Season's Greetings

Hi all,

Tis the time of the year again. End of yet another year. A new year round the corner. Time for celebration and merriment. I have not being blogging here for sometime. No excuses. I will try to sort out myself in due time. I have terrible mood swings lately. I could not kick start out of my tardiness.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our Gunners. Blessings and best wishes to you and your families.

Take care

Allen Lai

MERRY CHRISTMAS 2013

May you all be blessed with a Very Merry Christmas

Pingat Jasa Malaysia

The Gunners Club has planned the medal presentation ceremony. The Club Secretary's message is as follows:

Persatuan Bekas Artileri Malaysia(PBAM) will org a PJM medal ceremony for 40 Ex Gnr Offrs on Tuesday, 17th Dec'13 @0800hr at Wisma Perwira TD, Kem Perdana, Sg Besi. You are invited with you spouse. Wear a Batik, Suite or Baju Melayu. For medal recipients, there will be instructions sent soon. Call secretariat at 03-41084518 or 019-3179154. 
Join us for another Reunion of Gnrs and Lunch. "Once a Gnr always a Gnr."

PINGAT JASA MALAYSIA ADALAH  SEBUAH 'CAMPAIGN MEDAL' YANG DIZAHIRKAN  MELALUI STATUTNYA  YANG BERTARIKH 3 MAC 2004  YANG TELAH DIPERKENALKAN  OLEH   SERI PADUKA BAGINDA  YANG DI-PERTUAN AGONG  YANG KEDUA BELAS.

PINGAT JASA MALAYSIA INI   BERBENTUK BULAT  YANG DIPERBUAT DARIPADA TEMBAGA  YANG BERSADURKAN PERAK   PERMUKAAN HADAPAN BUAH PINGAT  TERUKIR  DENGAN JATA MALAYSIA  SERTA  TERPAHAT DENGAN TULISAN  'JASA MALAYSIA'  MANA KALA DI PERMUKAAN BELAKANGNYA  TERUKIR DENGAN PETA MALAYSIA  DAN TULISAN P.J.M.  PITA REBENNYA  BERJALURKAN WARNA MERAH,  BIRU TUA DAN KUNING  YANG MELAMBANGKAN  KEBERANIAN  PENGABDIAN KEPADA TUHAN,  TUGAS DAN TANGGUNG JAWAB  SERTA KESETIAAN KEPADA RAJA DAN NEGARA.

PINGAT INI DIWUJUDKAN  ADALAH UNTUK MENGIKTIRAF  KEPERWIRAAN,  KEBERANIAN,  PENGORBANAN DAN KHIDMAT BAKTI  YANG TELAH DIPAMERKAN  OLEH SETIAP LAPISAN ANGGOTA  KETIGA-TIGA PERKHIDMATAN  ANGKATAN TENTERA MALAYSIA  SEMASA MENGHADAPI   ERA DARURAT KEDUA  SERTA PASUKAN PENGAMAN TENTERA ASING   SEMASA DARURAT PERTAMA.

PINGAT INI  DIKHUSUSKAN UNTUK ANGGOTA ANGKATAN TENTERA MALAYSIA  YANG TERLIBAT DI DALAM MEMERANGI   PENGGANAS KOMUNIS  SECARA LANGSUNG   MAHUPUN TIDAK LANGSUNG  DI ANTARA TAHUN 1969 SEHINGGA 1989 DI SEMENANJUNG MALAYSIA  DAN  SEHINGGA  TAHUN 1990 DI SABAH DAN SARAWAK.

DI DALAM PERKHIDMATAN  SESUAI DENGAN STATUTNYA SEBAGAI "CAMPAIGN MEDAL"  PINGAT INI TELAH DIMARTABATKAN   SEBAGAI PINGAT TERKANAN  DALAM KEKANANAN SUSUNAN  BERBANDING DENGAN ANUGERAH-ANUGERAH  YANG SAMA KELAS DENGANNYA.

ST. BARBARA'S DAY- 4 DECEMBER 2013

ORDER OF ST BARBARA MEDALLION

Saint Barbara became the patron saint of artillerymen. She is also traditionally the patron of armourers, military engineers, gunsmiths, miners and anyone else who worked with cannon and explosives. She is invoked against thunder and lightning and all accidents arising from explosions of gunpowder. She is venerated by Catholics who face the danger of sudden and violent death in work.

The Spanish word santabárbara, the corresponding Italian word Santa Barbara, and the obsolete French Sainte-Barbe signify the powder magazine of a ship or fortress. It was customary to have a statue of Saint Barbara at the magazine to protect the ship or fortress from suddenly exploding. She is the patron of the Italian Navy.

Saint Barbara’s Day, December 4, is celebrated by the British (Royal Artillery, RAF Armourers), Royal Engineers, Australian (Royal Regiment of Australian Artillery, RAAF Armourers), Canadian (Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians (EOD), Canadian Air Force Armourers, Royal Canadian Artillery, Canadian Military Field Engineers, Royal Canadian Navy Weapons Engineering Technicians), New Zealand (RNZAF Armourers, RNZA, RNZN Gunners Branch) armed forces. Additionally, it is celebrated by Irish Defence Forces Artillery Regiments, Norwegian Armed Forces Artillery Battalion, United States Army and Marine Corps Field and Air Defense Artillery, many Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians, and other artillery formations. The units and sub-units celebrate the day with church parades, sports days, guest nights, cocktail parties, dinners and other activities. Several mining institutions also celebrate it, such as some branches of the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy. Although they do not celebrate her saint's day, she is also the patron saint of US Navy and Marine Corps Aviation Ordnancemen

Santa Barbara Night is celebrated by the Norwich University Independent Battery.

In Greece, the day is celebrated by the Artillery Corps of the Greek Army and the Cypriot National Guard. Artillery camps throughout the two countries host celebrations in honor of the saint, where the traditional sweet of loukoumades is offered to soldiers and visitors, allegedly because it resembles cannonballs.^[15] Saint Barbara is also the patron saint of the northern Greek city of Drama, where a sweet called varvara, which resembles a more liquid form of koliva, is prepared and consumed on her feast day.

The Spanish Artillerymen also venerate her as patron saint of their branch, and parades, masses and dinners are held in her honour and on behalf of those serving in the branch.

The city of Santa Barbara, California, located approximately 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles, is named for the Mission Santa Barbara. The Franciscan mission was dedicated to her in 1602 after Sebastián Vizcaíno survived a violent storm just offshore on the eve of her feast day. Other Spanish and Portuguese settlements named Santa Barbara were established in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela, and the Philippines.^[16] Many churches in Russia are dedicated in her name, including one in Moscow, next to Saint Basil's Cathedral, and in Yaroslavl.

In the Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian religions of Santería, Candomblé, and Umbanda she is syncretized with Chango, the deity of fire, lightning, and thunder.

In Georgia, Saint Barbara's Day is celebrated as Barbaroba on December 17 (which is December 4 in the old style calendar).^[17] The traditional festive food is lobiani, bread baked with a bean stuffing.

In Macedonia Saint Barbara's day is celebrated as Варвара (Varvara) on 17 December. Some Macedonians celebrate with their closest family and friends at home, while others refrain, believing that people who step in their house on Saint Barbara's day will give them either good or bad luck for the rest of the year.

In the mining town Kalgoorlie, Australia, as patron saint of miners she is venerated in the annual St. Barbara's Day parade.