Armour in Canada: Centurion Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV)

Centurion ARV

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 5394884)

An armoured recovery vehicle of the Fort Garry Horse rounds a corner in a small German village in the Hannover area of northern Germany as the Canadian NATO brigade continued the offensive against units of the 3rd Panzer Brigade during Exercise "Keen Blade", 15 Oct 1963.

Centurion Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV)

Nine Centurion Armoured Recovery Vehicles (ARV) were purchased for the Canadian Army  in 1954.  The tank turret was replaced by a superstructure housing a winch powered by an auxiliary engine and capable of pulling of up to 90 tons using a system of blocks.  The ARV was armed with a single .30 inch machine gun on the commander's cupola.  It was used by many different units including the RCEME and 4 Engineer Support Regiment at CFB Gagetown for the recovery of heavy armour and vehicles bogged down in the muddy terrain during training operations until the arrival of the Badger ARV.

(Library and Archives Canada Photo, MIKAN No. 4816325)

Centurion ARV, 4 CMBG, FallEx 74, Germany, Oct 1974.

(Author Photos)

Centurion Armoured Recovery Vehicle (ARV), CFR 54-81334, New Brunswick Military History Museum vehicle park, 5 Canadian Division Suppofrt Base Gagetwon, New Brunswick.

(Author Photos)

Centurion ARV Mk. 2, MGen Worthington Memorial Park, Base Borden Military Museum, CFB Borden, Ontario

‍