PART IV – THE STORY CONTINUES
This part shall cover the other side of Cadetship, there was this one day in my life story, when my own Mum visited the Camp, we were all on our way back after the “tactics module” – section & platoon battle drill at the nearby rubber estate. My Mum was sitting at the guard room, in anticipation to see me for the very first time after 3 months of absence from home, she could not recognise me, I was right in front of her, that’s how we all looked like, all bald headed, dark skinned and ‘kurus’ like prisoners of war! We can’t blame them parents, they loved us so much and she cried, after I called out to her!
What has happened to her beloved son she wonders!
This is the price we pay to become a Cadet with the hope of becoming an officer after 12 months of rigorous training, 6 months at PRE-OCTU and 6 months at RMC. That was not the end of it, remembering what Maj. Muslim my OC Abdul Rahman coy said, it is just the beginning of things to COME! How right he WAS!
We all thought everything ends at the commissioning parade, no it just started actually! We were facing realities of military life as an Officer, and a junior one called 2 Lieutenant. We had to learn many more things to become a bloody officer, the ropes of surviving the dangers and acquiring knowledge, skills and experiences!
Some others were luckier, their parents had cars and were loaded, every-time their parents came, it was good fortune, they brought loads of goodies with them, nicely packed and ready for a feast! But, others never had their parents visiting for the whole 12 months! Yes, some were too lonely at times!
The goodies were a welcoming thing for those waiting in the barracks, some unlucky guys got theirs “cukai-ed” by the orderly Sgts at the guard room! No names mentioned we know who they were, lets forgive them for their transgressions. Biar lah KITA halalkan semua makan dan minum depa angkat semasa itu!
Then it was time for selection for overseas training…..Portsea was the only vacancy in PD…yes our beloved skot…Shahrani Sany made it. He was always visited by his MUM also, his dad was the PAT & never did showed up, the big boss during our cadetship! He never was a ‘sombong’ cadet. Always with a smile and always a gentlemen till this very day, and next in line to put on his 2nd STAR, insya allah! His ability to strum the guitar at night by the longkang of Tuah Barracks was a tension releasing session and healing those aching body joints, Cadet CO was another good buddy by the LONGKANG! We did many unforgettable things there every night in the dark! This was after blackout time or lights out time. Some still ironing their PD Green others polishing their “kepala bot”!
My “Capoi” mate was the late Capt. Tan Eng Huat (RMAF), may he R.I.P. another person with a wide smile as always, still never could forget the day we last met, I was in Batu Melintang operating as usual, he was doing re-supply for all my battalion locations in the forward areas ( FFB ). After the tasking was over he was about to shut down for the day, he offered me a quick lesson in flying the NURI! What?
Yes, he told his co-pilot to step out of the cockpit and asked me to put on the headset and take over as his co-pilot! “O” SHIT was he joking, no he wasn’t….his orders: “left paddle turn left, right paddle turn right, joy-stick lift up to make the copper move upwards, push forward for the bird to move forwards….the left hand lever to uplift the bird! Walah after three minutes it was me piloting the aircraft, flying around the town of Batu Melintang, he becoming the co-pilot instead! I never got the WINGS though, but he surely gave me my flying lessons without the license! This is the untold story!
Fate has it that way, 3 weeks after I completed my operational mission and returning to base in Mentakab, I heard the most dreaded news, copper down in Banding, pilot and all killed. "PILOT CAPT TAN!"
It broke my heart to lose another skot! All in the name of “DUTY TO KING & COUNTRY”! Our Intake lost 3 of the best pilots in the forces, all good soldiers and fine officers, and may the almighty blessed their souls….!
The other two was Awrah 2 Lt Razif and the late Maj Ong. They have all gone before us but never will we forget them!
Sebatang Karah is never the same anymore, the 'old ways' they used for training cannot be accepted today in this millennium, it is out-dated, they all say, but I beg to differ, so many of us ‘old dogs’ still believe that was the only best way to make boys become men - REAL SOLDIERS AND NOT “BOY SCOUTS” & “Girl Guides” like what we have today! If there is a WAR anytime around the corner, I dread to have the present generation going into REAL BATTLE!
I would rather BE THE ONE TO carry the rifle and fight till my last drop of BLOOD!
So much for this weekend short write-up…….stay tuned FOLKS…
Adious Amigos---…mu cha cha......
2 comments:
Shahrani's dad did turned up at one time but incognito. Another skot who died due to air crash was Arwah Tarmizi Muda , T371068, though it happened after he left service.
T371069, not T371068, with apologies
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