With the late Colonel Abu Hassan

The late Colonel Abu Hassan and I clicked well like ducks to water. He was CO 6 RAMD stationed in Kluang and I was 21C/BCs in 2 ARTY. Sometimes 6 RAMD and 2 ARTY btys coincided on roulements to the border ops.

On one occasion I was BC B BTY 2 ARTY and was deployed to 2 Bde Area. Bty Tac was located in Ipoh. We stayed in the Bde officers mess in Asby Road, Ipoh. It was mid afternoon when I got a telephone call from Colonel Abu. He wasn’t on ops but was just passing through.

“Hey Allen, Lets have a drink tonight” said the Colonel in the most official tone over the telephone, pulling rank over me. I could only answer “YES SIR. 2030 hours tonight at a Hotel in Tambun area, where he was staying”.

Colonel Abu was a thoroughbred gentleman and a ladies man to boot. I just couldn’t let him down. After all he was passing through town and he had come to the right place.

I called up my BK, as he was good with organising impromptu things. My BK got the girls ready, one for each of us and the prettiest one for the Colonel. We arrived at Hotel Casurina, Tambun and adjourned for drinks at the bar. After dinner we adjourned back to the bar and drank some more. As the Colonel was to leave Ipoh the next day, My BK and I bid an early goodnight to him and left with our girls for the Bde Officers mess. We had winked our eyes and left the Colonel’s girl with him.

And we waited by the telephone at the officers mess. Our girls giggling.

The phone rang and the Colonel was on the line. “Celaka Allen Lai, Celaka Allen Lai. Now you take HIM away”. Apparently the girl’s wig had come off during some passionate moments at the hotel, exposing his gender to the good Colonel.

My BK and I went to rescue the Colonel at the hotel. We sent the girls off and continued to drink with the Colonel until the wee hours of the morning.

It is with camaraderie that we can pull off pranks like that. No offense, only laughter and memories to last.

Should I write about our trysts at Bukit Iskandar Johore Baru? No I better not, before people gets the wrong idea. I am solid.

Allen Lai