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.