Last Thursday I had made arrangements to have lunch with Major Ganeson. I was to meet up with him in his Melawati office so that I could also discuss some matters with him for the coming year end RAFOC dinner.
I was pleasantly delighted to have met Dato Jaafar Mohammed and Timmy Masoud in Ganeson’s Office. We chit chated and talked about the good old days and also what I had been doing lately. Major Rama also turned up just before lunch time.
It was at the corridor that Timmy showed me a Whatsapps message he had received from another retired Gunner officer. The message related to the episode when we sent off Lt Colonel Tony Morel when he left 2 ARTY for his early retirement. Lt Colonel Tony Morel was our Commanding Officer when we were in Kluang. The message mentioned the scenario of the send off and had also mentioned the officers who were present that day. He listed the names and ended by mentioning “ ….and of course my beloved BC Allen Lai was there”.
My beloved BC ? Wow what a description of endearment. Even my old flames do not refer me as their beloved. Why would somebody describe me so lovingly is beyond me. As I recollect my days as a BC and also as a commanding Officer, I had often reflected back if I had commanded well.
Yes I had always had my subordinates’ career and welfare in my mind. That was what we were taught in leadership courses. Your men must always come first. I would always remain behind in the Bty lines, gun parks and vehicle parks each time we came back from exercises in Asahan or from ops. But that was duty that does not deserve any compliments.
But I do know that an officer is always remembered for what he did or did not do whilst in service. We had to be terribly good or terribly bad to be remembered. Mediocre officers were hardly remembered or mentioned.
I am glad to have left behind a good legacy. I hope.
Allen Lai
