Introduction
We have more great coverage of the Danish Army from Trackpad Publishing with The Centurion in Danish Service. The Centurion was the first post-war main battle tank for the Danish Army and led the way for the Leopard 1 that followed. The Centurion soldiered on alongside the Danish Leopard 1 till 1999.
The softcover book is A4 size in portrait format with 220 pages and almost 700 photographs and diagrams. The author, Kim Hartvig Sørensen, is a former Leopard 1 tank commander and troop leader in the Royal Danish Army and he's given the story of the Danish Chieftain the same care that he put into The Leopard 1 in Danish Service book.
Review
I had heard mention of this book a few years ago and was always hoping it would see the light of day. I was not disappointed. The chapters step through the compete history of the Centurion tank in the Royal Danish Army and no detail is left out. The wide array of pictures thoroughly illustrate the history of the Centurion tank in Danish Army use and it's crews.
The chapters in the book are:
Why Centurion? - The Danish Choice
Arrival and Initial Use - A Steep Learning Curve
Cold War Centurion - Wartime Tasks
Life in the Squadron - Training, Exercises, Maintenance
Modifications - ... and Attachments
Upgrade - ... and Retrofit
Centurion ARV - Armoured Recovery Vehicle
Centurion AVLB - Armoured Vehicle Launched Bridge
Training Equipment - Dummies and Simulators
Crew Dress - ... and Patches
Vehicle Camouflage - ... and Markings
Transportation - Road, Rail and Sea
Walkaround - Interior and Exterior
Epilogue - All Good Things ...
The story begins with how the Centurion was chosen and marches on through the early years, exercises in Germany, evolution of the Centurion and the final years, including the few that still are still firing every year during Åben Hede at Oksbøl. The chapters on crew, training and transportation flesh out the story even more. For modellers, the Walkaround shows good detail of the final Mk 5/2 DK version.
Conclusion
There are many books about the Centurion tank but none specifically about the Centurions that served in the Danish Army and this book is much more that just about the Centurion. It is an extensive view into the early days of the post-war Danish armor units as they adapted to their new equipment and the obligations of their NATO membership. The very interesting history of the selection of the Centurion under the Mutual Defense Aid Program (MDAP), initial training, and evolution of the Centurion in Danish service. A lot of attention is given to areas that some books overlook like the use of simulated tanks for training and tank crew training and equipment. Also good coverage of the recovery and bridge layer Centurions that served alongside the gun tank.
I can't recommend this book enough. I've been hoping for this book for a while after The Leopard 1 in Danish Service book came out and it's exactly what I wanted.