Taiping

Taiping means “Big Peace” in Chinese, a name given by the Chinese who had migrated there to work in the tin mines in Perak. Taiping also served as a military garrison for the British army. Malaysian units began to take over British army camps in Taiping around early 1960s.

2 Arty took over the British Military Hospital in Kamunting Camp in 1965. And since then there would be lapsed in “Big Peace” in the town, especially after payday at the end of the month. One of the more popular bars in town The Moonlight Bar, near the famous Taiping lake gardens, would need to change its names fairly frequently. For each time there was a fight at the bar, it would be out of bounds to soldiers. So when the garrison placed Moonlight Bar out of bounds, it would change its name to Starlight Bar so that the bar would be in bounds again. And this would go on again and again. Regimental RPs would be lost for words.

When 2 Arty moved to Taiping, the garrison already comprised Engineer Sqns, MSC units, Ordnance units, MP units and 1 Renjer. We were the new kids in the block. The Beatles and Cliff Richard were top of the pops. Moonlight Bar never had it so good when the Regiment came marching in. Small fights and skirmishes soon started with 2 Arty soldiers and other soldiers stationed in Taiping. Fights were often over the ladies of the town and space in the bars.

It was really bad when E Bty came back after 6 months in Sebatik Island. We were “loaded”. Nothing was better than being a bachelor soldier with money saved from Sabah allowances. It was “The Fight” waiting to happen. It started with ORs from both 2 Arty and 1 Renjer at the Moonlight Bar. Soon the fights escalated to officers level, when 2 Arty officers and 1 Renjer officers jumped into the frays supporting their men. Oddly enough most of the casualties were other clients drinking at the bar, mostly civilians. 2Lt Chong Kok Hing was pushed into the main drain that runs across Taiping market in one of the nightly fights.

The COs of both Regiments were quick to arrest the problem. All personnel’s were confined to camp. We were ordered to make up or to be confined to our camps indefinitely. A peace party was sent to 1 Renjer and the result was to have a grand regimental dinner for all officers and ORs in our camp. We were deliberately seated besides each other in alternative chairs.

We made friends that evening as quickly as we fought. And till to date 2 Arty and 1 Renjer personnel were best of friends. We still fought but not with each other but with personnel of other units.

Agi Idup Agi Ngalaban.

2Lt Allen Lai Kim Hinn FA

I was commissioned and posted to 2 Arty in December 1964, together with Steven Pan Kong Leong. 2 Arty was a new regt then, and we were put up in an old Gurkha hutted camp beside the Sg Besi Chinese graveyard.

I was posted to E Bty and Pan to F Bty. There were only two Federation Artillery Regiments in 1964. 1 Arty, also located in Sg Besi, had three gun Btys, A, B and C Bty and 2 Arty had D,E and F Bty. There were indeed more guns in the Bty than officers, because all gun Btys had 4 guns each, and we had 3 officers to each Bty.

E Bty had a BC, Major John Lane RA, a BK, Kapt Mustapha Saad FA and me holding the rest of the Bty appointments; Section Comd, GPO, Troop Comd and 2^nd BK. Boy do we have to learn fast.

My first real operational experience was not as a gunner, but as an infantry platoon comd as E Bty and F Bty were deployed to the Kota Tinggi area in Johore in mid December 1964. Indonesian troops had parachuted into Kota Tinggi / Mawai, area and had butchered about 18 soldiers from 1 SIR Regt from Singapore. But that’s another story.

I settled into routine regimental and bty duties after a successful ops and returning from Kota Tinggi. An introductory YO gunnery course was organized by Mejar Jafaar Mohammed FA IG. The course was held inhouse in 1 Arty. The proper YO Arty course in Larkhill, UK would only commence in August 1965.

From December 1964 to August 1965 all officers from both the regts stayed in the common officers mess up the hill, with all the other troops stationed in Sg Besi. Lt Anthony Chia Eng Lim was the senior subaltern for both the regts. Adjutant for 1 Arty was Kapt Hew Deng Onn and 2 Arty had a Mat Salleh Capt. ( Forgot his name). Whilst 1 Arty had more Malaysian officers, other than the CO Colonel Price, 2 Arty had more Mat Salleh officers, with the CO Colonel Webb. All BCs, Adjutant, QM were Mat Sallehs.

Both Pan and I took our ragging period well. It was all learning process and fun. All new officers were known as NQFA (Non Qualified Federation Artillery), until we had completed our YO Arty course. Our immediate seniors were, Lt Aris Salim FA, Lt Adam Hon FA and Lt Omar FA. Life as a young gunner was not bad, we had a lot to learn and had held a lot of responsibilities to boot. Our lives were centered in the regiment, playing games and the officers mess full time. We learnt and picked up things more at the weekly Happy Hours and daily sessions sitting at the bar counter than in the classroom. Of course TV Malaysia (black and white) was just introduced in 1964. We had regular parties and celebrations. We actually celebrate everything and anything; birthdays, games, end of exercises and regimental dos. Every Bty in both the regts had their own bands. 2 Arty shifted to Taiping in mid 1965, deep in our Arty traditions, and sad to be parted from 1 Arty officers.

Pan, Maskan Katan, Chin Kai Fong and I left for Larkhill in August 1965 for the 6 months YO Arty course. We returned in February 1966 and I joined my Bty on ops duties in Tawau, Sabah.

SP Guns?

Rama invited me to contribute to this blog and I quote him. “I wait with abated breath to read your exploits. Don't forget the sufferings ,honour ,humour etc. of service as gunners.”

I am not sure if I can live up to his expectations as I really do not have that many exploits during my career over a span of 36 and a half years. Nonetheless I’ll try to post as many of my personal (Arty and non Arty) experiences and thoughts as possible, given that age is catching up on me and that I probably would have not remembered the full details of each episode.

I have been quiet for a while not knowing where and when to start. So many things came to mind. So where do I start ?

Perhaps I’ll pen my thoughts about something current like the issue of new medium regiments. I hear there are talks and musings of new purchases involving medium SP guns. The new firepower is basically to support our Mechanized Brigade. We hear of either the French Caesar (Wheeled) or the Korean K9 (Tracked) are in the pipeline.

My two sens worth of my thoughts stems from my trials conducted on maneuverability and mobility in the early Sixties. Yes during the Sixties. I had just returned from my YO course in Larkhill, UK. Fresh and a full fledged Gunner. And I had said at that time “SP ? Sure we should look at the Abbot 105mm SP gun”. It was THE SP gun then which would be the most suitable for our terrain. Taking into account gross weight and the requirements for high angle fire. My Mat Salleh BC, Major John Lane was not too impressed and replied “ Let’s do some local trials first. So we did. See photo above.

I have no qualms about SP guns, wheels or tracked except that they are expensive and would have a whole lot more logistics and maintenance problems. Gaya is for sure. I am all for more medium guns, any modern makes and types with 52 mm caliber. BUT TOWED. Mobility is an essential element in maneuverability. Towed guns have more flexibility in mobility and are lighter in weight than SP guns. What about air portability, jungle, swamplands, highlands and bridges? OK, so a pair of two cowpower cows cannot tow medium guns, maybe six to eight ‘cows’ (read crew).

But I digress. I actually know there would be more criteria and factors involved in the evaluations and considerations. I wish the Corps the very best in the acquisition plan. We do need more medium regiments, SP or otherwise. Good luck.

New Contributor

I must thank Rama for giving me an opportunity to contribute to this blog. I have already started the ball rolling by creating a photo gallery in support of this blog. Do visit the web album and add on with your old photos.
I'll try to contribute some of my experiences while in service as I shall try to post in the near future. I'll need some time to sort memories out. I may have left the army, but the army had not left me. Once a Gunner Always a Gunner, albeit fading away fast.