Ipoh 1948 -1949

I was stationed at No 3 C.M.H (combined Military Hospital) Ipoh with the Hospital on a large plain about 3 miles outside Ipoh and nothing to be seen for about 1 mile radius not even a house, only trees and mountains in the distance.  It was very isolated.  Our billets were a large Malayan Manision in it's own grounds, surrounded by Rubber trees on Brewster Road, on the outskirts of Ipoh and about 2 miles from the Hospital and 1/2 a mile from Ipoh race track.

When on duty we were transported by our one R.A.S.C to the hospital and the shift coming on duty transported back to the billets.

I never did find out where other British Troops were stationed near Ipoh.  It was seldom that we saw any when we went into town to the cinema of which there were five.

Apart from the 2nd Gurkhas the British troops around Ipoh were the K.O.L.Y.I.'s                                                                                                          There was no trouble when I first arrived in Ipoh it stated about 3 months later, some time about April 48, as of course you will be aware of when things started to get really bad we the R.A.M.C were all issued with rifles and ammo and had to do Guard Duty at the Billets.  The Officer and Sargents mess was at he hospital.                                                                    The 4th Hussars came to take over from the K.O.L.Y.I.'s, but once again I did not know where they were based.                                                               Our unit played football in the Ipoh league against Europeans, Chinese, Malayan, Malayan Police and other mixed teams.  The games were all played on the Padhang just outside the Railway Station and there were reports of each game printed in Ipoh's local paper, it had a lot of local interest and some large crowds on the open ground.                                      There was also another Military Hospital up on the Cameron Highlands with a pretty village and Villas dotted around the Mountains.  A lovely sight to see, it was used more for a Leave Centre.  To reach it you got the train to Tapah and then by twisting mountain roads through jungle about a 3 hour road journey, hoping nobody was waiting round each steep bend.  I made that journey four times, twice to play their hospital team at football, once on leave and once as a patient.  I had Tinea and ring worm all over my face and the climate up there was like a lovely day in May in England all the year round.                                                                                                                   But I am afraid the worst was yet to come.  In December 1948, xmas eve, a patrol of Gurkhas were ambushed just outside Ipoh,  I was on duty when they were brought to the hospital, six dead, about 8 wounded, terrible sight, but the worst came New Years Eve when a patrol of Hussars were ambushed with the same result, only one Hussar was missing, I was on duty again and  I could have quite willing gone into Ipoh and shot as many Chinese as I could have seen but some good news came out of it for me.  About 3 days later I was told they had brought the missing Hussar in, they had found him in the Jungle full of shrapnel and he came from my home town in Eccles, The Royal Oak, on Barton Lane, I went to see him and he was in good spirits.  I did not know him but wrote to my mother asking her to go round to see his mother and tell her more or less from the horses mouth that he was doing OK.  It would cut out his mother having to go through all the red tape and worry.  Anyway the man's name was Hussar Harry Whittiker-Smith and Patrol Commander Lt Sutro, both were decorated, one D.S.O and the other D.S.C.                                                                               In May 1949 a new Military Hospital was opened in Taiping and all Ipoh unit transferred and Ipoh just having a C.R.S attached to 2nd Gurkha Rifles with yours truly staying with the Gurkhas for a month and then on my way home.

Ex Prt W. Woods R.A.M.C 

Malaya 1952

These are my fathers recollections, of his time in national service in Malaya. He is eager to hear from anyone who may remember this particular incident, or who served with him.

Please direct any communications to my email address (ltodd@visteon.com).I am his daughter. I will gladly pass on his telephone/address details if anyone remembers him.

A unit if the 4th Hussars had been sent to escort young children down country for their vacation. They were sent by their parents to Cameroon's for education because of the favourable climate, lack of mosquitoes and safer from hostilities. Our convey lined up, Humber Scout Car in the lead followed by G.M.C armoured personnel carrier fully armed. There were also some civilian vehicles. The G.M.C I was driving had been cleared of weapons and grenades so as to accommodate a party of children plus a female helper. So there we waited.

It was a perfect day, clear blue sky, sun shining and still cool in the mid morning. An aircraft appeared above and began to circle. Radio contact was gained with the lead Humber Scout Car, but of course as usual we hadn't finished settling all the children on board. This message was RT to the pilot who then decides to treat us to a 15 minute air display followed by a steep dive and low level buzz across the convey. It went wrong and failed to pull up clipped the trees, soared over my vehicle making a split second deafening sound and crashed about 100 yards away. There was an eerie silence for a few minutes. A huge plume of smoke rose up followed by the sound of cracking and snapping as the surrounding jungle caught light. The ammunition started to explode so we battered down and sat it out. The children were terrified. We were unable to help and carried on with our escort duties. The next day on return to the Cameroon's we formed part of a search party and searched long and deep into the ULU jungle but we found nothing. This was in response to another witness on higher ground who said something had fallen off of the tail plane, (this was confirmed at a later date as being the pilot). We also visited the crash site, still very hot from the intense fire. Very little of the aircraft was left. The engines completely buried deep in the ground, just the twisted remains of the cannons still visible. I did find a large First Aid box, Red Cross on the top containing large scissors. This was some distance from the crash site. This fatal loss was recorded in the "Straits Times" and unknown to myself at the time a photograph had been taken and there was I on the front page sitting on the drivers seat with the door open of the G.M.C armoured vehicle.

You must draw you own conclusion from the witness of events; to myself I would suggest a tragic accident.

The Canberra crash in 1961

Martin Shelvey

Matt Rooney Memories

The Dog School

The morning loomed quite early as it always did, 

I tried my best to ignore it as below the blanket I slid. 

The sergeant rattled thon stick he carried everywhere, 

and the comments about his Parentage, and did we really care. 

No diving to the mess hall to have  a  cuppa and a bun, 

but paraded to the kennels before the start today's fun. 

No hilarity or joking mind we never got the chance, 

as each new lesson ' learned ' was to lead us a merry dance. 

Dog training was a serious task to just perform, 

as lads from a varied background weren't always able to conform. 

We who did have some knowledge of what we might expect that day, 

were still unprepared for the task as in a field we would lay. 

A padded suit in which the running command wasn't quite the thing to do, 

as I and others more frustrated seem to have lost a shoe. 

In Singapore the natives thought we were a bit wrong in head, 

for the news of our latest antics about the town were spread. 

The ' invisible dog ' was the easiest of the lot, even our N.C.O.s, 

thought we had lost the Plot. 

 to be continued 

Going to Singapore for tea, there's " No Chance "

Every month there would from our camp then leave, 

the old uniform's with rotten or a frayed sleeve. 

A convoy made up of those that knew, 

there  wouldn't be any stopping to join a queue. 

The ' scout car ' with the Twin Bren's array,

 the ' K ' ration's in the wee bit tray.  

Depending if a joint trip planned, 

our B.S.M.s warning, no dotting the ' eye's ' across the land. 

As a favourite practice to test their aim, 

was to line up on road sign's, well we got the blame. 

We weren't the only one's who then strayed, 

put it down to nerves as well as having prayed. 

And it was to Singapore and the main depot's attract, 

that all those uniform's were simply stacked. 

The weekend leave beckoned as ' our bonus ' for the trip, 

and our weapons stored within  " Nee Soon Camp's " armoured grip. 

Then off to see the  ' Three World's ' or more, 

to see how much we could drink before we left that shore. 

After our night's outing and the spending spree, 

we travelled back to the camp but not for tea. 

we always managed to make our money last, 

not that ' we the squaddies ' were on a moneyed fast....

A possible coup..

We lay in the jungle having left camp in the early dawns light, 

the purpose of that reasoning was we might catch someone without a fight. 

As the day progressed onward there were noises off a ways, 

not having been on a patrol before, a lot of us had the grey's?. 

It was beginning to look as if the information had been off that day, 

as we whispered through the leaves we were told be quiet in a certain sort of way. 

Then other noises could be heard they seemed to be very loud from where we lay, 

and the presence of some animals dashing past as if trying to get away.    

Nervousness took hold of us who were crouched really low, 

and the trees seemed to hush a bit as if they knew we were below. 

With fingers on the trigger guard just in case we made an error,

 sweat pouring down our backs as we lay in terror. 

Then into our clearing with a final advanced roar, 

no it wasn't the enemy but a cow chasing a boar. 

So how could we have explained it if we had shot that cow, 

imagine the Sergeant Majors face, as the form was handed in, '  with the wherefores and the how.