Australian Army Vehicles - Indonesian Confrontation 1963-66

[Tommy]

Just two years after the first order (1962) was placed by the Australian army for the Mk3 International, some of these trucks were 'called to arms' and sent to South East Asia to help defend Malaysia from the Indonesian force in what was known as The Indonesian Confrontation.

The Indonesian Confrontation (1963-1966) should not be confused with the Malayan Emergency (1948-1960). During the years 1963 to 1966, Indonesian forces undertook failed attempts to seize Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak. The Confrontation escalated in September 1964 when Indonesian paratroopers engaged in a series of raids on southern Malaysia.

Fortunately, by early 1966 the dictatorial Indonesian President, Sukarno lost power to General Suharto in a coup d’état. General Suharto did not subscribe to Sukarnos provocational stance and quickly withdrew any further action. A treaty between Indonesia and Malaysia was signed in August 1966 recognising the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak as part of the Malaysian Federation.

The following posts show a large number of photographs taken of Australian army personal and vehicles during this Confrontation.

Of interest are the photos that show recognisable ARN plates on a number of Mk3s and Land Rovers. The following list contains ARNs that can be confirmed and those that I am not 100% sure of.

International Mk3 -

170-130
170-138 ?
170-145
170-162 ?
170-169
170-176 ?
170-186
170-184
170-187
170-189 ?

Land Rovers -

110-820
110-881
111-850
111-852
111-857
111-859
111-860

It would be interesting to view a list of vehicles that made the trip to Malaysia and compare it to my list.

[Tommy]

On their way to Malaysia aboard HMAS Sydney during 1964.

The Bofors 40mm No.12 guns sitting at the bow of the Sydney belong to 111th Light Anti Aircraft Battery.



   

     

[Tommy]

The Australian army utilized the services of a British army landing craft - L4073 HMAV Ardennes - during it's time in Malaysia. The Ardennes was a World War Two (1945) built Mk8 Landing Craft Tank (LCT Mark VIII) ship. It was designed especially for Far East duties during the war and was built to handle ocean going conditions. Unfortunately, the war ended before it had a chance to serve it's country.

The Ardennes spent the 1960s around Borneo, Brunei, Malaysia and Singapore regions servicing Commonwealth and British forces.

The following photos show Ardennes helping the Australian army out.

 



   

Can anyone identify the make of this green truck? After a close look at the load it is carrying, I have come to the conclusion that it is stacked sheets of PSP/Marsden matting.

[Tommy]

These photos show a small landing barge helping out.

   

 

[Tommy]

Oopps

International must have put a couple of tires off onto the verge maybe to let oncoming traffic through. Whatever the reason, the British army has come to the rescue with a Bedford RL wrecker.

 

 

[Tommy]

Not only did the British army offer up it's landing ships to help out but the Royal Air Force also chipped in. The following photos show the Australian army utilizing the massive loading and carrying capacity of the heavy transport Blackburn Beverley and Armstrong Whitworth Argosy.

Beverley -

 

 

Argosy -



   

[Diana Alan]

Great pics as usual Tommy. Thanks

Did you know that the Beverley is the reason for the Brit Land Rover air-portable "lightweight"  it could originally carry two rows of series one Land Rovers side by side.  When the Series II was introduced the bulge at the waist and the little hub caps made them too wide, so the lightweight was designed to have the same body width as the Series one and flat drive flanges.

[Tommy]

Great pics as usual Tommy. Thanks

Did you know that the Beverley is the reason for the Brit Land Rover air-portable "lightweight"  it could originally carry two rows of series one Land Rovers side by side.  When the Series II was introduced the bulge at the waist and the little hub caps made them too wide, so the lightweight was designed to have the same body width as the Series one and flat drive flanges.

This photos shows a Series 1 in the belly of a Beverley. Don't want to be a party pooper but I can't see any possible way to squeeze two of these Land Rovers side by side within the space available.

The second photos shows how the Land Rover was set up for parachute drop from the Beverley.

[Diana Alan]

Sorry wrong aircraft, it was the Argosy, which could carry a Saracen as wide as two Lightweights side by side.  Unfortunately I can't find the image of the two Series 1 Land Rovers inside the aircraft.

They were driven in not loaded on platforms for air drops.

[Diana Alan]

What is the formation sign on this Mk3?

[Tommy]

Sorry wrong aircraft, it was the Argosy, which could carry a Saracen as wide as two Lightweights side by side.  Unfortunately I can't find the image of the two Series 1 Land Rovers inside the aircraft.

They were driven in not loaded on platforms for air drops.

No problem Diana . I was searching for some interior dimensions (width) for the Beverley but could not find any. That would have confirmed the 'side by side' theory.

http://www.lrfaq.org/NL.MM_lightweight.html

For those interested, the Blackbury "Beverly" (4 radials/fixed U/C and twin fins) and the Shorts "Belfast" (much like a C-130 - but bigger) were the backbone of the R.A.F. - heavy lift Transport Command. The Armstrong Whitworth "Argosy" (known as the "Fly ing Wheelbarrow") and the Hawker Siddeley "Andover" were in the medium lift category. The "Argosy" was the main reason the Lightweight ended up narrower than the standard Land Rover.

[303Gunner]

The following list contains ARNs that can be confirmed and those that I am not 100% sure of.

International Mk3 -

170-130
170-138 ?
170-145
170-162 ?
170-169
170-176 ?
170-186
170-184
170-187
170-189 ?

Land Rovers -

108-111
110-881

It would be interesting to view a list of vehicles that made the trip to Malaysia and compare it to my list.

Tommy, are you able to make any ARN's on the No5 trailers? While the Inters and LR may have had one or two deployments in their service lives, it is entirely possible that the trailers in their lives have made 5 or 6 deployments in their time, from Borneo through Vietnam to Timor and A'stan. It would be interesting to see how many have had multiple tours. Like the M113 fleet, they seem to always to have been the ones to go O/S, while the softskin fleet has evolved through the years.

[Tommy]

Tommy, are you able to make any ARN's on the No5 trailers? While the Inters and LR may have had one or two deployments in their service lives, it is entirely possible that the trailers in their lives have made 5 or 6 deployments in their time, from Borneo through Vietnam to Timor and A'stan. It would be interesting to see how many have had multiple tours. Like the M113 fleet, they seem to always to have been the ones to go O/S, while the softskin fleet has evolved through the years.

No No.5 ARNs to be seen 303 .

Although the photo below does show that the No.5 trailer was deployed to the 1963-66 Confrontation, I have yet to find a photo of one 'on the ground' in Malaysia. These trailers would have been brand spanking new as the first production run was in 1963.



Note also that a Holden FC/FE/FB ute (take your pick) is onboard the Sydney. Surviving army FB shown below.



Not No.5s, but the two photos show a Brockhouse 1 ton trailer behind a Mk3 (170-138?) at RAAF Butterworth. ARN is a little difficult to read but it does look like 100-616 in both photographs. I had a look on REMLR website for this ARN but could not find it.

 

[Diana Alan]

Not No.5s, but the two photos show a Brockhouse 1 ton trailer behind a Mk3 (170-138?) at RAAF Butterworth. ARN is a little difficult to read but it does look like 100-616 in both photographs. I had a look on REMLR website for this ARN but could not find it.

 

Hi Tommy

Are these Brockhouse trailers or the 1 Ton trailers we know as Humber trailers?

Many of these were manufactureed by Corio Engineering in Victoria.  Whether they were originally a Brockhouse design I am not aware.

They also seem to have the yellow formation sign I asked about earlier, it seems to be a cat or some sort of other feline.

Diana 

[Tommy]

Are these Brockhouse trailers or the 1 Ton trailers we know as Humber trailers?

Many of these were manufactureed by Corio Engineering in Victoria.  Whether they were originally a Brockhouse design I am not aware.

One and the same Diana. They are known as Brockhouse FV2401 1 Ton 2 WH GS Cargo Trailer although a couple of different manufacturers produced them including Sankey. I suspect that Corio Engineering built them under a licencing agreement. I wonder if they were identical to the British version or modified for Australian conditions?