Gunner Basri - Hero from 2 ARTY

Taking the cue from Major Dswami, I had to tried to recollect if there were any heroes in the Artillery Corps. Off hand I really do not know nor have I heard of any heroic medal recipients in our regiments. Crooks aplenty.

But I do know several Gunners from my own regiment who would qualify for bravery medals, but for reasons beyond reasons they were not to be recognized as heroes.

My first hero is Gunner Basri from B Bty 2 Arty. Don’t know his full name though. We were deployed to Bau Sarawak sometime in early 1970. Gunner Basri is an unassuming young man from Semanunjung, but would pass off as a Sarawakian. A keen and intelligent soldier who had often wanted to change corps to KORIS.

We gave him an opportunity to prove his innate talents when we were deployed to Bau. 3 Bde in Kuching was looking for ground intelligence and had requested for volunteers to join the Bde MIO team. Gunner Basri volunteered to infiltrate into the Kampung Batu Kitang/ Batu Kawa areas just in the outer fringes of Kuching town. Kapung Batu Kitang and Kampung Batu Kawa were two of the hottest areas in the First Division Sarawak.

In the passing months we forgot all about Gunner Basri as he was attached formally to 3 Bde. We did not expect any news from him or of him. We do know he would be infiltrated into the enemy territory and monitored by our MIO and police Special Branch.

Five months later, out of the blue, 3 Bde was excited with an A1 intelligence report from the Special Branch who had received an urgent INTEL report from Gunner Basri.

A group of enemy had planned to cross the Sungei Sarawak Kiri near the main bridge Jalan Kuching/Bau crossing the river in the Kampung Batu Kitang area. The enemy crossing would take place at 2200 hours on a certain date. They had arranged for 4 sampans for the crossing. Gunner Basri was one of the sampan owners. The need for 4 sampans would indicate a fairly large enemy group, easily 10 to 15 enemies.

3 Bde decided to ambush the sampans as the enemy crossed to the south bank of the river. A company from the resident infantry battalion in Semanggoh Camp, near the Kuching Airport, was deployed into three ambush positions.

The infantry platoons were in their ambush positions for two days and the enemy crossed the river on the third night.

Gunner Basri was one of the sampan operators. He knew our ambush would be in place. But he could not get out of the dangerous situation for personal fear of his cover being blown. He must go along with the crossing. He had to ferry 5 fully armed enemies.

Gunner Basri’s cool and quick thinking saved him. He had deliberately delayed his sampan to be the last sampan to cross. He had quietly removed and dropped the shear pin of the sampan’s OBM, hence could not start his engine. He gave all sort of excuses to look for spare shear pins. And that delayed his sampan from crossing together with the other three sampans. I would believe he would be  sweating and praying all the time.

He was about 5 minutes behind the main crossing. When the three sampans reached the south bank, his sampan was still midway in the river.

The ambush was sprung when the three sampans reached the south bank. All hell broke loose with flares and tracers. Gunner Basri managed to escape by turning down stream and sped off from the killing zone. Afterwhich he and the enemies in his group jumped into the river and swam to safety. His group had no casualties and had survived the ambush.

The overall ambush was a success with several kills and a big immediate follow up ops was launched the following morning. Gunner Basri and his group escaped.

Gunner Basri had accomplished his aim and had done his best to eliminate the enemy grouping in the Kampung Batu Kitang area. He quietly came out of the area and reported back to 3 Bde. He was not rewarded.

Another incident happened to Gunner Basri whilst on leave for his extraordinary duty. One night when he went out to Kuching town on his motobike. He was a hit and run victim in Jalan Green. He was hospitalized in the Kuching General hospital with a broken leg. What was more intrigued was when he had unknown visitors making enquiries about him.

Gunner Basri requested for immediate discharge from the hospital. 3 Bde did the right thing by immediately flying him back to Semanjung.

I salute Gunner Basri and was thankful that he had survived and was safely back in 2 ARTY in Kluang. We are all sorry for him for not getting any bravery medal, but he was always appreciated as our local James Bond.

Allen Lai