet Fanny was just incredible. It had character. I don’t know what it was...”
Mr Munsell said subsequent tanks – the Leopard and the Abrams - just didn’t seem to stack up in the same way.
Mr Hodges said driving the tank was an experience.
“The Centurian had a Rolls Royce 12-cylinder engine based on the Spitfire engine,” he said.
“To drive them, you had five forward gears, high and low, and reverse. You used four gallons of fuel to the mile – that’s on a good day – in heavy going it was up to seven or eight gallons.
“And I must say that Graham was a bloody good crew commander.”
He said the tank’s history was well received by the 1st Armoured Regiment.
“It really is a hell of a story, but nobody knew a thing about it,” he said.
Mr Munsell said his simple wish was for the history of the tank to be remembered.
“I hope that the history goes on and on, now,” he said.
“It’s a story and a history that really does need to be remembered.
“We put the plaque on the front of the tank so that, hopefully, Diggers will say ‘Gee, have a look at this...’.
“It is the only known tank to go under a nuclear blast, be rebuilt and go back into active service and to be penetrated,” he said.
