The heat’s nothing to war veterans

EUROFILE
BY CHOI TUCK WO 

Britain was, after all, hotter than Hell as reported in the local press. 

Not for almost half a century has the sun beat so fiercely upon English soil than in the past week. 

While much of the country sizzled in the scorching summer, inhabitants of Hell, a town 96km west of Detroit in the US, were enjoying pleasant temperatues of just 26°C. 

Ashwell, Bisset and Brierley in their red coat costumes after the medal presentation ceremony in London. — Pictures by CHOI TUCK WO

On Wednesday, for instance, the mercury soared past 35°C in London – pipping by three points the temperature recorded in sunny Kuala Lumpur. 

The blistering weather has inevitably set off a health alert for those travelling in the Underground Tube trains, as the thermometer rose to a dangerous 47°C inside carriages. 

And the sight of semi-nude English males – of all shapes and sizes – walking or cycling in the street or park bore grim testimony to the side-effects of the heat wave. 

Yet, 40 British war veterans dressed in full suits and ties appeared unperturbed by the heat as they gathered at the Malaysian High Commission in London to receive their Pingat Jasa Malaysia (PJM) awards. 

Three of the old warriors were even clad in their traditional “red coat” ceremonial dresses of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, a retirement home for former British soldiers. 

Despite the fans blasting at full speed, the temperature could be quite unbearable in the crowded room, forcing some to remove their coats. 

But all of them were obviously in high spirits as they looked forward to being honoured by the Malaysian government for their sacrifices during the Emergency and the Confrontation periods. 

For what is a little discomfort compared with the days when they had to endure the searing tropical heat while fighting the communists in the Malayan jungles. 

Indeed, many of them had also faced unknown enemies in the form of the equally hostile environment, blood-thirsty insects and life-threatening diseases. 

The jungle itself constantly duped even the most wary soldier, while offering little respite from the relentless rain and draining humidity. 

Jungle warfare 

Without doubt, the camaraderie was evident among the old soldiers – from field marshals and generals to colonels and privates – as they exchanged wartime stories in the Far East. 

But the glorious moment was when their names were called out and they walked up to receive their awards from Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak. 

One can almost feel their deep sense of pride and satisfaction for having played a crucial role in keeping Malaysia safe from the communists. 

Najib summed up his admiration for the veterans’ dedication and professionalism with one of Shakespeare's quotes that “one man in his time plays many parts”. 

“All of you played a part in our march towards nationhood – young, innocent, I could imagine virgins as well,” he said to laughter from the floor. 

On a more serious note though, many of them had joined the campaign against the communists without any experience in jungle warfare. 

In fact, it was a real war out there – you kill or you can be killed while tracking down the unknown enemy or if caught in an ambush. 

Hujan panas 

For Roy Follows, 77, he can never forget the day he gunned down a communist and slashed another with a parang during a raid on an enemy camp in Johor in 1954. 

“I opened fire, killing the first communist while the second ran off, resulting in a chase where we fought unarmed after dropping our weapons,” he recalled. 

Follows said the assailant tried to pull out his grenade but he struck him several times with a parang until he collapsed and was subsequently captured. 

Despite being the youngest commander of a Police Field Force platoon operating deep in the Johor jungles, Follows, then 24, and his fellow sergeant Shafie had successfully led their men in seeking out and eliminating many communists in the area. 

“I still keep in contact with Shafie,” he declared proudly after presenting a book The Jungle Beat on his experiences to Najib. 

Blessed with enormous wit and humour, Follows rattled off his favourite blood-chilling Malay phrase “Hujan panas, darah mesti jatuh” (literally translated as hot rain, blood will flow). 

He was obviously referring to the times when his platoon was caught in an enemy ambush with bullets “raining down” on them from all sides. 

For three war veterans from the Royal Hospital Chelsea – John Ashwell, 69, John Bisset, 80, and William Brierley, 75 – they still have fond memories of their services in Malaya despite not engaging in active combat. 

“We provided arms support for the Malayan forces fighting the communists,” said Ashwell, who was attached to the armoury division in Kluang, Tampin and Batu Gajah between 1956 and 1959. 

While Bisset – a member of the royal engineers – remembered the “great roads” he helped build in Kedah, Brierley was a mechanical sergeant serving the green jackets light infantry in Sabah, Sarawak and Penang. 

Undoubtedly, all of them have dramatic tales to tell – no holds barred accounts of their exciting adventures in a distant land. 

But one thing is for sure: when they return to Malaysia, they will bring along fond memories and cameras, leaving their weapons behind. 

After all, it would be heartening for them to know that they have played a vital role towards helping to build a peaceful and progressive Malaysia.