GUNNER EXPERIENCE

Why is artillery called the King of the Battlefield?

I was commissioned as an officer in the Artillery — the King of Battlefield Regiment.

I started my career as a Section Commander, progressed to Gun Position Officer, then Regimental Officer, before eventually becoming a Battery Commander of a 155mm regiment.

I served 17 years as a gunner.

Let me share what I learnt about the gunner.

Throughout most of my career, we trained and operated the 105mm Pack Howitzer.

Why “Pack”?

Because the gun could be stripped down into individual components and transported by trucks. Pack it, move it, reassemble it.

Ready for fire mission.

That mobility was part of its value.

We were a combat support arm, providing fire support to the infantry. The 105mm could reach targets at around 10km, while the 155mm could reach considerably farther, around 26km.

But artillery is not simply:

Load. aim. fire.

There is science behind every round.

Range, Elevation, Ammunition, Weather,

Atmospheric conditions. These are called ballistic science.  All have to be calculated and accounted for. And then comes the sound. That distinctive whizzing of the projectile travelling through the sky before the explosion.

For the enemy troops, that sound is terrifying. For our own troops advancing under our protection, it can be a tremendous morale booster. But here is the important lesson about artillery. We are not a pinpoint killing machine. Our strength is mass and area effect.

Artillery could put concentrated fire onto an area, suppressing enemy positions and keeping their heads down.

The effective area;

105 is 250 x 250m

155 is 350 x 350m. 

And that changes the battlefield. The enemy cannot move freely. They cannot respond effectively. Their resistance is weakened.

That creates the opportunity for the infantry to advance, assault and capture the position.

Artillery does not necessarily win the ground. It helps create the conditions for the ground to be won. That is why the title King of the Battlefield is so appropriate.

Infantry captures the ground.

Artillery helps shape the battlefield that makes it possible.

After 17 years as a gunner,  commander, I still wear that experience as a badge of honour.

I was privileged to serve one of the most feared and respected arms on the battlefield.

*Once a gunner, always a gunner* 

Maj John Lee (Retd)

SILENT SALUTE

In fields where shadows stretch and bend,

Brave hearts once stood, their lives to lend,

For freedom’s call, they marched in stride,

With dreams of peace, their hopes their guide.

Through jungles thick and mountains steep,

They bore the weight, their promise deep,

Yet now they walk on streets of grey,

Where echoes of their valour fray.

With medals worn but pockets bare,

They whisper tales of sacrifice and care,

In twilight years, they seek a hand,

But find the silence of a distant land.

Oh, hear the cries of those who served,

Their stories rich, yet so unnerved,

A nation’s pride should never fade,

Let justice bloom where debts are paid.

With dignity and grace they stand,

Let’s rise together, hand in hand,

For every soldier’s silent plea,

Let’s forge a path to equity.

In gratitude, let’s take our stand,

For those who fought for this dear land,

Yet through the storms that life may send,

Their spirits soar; they will not bend.

For in their hearts, a fire ignites,

A beacon bright in darkest nights,

We are our nation's pride and shield,

In unity our strength revealed.

With steadfast hearts and voices clear,

We rise as one; no room for fear,

Our silent plea shall find its voice,

In justice served, we will rejoice.

Together we will pave the way,

For brighter tomorrows; come what may.

Col Allen Lai

SONG (BUKAN LAGU)

Song, bukan lagu, is a small river town located on the banks of the Sungei Rajang and Sungei Katibas confluence. The town is between Kanowit and Kapit towns Sarawak, about 3 hours by express boat from Sibu. It was an important trading town in the days of old. The town itself was at about 50 feet above the river, with an undulating ridge at the rear of the town. There was an old company size army camp built by the British army. This camp was sited in the most un-tactical location. I still believed that the sitting of this camp was done by an officer who did not make it to staff college. Nor was the camp built by an Engineer Squadron. It was most probably erected by an infantry assault pioneer platoon. The camp was built in a bowl like valley with several rows of Bowen barracks on stilts. Sentry posts were sited on the high features overlooking into the camp.

Kem Song had a platoon from the RAMD battalion in stationed Kanowit when I had first visited Song. I visited Song because I was to pay a courtesy call to the Commander RASCOM. I was promoted to Lt Colonel a week ago and was posted to HQ 1 Div Kuching as the SO1 Logistics. After a week’s orientation in 1 Div, I scheduled to visit RASCOM and 5 Bde in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Otherwise I would never in my life hear of Song, much less visit the place. I still have some doubts if any Gunner had visited Song.

I bring up my visit to Song because I want to write about camaraderie. I believe camaraderie is much lacking in present day soldiering. Camaraderie can originate from the most unusual place. Like Song.

I arrived Song mid morning, smartly dressed in my cheloreng, with new chips on my shoulders, after a three hours ride by the daily Express Boat from Sibu. Commander RASCOM and his G staff were at RASCOM TEK HQ in Song. After the usual welcome, greetings, hellos, salutations and briefings, a happy hour and drinks were in order to celebrate with the new SO1 Log. After all, the commander was non other that Brig Jen Dato Yahaya, RAMD, a stylish beer drinker and thoroughbred gentleman.

I have never met the commander before, although I had heard of his drinking reputation in the likes and league of the late Colonel Abu Hassan, also RAMD. 

And so we drank beer under some coconut trees in Camp Song. As usual happy hour lasted more than an hour and we were celebrating my promotion. Until today, I still do not know why “happy hour” is called “happy hour” in the army. But happy hour it was and still is, despite the fact that it always last much longer than an hour. I had never done a happy hour under the hour. I can only suppose happy hours were needed to foster and cement camaraderie.

Camaraderie starts with a spark, goes through lots of drinks and laughter; and ends with a hangover.

The weather was hot that mid morning and it got hotter into the afternoon and evening. Needless to say with cold beers flowing, it does not make any difference in the weather. All of us including General Yahaya took off our cheloreng shirts and hung them on the branches of a nearby Jambu tree. It was hot.

We drank to almost dusk and “stand to” time. Happy as we were, we weren’t drunk. I was the first to put on my shirt so that we could adjourn for stand to. I buttoned up my shirt, put on my combat webbings and barret. I stood in front of the commander with the intention to take leave from him and the happy group of officers.

General Yahaya stood up immediately and gave me a smart salute to the astonishment of all present. I was awed and speechless. The general saluted me, not me him. And he was not drunk.

I recalled the embarrassing scene very well till this day. I had put on the general’s shirt, stars and all. I was “promoted” twice in two weeks.

Camaraderie with General Yahaya and others lasted to this day.

Drinks anybody?

COL ALLEN LAI 

TIME WRAPPED REGIMENT

What say I raise the Regiment that I would be happiest to serve in? What say if I could turn the clock back? What say I could pick and choose the officers and ARTY directorate would have no say?

My Reality Distortion Field Syndrome aside, I would interview all candidates for my Regiment. I would do an utopian lineup like George Orwell, and parade them for selection for the various appointments in a time wrapped Regiment comprising an HQ and 4 Gun Btys.

My criteria for selection would be based on the following traits and talents:

Integrity, Leadership, Charisma, Responsibilities, Talent, Knowledge, Sportmanship, Fun, Compassion and of course Gunnery. And in that order for weightage and balance.

CO – Mustapha Saad (Musty)

2IC – Tony Morel

Adjutant – Hung Meng

Assistant Adjutant – Ghazali (King Gus)

QM Gen – Zahir

QM Tech - Harun

4X BCs, Tan Say Loke, Oh Teng Lim, Hew Deng Onn, and Omar Mohammad

4X BK, David Lam, Heera Singh, Maskan Katan, and Aris Salim

8X Troop commanders, Ho Wah Juan, Chong Kok Heng, Ramachandran, Masoud (Timmy), Albert Manaseh, Ganeson, Tan Guan Gui and Yusri

8X GPOs/Section commanders, Aziddin, Maniam (Apu), Chandran, Satwan Singh, Azahar, Mokhtar Pereman, Allen Lai and for Senior Subaltern – Tony Chia(Anthonysamy)

It would be an awesome Regiment. No?

Unfortunately other Gunners may not have the opportunity to serve in this Regiment, but then they could always raise their Regiment of choice.

What say?

COL ALLEN LAI

A TALE RETOLD

 Hello G29, This is 88........

Artillery without communication is nothing. Zilc. No firepower, no nothing. Comms are needed for passage of orders, sitreps and all the 'treps, and for keeping control of everything Artillery. The Fire Orders Net is the primary net for the artillery carrying fire orders and directing the guns so to speak. The two other nets are the Regt/Bty Command net and the Regt/Bty Admin net. All HF networks. The FO NET is always VHF for clearity and noice reduction. But VHF is dependant on line of sight signals, hence a very short range. To increase our range for communication, the BDE Signals Sqn would set up relay stations, mostly on top of hilltops for extended range. Rebro callsign is always 88.

I always request, sometimes demand for Rebro stations for all my operational activities. Some Signal Sqn comds do not always see my point for deployment of their precious resource. But I always get my way, via the Bde Comd or over beers. We unfortunately do not have the iPhone, Nokia, Motorolla and Samsung smart phones like today. No TWITTER, No Facebook, No Facetime and No Skype. No IM, MMS and SMS.

Today I use WHATAPPS and Skype for all my communication needs. I never use IM for lack of interoperability between types of hardwares.

Wouldn't it be nice if Fire orders came through today's communication setups? No need to remember the lenght of the HF arial to be used as we strung them on our diaploes. Heck, I still remember the formula to be used. Half Lampar equals to frequency over 234. Lampar or in the Queen's English Lamda is the length of the HF arial to be used. As we always have 2 primary frequencies and two spare frequencies allocated, we need to remember the formula to change the length of the arial as we change frequencies to suit the time of the day and night. Lampar is an easy word to use as we use it almost everyday; even the non Chinese personnel use Lampar!

But I am a thourough bred VHF man. I demand VHF comms for all my deployments. Call sign 88 would always be deployed, when my Regt or Bty was in town. Regts have their own Rebro signal equipment.

My Bty was operating in the Batu Kawa area just outside Kuching town. 3 Bde Signals Sqn had deployed Rebro for us on top of Gunung Sempadi, overlooking the whole AO. No VHF comms problems over 80 km.

Gunung Sempadi is the highest hill in First Division Sarawak. A TV station was being built on the hilltop. A section of LDC personnel was stationed permanently guarding the station. The Rebro section would put up with the LDC unit whenever deployed. They had a tin shed for admin; a leanto attached to the back of the main building.

3 Bde had deployed two infantry battalions for Search and Destroy Ops in Batu Kawa. My Bty was in direct support and provided HF fire missions , day and night. Occationally we would fire illumination rounds over Gunung Sempadi. A show of operational intensity so to speak. A waste of money I would say.

One night when we were firing Illumination rounds over Gunung Sempadi, 88 came in excitely over the air. Normally they were on radio silent providing their auto relay services, without fuss.

"Hello G 29, this is 88. Bomb masuk dapor over."

"G29. Bomb masuk dapur Out"

" 88 this is G 29, apa ini? Bomb masuk dapur? Jangan kacau over"

"G29, this is 88, bomb api tuan terus masuk dapur kem ini dan tidak bolih dipadam over"

" G29, gunakan Pamadam Api. Over"

" 88, tidak bolih. Dah cuba. Masih terbakar over."

The above conversation is real. What happened?

It had been a normal night illumination mission. Illumination flares open in the sky and float down to the ground providing illumination for about one miinute. Sometimes the parashute of the shell does not open. Although quite rare. We had a mulfunction that night and a flare came straight down the ground. It came through the zinc roof of the leanto, hit the rim of a 44 gal oil drum and deflected 90 degrees and shot out the zinc side wall. It continued to burn fiecely next to a stack of diesel oil drums used for the station's generators. Magnesium burns underwater and without oxygen. It could not be put out with fire extinguishers.

Luckily there were no casualties and no real damage. No Chenobyl. The diesel oil drums did not catch fire and explode. Only two big holes in the roof and side of the leanto.

I dread to know the scenarios of the What Ifs..........

Good Luck, Bad Luck, Maybe

COL ALLEN LAI

HOME AT LAST

 After a long lost sojourn, I'm back! Just checking the heartbeat 💓 and shall find the inspiration to restart the blog on a gunner officer mode. So here goes it.

GUNNERS ALIVE!

THE BEGINNING?

After a long period of idleness ( I cannot describe it any other way) I've decided to rise again. In mainly a retirement mode, I suppose I'd have more time now to fill that gap and plod along. It's tough to keep this blog apolitical, away from race and religious sensitivities, but nevertheless, one must persevere and move forward. Another attempt is being made to write the regimental history of the Malaysian Artillery. Some serious attempts resulted in some long forgotten publication. The spirit to write accurately, with the full extent of the development of the Corps, from its inception to date has been somewhat missing. When gunners gather for social occasions, its lively banter streak across years of history and forgotten moments. What a loss, when you think that all of these shall disappear to oblivion by the memory bearer.

So, my provoking question is...Where do we go from here? I am of the belief that a team comprising dedicated, wholeheartedly "determined" veterans and a select few of serving gunners worth their salt, can pull this off over a timeline of two years involving research, collection of facts, verification, interviews and drafting the master document. Then comes the question...who is this for?....Who's going to read it? Well to put it simply, if I asked you where you came from and and about your family tree and you couldn't respond, that would indeed make you a huge embarrassment. In Tamil society, its a derogatory remark if it is said that you do not know where you came from.

The team can now look forward to a purposeful effort and the result should be nothing less than phenomenal. A living document of Gunners "BY US, OF US, FOR US". I say no more. Not forgetting.....SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDIL ADHA.

ALWAYS A GUNNER