The milk run

Some milk runs are no milk runs. I know. I run milk runs.

Ammunition supplies are milk runs. Artillery ammunition milks runs are fairly arduous and could be complicated, particularly sending artillery ammunition to Sabah and Sarawak. A lot of factors were taken into consideration before the exercise to send ammunition stock to Sabah Sarawak. It takes two years planning to conduct an artillery ammunition milk run to the main ammo depots in Kuching, Labuan and Kota Kinabalu from Peninsular.

The move entails stock turnovers, shipping, land transport, accompanying Ammo Technical Officers (ATO) and ammo technicians, security, and very tight control measures for safety. Normally naval vessels were used for the task as civilian cargo shipping was very costly. The insurance cover for the run would cost more than the shipping itself. Whenever naval ships were not available for the milk run, we would schedule our civilian chartered cargo ship MV Sang Fajar, two years in advance at the expense of not shipping other routine runs for essential equipment and ordnance stores.

1982. It was my first year as SO1 Log 1 DIV and I took over a milk run planned two years ago and scheduled for mid September. I studied the plan and the movement tables. Piece of cake I thought. I was the SDS in LATEDA the previous year and taught Movements Graphs in the SD wing.

The special milk run was to be shipped by MV Sang Fajah, off loading 105mm HE, Smoke and Illuminating ammo in Kuching, Labuan, and KK being the last port of call. The different types of ammo needed to be loaded in separate hold compartments, with different fire fighting apparatus needed.

All planning and orders were finalized by August. We engaged extra stevedores and army work parties at all the ports of calls to ensure a fast turn around for the ship to return to its routine tasks. Bill of fares, custom forms, hazardous declarations were all in order. Local police were notified and military outriders were made available. All 3 tonners in the stations were centralized for the move, Red flags in front and green flags for the tail end Charlie. All systems go.

But time and tide waits for no man.

The milk runs to Kuching and Labuan were completed as planned and on schedule. But I knew that offloading in KK would be problematic. High tide was in the afternoon and the MV Sang Fajar was no RORO (Roll on Roll Off) ship. The ship could only dock in the early afternoon at the earliest. Time was the essence.

Now for the fireworks. Literally.

I had flown to Labuan and KK by CATW (Civil Air Travel Warrant) ahead of the ship. I knew the off loading at KK would be no easy milk run. The ship would dock on the day Sabah had planned to celebrate Merdeka Day in a big way. Parades, Fun activities and fireworks to boot. It was to be the biggest fireworks display I was told. AND the area for the fireworks was at the waterfront starting at 2030 hours. Bringing ammunition to the port that evening was definitely out of the question. Period.

I reported to Commander 5 Bde to seek permission to off load the ammunition. Major Maniam (Apu) was DQ 5 Bde. He was tasked to control the land transport turn around to off load the ammo in Kem Lok Kawi. He assured me that it could be done. But the Commander was adamant that we should not do it.  I argued very hard to get it done on an operational contingency. He finally agreed but said something I could not accept that it could come from a Commander. He had said that he would not be responsible for anything untoward. Not responsible? What are your stars for?

I grew up being responsible for my rank, status and all the actions by my subordinates all my life. It is part of command and leadership. This was the first thing I had learnt as a cadet officer. Don’t let anybody teach you otherwise.

MV Sang Fajar was 24 hours away when I gave the clearance to dock in KK. My head was on the chopping block. Die Die must do.

The ship came in at about 1400 hours and I had estimated that we needed about 6 hours to unload. We should finish unloading by 2000 hours latest working double time. We could do it. I ordered for more stevedores and extra hands and hoisters. I do not recall the extra expenditures. I don’t care. It was touch and go.

Everybody knew about the challenge to unload by 2000 hours. We even started to unload from all hatches before custom clearance. Franticly but no chaos.

We were making good timing until 1830 hours when the sky darkened and threatened to pour. Ammo should not be wet for long term stock up and shelf life.

We prayed. I prayed. Major Maniam must have prayed too.

We needed one more hour and the sky could cry for all I care. We were just working to our maximum capacity. Everything was clockwork. It was a battle against time. We planned for 10 vehicles per convoy for best turn around time. The 3 tonners were lined up, loaded and sped off led by a military out rider. Local police controlled every junction between the port and Kem Lok Kawi. Such was Major Maniam’s superb organization and support.

It started to drizzle, a couple of rain drops. I continued to pray some more. God must have heard Major Maniam’s prayers. A miracle happened. Heavy rain fell everywhere, one kilometer outside the port area, leaving a halo of dry area over the port. The rain storm covered the whole of KK, but not at the port area. Our 3 tonners returned drenched wet for the turn around. A real miracle. No other explanation.

We completed our mission impossible by 2000 hrs. Just 15 minutes after the last tail end Charlie left the port area, the halo above the port area broke loose and cats and dogs came down.

I adjourned to the little officers’ cabin on board MV Sang Fajar with Major Maniam. He polished his favourite duty free crate of Carlsberg and I had a couple of stiff ones. We did not talk. Our eyes misty, perhaps due to the wet sea breeze that came in from the cabin’s port hole window.

I took the last MAS night flight out of KK back to Kuching. I was in no mood for the grandest fireworks display, which started after the local Bomoh stopped the rain.

Allen Lai