退役

回首37年在炮兵16

1969年, 每个星期日早上, 我和Lim Geok Soo去教堂听福音. 教堂在小坡大马路, 奥迪安戏院毗邻的一间店屋二楼的基督渔人团契. 听了一年福音, 没有受到主的感动.

却说我呈上了签约为正规军申请表格后, Cpt Mukhtiar Singh (Bn RO), 要我准备一节测量课, 他说要评估我的教学能力. 我没有接受这项任务, 说道: “我们一起差不多两年, 不必这一节测量课, 也可以评估我的教学能力.” 这一事件就不了了之.

1970年3月某日, Ng Hon Ming 庆祝21岁生日, 在美芝路(Beach Road)圣约翰总部大厦的多功能礼堂举办庆祝会. 邀请了我们25人和女伴出席. 我13/3/1970服完了7天囚禁, 心境虽然低落, 还很坚强, 应邀出席, 不受7天囚禁事故影响.

 Ng Hon Ming 21岁生日庆祝会, 也同时成为我们两年全职国民服役的饯别会. 这个生日庆祝会之后, 我们退役, 各奔前程. 这么多年, 我只遇见过Lau Juay Hai回来一次回营训练(In Camp Trianing, ICT). 2009年8月接到Ong See Ham一通问候的电话, 他还给我email送上一些相片.

两个人提出申请签约为正规军, 只有Lau Beng Huat 被接受, 我的申请失败.

1970年4月30日, 我到中央人力局, 取回红色登记, 领到一张国民服役证书.

付上相片, Yong Tat Soon在2009年.

ROD

37 years served in Arty 16

In 1969, Lim Geok Soo, who  was a Christian, I used to follow him attend church on Sundays - at North Bridge Road, at  second floor of a pre-war shop house adjacent to Odeon Theatre - the ‘Fisherman of Christ’ Fellowship. Listened to the gospel for about one year, however, I had not been convinced.

One day, after I had submitted the application for ‘sign on’, Cpt Mukhtiar Singh, the Bn RO, my immediate superior officer, asked me to conduct a survey lesson. He said he wanted to assess my ability. I did not accept the test. I said, “We are together almost two years, you should be able to assess me without this test.” The conduct of lesson for assessment was then dropped.

One day in March 1970, Ng Hon Ming invited us to his 21^st birthday party. The party was held in St John’s headquarters multi-purpose hall at Beach Road. I had just released from 7 days detention and at a depressed state, however, I was still strong enough to attend the party. Most of them attended with their ladies partners.

Ng Hon Ming’s 21^st birthday party became dual purposes, a birthday celebration and a farewell for our two years national service stint.  After the birthday party we were ROD and went separate ways. I had not met them again except for Lau Juay Hai I met once during his ICT and another contact with Ong See Ham in 2009, who phoned me and sent me some photos via email.

Lau Beng Huat and I, two signed the application to join the regular army, but only Lau Beng Huat was accepted, I was unsuccessful and I had to go ROD.

On 30/4/1970, I went to Central Manpower Base to collect back my pink IC and I was issued with a certificate of conduct.

Attached photo above Ang Teik Ban and Tan Kiat in 2009.

签约

回首37年在炮兵15

1969 - 70年, 有三位少校: Maj Mancharan Singh Gill (司令官, 第20炮兵营), Maj Kwek Boon Yong (校长, 炮兵学校), 和Maj Gunan. (副官, Adjutant, 第20炮兵营) .

1969 - 70年, 有六位准尉: WO1 Syhd (营上士长, 第20炮兵营), WO1 Ahmad Bin Ismail (营上士长, 炮兵学校), WO2 Said (连上士长, HQ 连), WO2 Razali (连上士长, C连), WO2 Wan Chin Hup (高级医务兵), WO2 Tan Thiam Hock (高级通迅兵).

HQ 连技术助理每天的日常工作是依照射击指挥所(Fire Direction Centre, FDC)每周课程表(weekly training programme). 射击指挥所长官(Fire Direction Officer, FDO)是Cpt Ng Seng Chan.

射击指挥所每周课程表, 除了复习学过的射击计算外, 也有不少户外活动, 例如, 去里峇峇利路游泳池游泳, 去花葩山做测量, 去虎豹别墅寻找测量标记(Survey markers or trig points on state grid)等等.

1969年7月1日, 第一屆军人节(SAF Day), Cpt Ng Seng Chan是炮兵队伍的司令官(Arty contingent commander), 我有幸是炮兵队伍中一份子, 军人节典礼在惹兰勿杀球场举行. 当年的国防部长是林金山.

第20炮兵营的参谋长(General Staff Officer, GSO) 是Cpt Chan Jwee Kay, 他的助理上士(Ops Sgt)是Sgt Robert yap. 有时我须要留在作战行动室(Ops room)协助Sgt Robert yap, 我比交喜欢留在作战行动室, 当年没有Duty Ops TA, 不然, 我就不必做这么多的值班守卫了.  1976年, Col Chan Jwee Kay成为第四任炮兵总长. 而Sgt Robert yap的军阶最高只达到上士长(Staff Sergeant, Ssg).

Cpt Chan Cheow Nam是副营长(Bn 2^nd In Command, 2 I/C).

Lta Lye Koek Kee是情报官(Intelligence Officer).

1970年4月, 在两年全职国民服役最后一个月, 我们25位TASA, 被派去看守Jalan Kambing Camp. 有两条路可以通往Jalan Kambing Camp: 一条从Lim Teck Boo Road 进去, 另一条Kim Chuan Road.

我决定签约为正规军. 我填写表格时, 也为Lau Beng Huat 填了一份表格, 我放在射击指挥所他的办公桌, 想不到他会在表格上签名. 我把这两份伸请表格呈上.

Sign on

37 years served in Arty 15

In 1969/70, there were 3 Majors: Maj Mancharan Singh Gill (CO, 20 SAB), Maj Kwek Boon Yong (OC, School of Arty), and Maj Gunan. (The  Adjutant,  20 SAB).

There were 6 warrant officers: WO1 Sayid (RSM, 20 SAB), WO1 Ahmad Bin Ismail (RSM, Sch of Arty), WO2 Said (BSM, HQ Bty), WO2 Razali (BSM, C Bty), WO2 Wan Chin Hup (Senior Medic), WO2 Tan Thiam Hock (Signal Warrant).

TAs in the HQ Bty were to follow the weekly training programme for the Svy and FDC, and the FDO was Cpt Ng Seng Chan.

Besides conducting revisions, there were outdoor activities, for example, we went to River Valley Road swimming pool for recreation swim, we went to Mount Faber to do survey, we went to Haw Par Villa to find Survey markers or trig points on state grid and so on.

On July 1, 1969, the first Armed Forces Day, Cpt Ng Seng Chan was the Arty contingent commander, and I was in the contingent.  The Armed Forces Day parade was held at the Jalan Besar Stadium and the parade was reviewed by the Minister for Defence  Lim Kim San.

The GSO was Cpt Chan Jwee Kay, his Ops Sgt was Sgt Robert Yap. Sometimes I was required to stay in the Ops room to assist Sgt Robert yap. Then there was no duty Ops TA, otherwise, I did not have to do guard duty.

In 1976, Col Chan Jwee Kay became the fourth chief artillery officer. However, the rank of Sgt Robert yap only reached a maximum of Staff Sergeant, Ssg.

Cpt Chan Cheow Nam  was the Bn 2 I/C and Lta Lye Koek Kee was the IO.

In April 1970, one month before our ROD, all of us, 25 TASA, were sent to guard Jalan Kambing Camp. There were two roads leading to Jalan Kambing Camp: one going in by Lim Teck Boo Road, another by Kim Chuan Road.

I decided to sign on for regular, and when I filled out the form for myself I filled out another one for Lau Beng Huat. He signed the form, and these two application forms were submitted. 

囚禁7天

回首37年在炮兵14

1969年8月9日是一个风和日丽的星期六, 是新加坡国庆日, 第20炮兵营参加国庆日机动部队. 营司令官站立在一辆吉普车上, 带领18辆开蓬两吨半军车(Unimog), 每一辆开蓬两吨半军车放了一门迫击炮, 六名精神抖擞的军士, 一身戎装, 手握来福枪, 威风凛凛. 车队徐徐驶过检阅台, 向尤索夫总统致敬. 非常壮观的机动部队. 很遗憾, 我没有参加1969年的国庆日检阅典礼, 因为我正在值班做守卫.

第20炮兵营规定, 凡是值班守卫在星期六, 星期日不换班, 要做拜六和礼拜两天. 也没有补假. 可是, 所有参加国庆日检阅典礼的全体人员, 却有一天补假. 很不公平.

在HQ 连, 军阶兵士的人数不多, 技术助理, 书记文员兵和通讯兵, 大约30人, 而每次值班守卫一共三班, 每班7人, 宿舍(Upper Camp)巡逻兵两人, 迫击炮储藏库(Lower Camp) 巡逻兵两人, 宿舍正门口守卫一名, 守卫室门口守卫一名, 迫击炮储藏库(Lower Camp)出入门守卫一名. 总人数须要21人, 所以每月我有3- 4次值班守卫. 差不多每星期做一次值班守卫.

值班守卫分为两类，站岗和巡逻。站岗是站立在营门口守卫。站岗时必须提起精神，向出入兵营的军官敬礼。而巡逻则两人一组，当年没有按指定的路线, 任凭巡逻兵随心所欲, 在营里四处巡视, 也没有签名的小黑本子, 证明巡逻兵到此一游。当年我们值班守卫是没有分发5颗子弹的.

我记得第一次值班守卫, 被分配到站岗任务，我喜欢站岗，站岗时我感觉得有一种说不出得爽快，一动也不动的，我会幻想自己是英国白金汉宫前门的御林军守卫，一身制服浆熨得笔挺，有如身披铠甲，威风凛凛。

当我分配到巡逻兵任务, 两人一组, 如果是在宿舍(Upper Camp)巡逻兵, 我们总是在大牌80号长时间停留, 了望大牌79号YWCA宿舍, 如果是迫击炮储藏库(Lower Camp), 我们就会去那三角形梯级障碍物(Jacob’s Ladder), 坐下休息谈天说地.

2Lt Gobechan Singh 是我们的教育长官, 他来向我们招募为正规军, 我记得第一位接受和签约为正规军的是Ong Heng Hup, 他是一名通讯兵(signaller). 签约为正规军后被送去上见习军官课程, 后来成为一名军官.

2Lt Gobechan Singh 向我们招募, 使我慎重的考虑以正规军为职业.

达曼裕廊营兵营的守卫室, 有三间囚室, 是用来囚禁犯下严重军纪的兵士. 很不光彩, Ong Kheng Huat和我, 因为在被派到把守进入实弹演习区(SAFTI , L/F Area)一个四叉路口时睡觉, 被Lta K. S. Rajan逮着.

在6/3/1970, 我们两人被判7天囚禁, 我们两人就住进了这三间囚室, 我住中间那间, Ong Kheng Huat住左边那间, 右边那间住了另一位囚犯..

我们服刑期间, Lta Charlie Kumaran来探访我们, 看见我们两人正在走象棋, 开玩笑说: “你们在这里还蛮享受.” (You two are enjoying life here).

13/3/1970服完了这不光彩的7天囚禁, 心境非常低落, 无脸见人, 想不到我平时的好表现没有白费, 在21/3/1970, 我擢升为下士.