As part of Remembrance Day commemorations on 11 November 2010, the Governor of NSW Marie Bashir AO officially handed over this tank to Jerilderie Returned Services League club in New South Wales.
The Jerilderie Leopard, Army Registration Number (ARN) 27747, entered into service on 26 September 1977 and like the others was decomissioned in 2007. It's Daimler Benz V10 diesel engine developed 830 horse power and could propel it at 62 kilometres per hour over a range of 500 kilometres.
The 42-tonne Leopard Tank was the first of 29 battle tanks that were delivered to Returned Services League clubs around Australia during 2010 and 2011.
It was positioned in the park beside the Newell Highway not far from a Quick Firing 25 Pounder Mk II Field Gun. I've included a photo of that gun here, and the Leopard Tank is visible in the background.
The Leopards operated for almost 30 years and the closest they came to "action" was when several were loaded (and then quickly unloaded) onto a warship bound for East Timor during the 1999 conflict.
The German-made Leopards never fired a shot in anger and were replaced in 2007 by 59 second-hand US-built M1A1 Abrams tanks.
In September 2007 the Defence Department urged war veterans and historical groups to write in and tell them why they deserve a free decommissioned Leopard Tank.
To be eligible for consideration organisations needed to show that the tank will have historical or cultural significance.
Finally in May 2010, almost three years after they were promised to RSL clubs around Australia, the announcement was made that 29 Leopard tanks would be delivered at a cost of $950,000.
The Rudd Government honoured a pledge by the previous government to decommission the retired 42-tonne army battle tanks and gift them to RSL clubs in all states and territories, at a cost of $11,000 each.
The sticking point had been the extra $22,000 per machine to transport them.
South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia each received five of the massive armoured vehicles, New South Wales and Queensland both received six, and one each were gifted to the Australian Capital Territory and Northern Territory.
I was present in Darwin in the Northern Territory, Australia, in 2009 when a Welcome Home Parade was held for Australian Servicemen recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan was held in the city. Two M1A1 Abrams tanks, named (in accordance with Armoured Corps tradition) as 'ANZAC' and 'AXED', paraded and then were tasked to Hold Ground during the parade, and I was fortunate to capture photos of them arriving and leaving. I have included their photos here for comparison purposes.
I also took a photo of the traditional Riderless Horse which is in memory of those lost in battle.
Specifications
Crew
|
4
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Main Armament
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105mm L7A3 QF Gun
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Weight
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42,400 Kg
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| Engine | Daimler Benz V10 Diesel
610 kW (830 HP) @ 2200 RPM
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Maximum speed
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62 km/hr
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Range
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500 kms
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Decommissioned
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2007
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Jerilderie is a town of 768 people in the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia.
It is the only town in the Jerilderie Shire Local Government Area and is on the Newell Highway
674 kilometres south-west of Sydney and 45 kilometres north of the Victorian state border.