Tracks Magazine - August 1955

"Archie" McDonald - 1955

Ron Bond - 1955

A couple of decades ago I was travelling through northern NSW and called in to see Archie McDonald, an old 1 Armoured Regiment LAD mate. Archie had kept his copy of the first issue of the Regiment's glossy magazine, Tracks — August 1955. It is this magazine that is re-produced below

S.C. (PR..) Photograph

"The tank, like the skilled boxer, has a hundred methods of avoiding a direct hit on the chin, and of yet knocking his opponent out. The interplay of fire support between tank sub-units, protection by covered lines of approach, the devasting charge of stabilized tanks firing with accuracy, the skilful use of smoke, and the development of night fighting are all means by which the tank can still achieve its object."

Major-General H. E. Pyman, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O.
in Royal Armoured Corps Journal.

Tracks, having enjoyed its debut, now passes into Regimental history. There have been manifest imperfections and our next issue should show the value of the lessons learned in this initial publication. We extend sincere thanks to all who have helped ——

• the Commanding Officer, whose interest has been a continual encouragement;
• the Publication Committee who, under the leadership of Major Tripp, have been ready helpers;
• the work of the Art Editor (Lt. J. R. Hayward) has been both voluminous and valuable.
• The ready co-operation of Army Headquarters and Southern Command Public Relations, especially the blocks and photographs of the latter is appreciated.
• The tedium of typing, undertaken by School of Armour staff and others within our Regiment, has its own reward.
• Our printers, The Adamson Printing Co., spared no effort to achieve the excellence of technical reproduction so evident.
• Our Puckapunyal photographers, in Mr. M. Dubin and J.Patetl, have given generously of time and material.
• Mr. McClements, an ex-Armour member of Sun-Herald staff, has helped us often;
• the Age and Argus" have been good friends.
• Mr. Givon Parsons, U.S. Vice-Consul in Melbourne, U.K. Information Service, U.S. Information Service have been most helpful.
• The Council of the Christian Education in Schools kindly loaned the block used on [Elevating Gear].

To them and to all who have encouraged our effort we say, "Thank You".

This journal has been published with a view to meeting several needs;

• to represent our Armoured Regiment in the Australian scene,
• to greet sister regiments overseas,
• to convey matter of technical interest, and
• to meet a need for a regimental publication, pleasing to our own members.

This varied approach has called for both formality and intimacy. We can only trust that we have, if only in part, succeeded.

This journal, though featuring Centurions, has had, we trust, a General Patton discernable in its format.

Constructive criticism will be welcomed — to such interested friends we commend the remarks of Mr. Stephen "Gamesmanship" Potter, who in The Art of Reviewmanship, says: "You yourself should have written the book, if you had had the time. Since you hadn't you are glad that someone else has, although it is obvious that it might have been done better". If all else fails find at least some misplaced punctuation marks and say, "If, as we hope, there is to be a second edition, certain small errors and inconsistancies can be put right."

"Wilco" out— we must be making Tracks for 1956.

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