Comet A34 tanks, Bren Gun Carriers, Humber armored cars, Dingo and Ferret scout cars in pristine condition paraded with modern Chinese-made vehicles of the Myanmar army for its Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw, the administrative capital city, on March 27.
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Comet A34 tanks, Bren Gun Carriers, Humber armored cars, Dingo and Ferret scout cars in pristine condition paraded with modern Chinese-made vehicles of the Myanmar army for its Armed Forces Day in Naypyidaw, the administrative capital city, on March 27. (Picture source: screenshot from Myanmar TV)

Like Russia has been doing for a couple of years to commemorate the Great Patriot War on the annual Victory Parade by involving T-34 tanks and several Russian-, U.S. and British-made vehicles of World War 2, Myanmar has included British-made armored vehicles of various types in the impressive parade commemorating its Armed Forces Day. On the March 27 parade, one could see Comet A34 tanks, Bren Gun Carriers, Humber armored cars (apparently Mk.IV model), Dingo and post-war Ferret scout cars in pristine condition, a « treasure » that seemed to appear for the first time.

When the United Kingdom granted independence to the Union of Burma on January 4, 1948, the British army left a big amount of military equipment behind, like the U.S had done when leaving the Stilwell Road itinerary (made of the Ledo Road and Old Burma Road) in Upper Burma, in 1946, thus one year after the end of World War 2. Even in the late 1990s and early 2000s, many members of the Myanmar armed forces still used U.S. knives and U.S. M1 carbines dating back to World War 2, but no British weapons, it seems. Decommissioned Douglas C-47 (or DC-3, the original civilian version) Dakotas/Skytrains could still be seen at Mingaladon Airport until a couple of years ago. However Army Recognition’s chief editor crisscrossed the country many times since 1994, he never saw any British (nor U.S.) WW2 vehicles outside public parks (as monuments) or museums, except numerous Willys MB and Ford GPW Jeeps, as well as Dodge 4x4 and 6x6 or GMC trucks in civilian hands, usually in poor condition, largely "cannibalized". The appearance of the vehicles in pristine condition at the Armed Forces Day parade 2021 is then a surprise.

M3 Honey (Stuart) and Humber armored car in a public park, in 2008 (Picture source: Alain Henry de Frahan)

M4 Sherman in a public park of Yangon (Rangoon), in 1998 (Picture source: Alain Henry de Frahan)

M3 Honey (Stuart) in a public park of Yangon (Rangoon), in 1998 (Picture source: Alain Henry de Frahan)