The iconic Leopard tank at the RSL Mount Gambier and District Bowling Club received a fresh coat of paint last week from a group of former First Armoured Regiment soldiers.

South Australian representative for the First Armoured Regiment Association Mark Reid said before the repaint, the tank was in a state of disrepair.

Mr Reid said the repaint was completed over a number of days and he was happy to see the tank restored to its former glory.

Those involved with the project included Mr Reid from Adelaide, former Mount Gambier man Geoffrey Baker, Roger Martlew from Millicent and Naracoorte’s Richard James. Mr Baker drove the tank when he was in the First Armoured Regiment.

Mount Gambier Community RSL President Bob Sandow said only two of the army tanks came to South Australia, one of which happened to be Mr Baker’s.

Mr Martlew served on a Centurion in Vietnam and Mr James also served on these vehicles when they were introduced into service.

“Members of the association are pretty happy to come down, spend a couple of days doing something we love that we used to do 40 or 50 years ago,” Mr Reid said.

Mount Gambier business Paxford Canvas Products removed the old mantlet cover which they replaced and reinstalled free of charge, while Bunnings Warehouse supplied the paint through Taubmans.

The men also repainted ‘Crater,’ the original name of the tank, back onto the side of the vehicle along with the original call sign 33A.

Mr Sandow said the repaint was “tremendous” and Independent MP Troy Bell, Barker MP Tony Pasin and City Mayor Lynette Martin visited the site during its repaint.

“These guys just spread stories of old, back when they were nineteen, you know,” Mr Sandow said.

“It’s gone very well, it looks a million dollars and we are so grateful for it.”