Borneo Headhunters

[george.theshed197]

Good evening Apai Rizal,
That is indeed excellent news re the Sarawak Prime Minister's announcement, congratulations on your total success.
I shall began to think out a suitable historical resume for you in respect of the Door Sign.
I also take great pleasure in accepting your offer of a copy of your book " My Adventure"  with my warmest gratitude and  I shall send you a PM immediately after this email with my postal address. It is rather strange because I was also thinking the other day of asking for your home address in order that I could post the sign to you - what do you think of that idea?
Sincerest and warmest regards,
Apai Tuai George.

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

Thanks. I'll send you my postal address through the PM.


Rizal

[george.theshed197]

I have just received an e-mail from Rizalbob advising that his project to bring home the remains of former Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers killed in Malaya during the Emergency has received the full support of the Prime Minister and he (Rizal) was briefing the current Chairman of the Malaysian Rangers Corps this afternoon, so things are moving slightly faster now.
The Rangers Door Sign will be on it's way to him by Friday of this week.
Great news all round.
Cheers. George.

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

Thanks for posting that great news in this forum. I'll keep everybody informed as to the progress of this project. I think good news of this nature should be shared - especially when it involved a common past.

Warmest regards


Apai Rizal

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

Your parcel and its contents, the Door Sign and the two pages of write up have reach me this afternoon in good condition.
Thank you very much for that priceless piece of history.

It is amazing that the door sign has survived 57 years. The paint is still very bright. My first thought is to encase it in glass. On second thought, shall I hand it over to our Sarawak State Meseum in Kuching? They can enhance, do recovery works and keep it in a safe place until the the Heroes Memorial is ready.

Your write up is very interesting and definitely help clear the air as to its beginning.

Some questions on the door sign, George:

1.   What bird specis is that?
2.   What flag is that?
3.   Why is the flag in the bird's beak?
4.   What is "Iban Tuffs"?

Sorry, I want to make sure I can answer querries about them when people ask me later.

Best Regards

Apai Rizal

[george.theshed197]

Dear Apai Rizal,

I am very pleased to know that the sign and its history have arrived safely with you, I must admit to having been on ' tenterhooks' for the past few days since I posted the parcel to you - the first time it has left my possession since May 1954.
Now then to answer your questions as best I can - from memory - when I asked Ted Widdowson about the makeup of the design he told me that he considered it as follows " A mythical representation of the Phoenix which, having risen from the ashes had reminded him of the Sarawak Rangers also having been reborn; he did not know what flag represented Sarawak so had used 'Poetic Licence' by using a representation of our 'Red Ensign (THE flAG of the British Merchant Navy) and showed the 'Reborn Rangers' helping us to carry and fight for the the flag whereever it was necessary. As for 'Iban Tuffs' this has a twofold meaning - firstly -Ted came from Norfolk and there was a village somewhere near him by the name of Topt (locally pronounced as TUFFS) which he explained is an Old Anglo-Saxon name for 'The People who lived in the trees or forest' which he considered apt for the Ibans, - secondly it was a complimentary name that showed their fighting abilities lauded on them by the british soldiers.
So there you now have your explanations ready to answer those who ask for them,
Warmest regards,
Apai Tuai George.

[harribobs]

I have just received an e-mail from Rizalbob advising that his project to bring home the remains of former Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers killed in Malaya during the Emergency has received the full support of the Prime Minister and he (Rizal) was briefing the current Chairman of the Malaysian Rangers Corps this afternoon, so things are moving slightly faster now.
The Rangers Door Sign will be on it's way to him by Friday of this week.
Great news all round.
Cheers. George.

Excellent news!

chris

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

Thanks George. Everything is now as clear as daylight. I'll handover the door sign and the two pages of write up to the Director of The Sarawak Museum for safe keeping as well as doing any restoration jobs that need to be done on it. The Museum is, after all, a part of the Main Committee for the relocation of the burial sites / remains of the Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers. We have given it a name:  OPERATION NGERAPUH (an Iban word meaning to exhume and relocate remains of the dead).

Once the Heroes Memorial is ready, the Door Sign will be placed there permanently, together with the two pages of its history. I will add the explanations on the representations that you have just given me.

I am going to embark on the first job:  getting the written consent from all the NOKs of the deceased before the plan could be brought up to the Cabinet for a formal nod.

Warmest regards.

Apai Rizal  

[george.theshed197]

Dear Apai Rizal,
It has been my privilege to have been able to assist you in this small way with what to me has been a souveneir of my past association with the Rangers but to you is 'that priceless piece of history'- maybe this has been the original supreme intention all along - for me to hold on to that Door Sign until such time that you turned up looking for information.
I am currently thoroughly enjoying your book, strange again that two of the places you mentioned - Sungei Kuak near to Keroh and Bukit Besar, Kulim area - were also areas in which I had had contacts with the terrorists all those years earlier.
We also had an 'encounter' with the Sungei Perak - following information received that a group of CT's were camped adjacent to it - unfortunately the two semi-rigid craft with o/b motors we had been 'assured' would be available weren't when push came to shove ( does this sound familiar?) and we finished up attempting to do the job via boats which sounded similar to yours - leaking like sieves and totally unwieldly; the river was in flood spate, we embarked and pushed off, immediately we were caught up with the current and before the stern man had a chance the steering rudder oar sheered off and we broached throwing all six of us into the mainstream; the second (backup) boat attempted to rescue us but only succeeded in making matters far worse by running us down, however, we survived and lived to laugh about it later when the second boat crew turned up two days later having sailed right past the CT camp at a great rate of knots and finished up some ten miles or so down stream before getting ashore.
There was NO second attempt on this method of CT intercept ever tried again to the best of my knowledge with our unit.
Regards,
Apai Tuai George.

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

Some of the names you mentioned in the two pages are familiar. Dublin Estate, for instance, was our operation area in the early 70s when I was a 2/Lt and had just joined 3rd Rangers. I remember we had befriended the Estate Manager and one Sunday he called us over to his big house on top of a hill (I find the Brits had a nack for hills to build their homes / mansions, based on my observations here in Malaysia). We had a sumptuous lunch of "tosay" and curry chicken. That was my first "tosay" and it was "finger-licking" good.

Thank you George, you certainly have been a great help in piecing together that early part of Reformed Sarawak Rangers history that had been unknown to us, particularly Malaysians. Would you be interested to witness the opening ceremony of this Heroes Memorial later? (Thinking aloud) It would be an honour to have you here for the occasion.

Warmest regards

Apai Rizal

[george.theshed197]

Dear Apai Rizal'
Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be able to witness the opening ceremony of the Heroes Memorial but regretably I have no choice but to decline your most generous thoughts on this matter on the grounds of my age and health. Following my massive heart failure back in February 2004 when my family were advised to prepare for the worst as I had possibly less than 30 minutes to live my subconscious mind must have kicked in and said 'No way !!' - I have fought back to reasonable health but am registered disabled and require an twenty four hour carer,  my dear wife bless her is largely responsible for my still being here; also I am not allowed to fly any more as a result of my condition so my journey to Malaysia is totally out of the question.
I hope to be still around when the Memorial does open and will be with you 'In Spirit if not in the flesh', I also hope that we will continue to maintain contact, I have enjoyed my little exchanges with you and I think the Forum has been expanded because of those exchanges.
Take care old friend, warmest regards to all concerned with the project,
Apai Tuai George.

[rizalbob]

Dear Apai Tuai George,

I'm so sorry to hear what had happened to you. I sincerely hope you are all right now. Take a lot of water that has a high content of alkali as it has a therapeutic quality and has the capacity to generate new cells. It is doing wonders here in Malaysia.

Yes, we are living in a "bonus time" and has to be extra careful in taking care of our health. I often forget that. I always thought I'm a forty year man instead of 62.

I'm sad you wouldn't be able to come. Perhaps you could recommend a replacement? If my effort for a fund-raising campaign materialise, we could sponsor the fares and accomodation.

Take care George.


Apai Rizal

[george.theshed197]

Dear Apai Rizal,
I had precisely the same problem - always thinking in terms of still being a 'young man' - ultimately the time arrives as it has when being some 27 years older than the door sign you have to sit back and admit it.
Following on from your offer to recommend  a replacement we have had a family discussion  as to who would be the most suitable person and have arrived at the most obvious fact  of my son Sean and his dear wife Laura being my representatives, insofar as expenses being concerned we would accept responsibility for one of them - how does that appeal to you? Is this acceptable to you?
I sincerely hope so,
Awaiting your further advice,
Take care,
Apai Tuai George.

PS.My apologies to each and every one else who was shouting"Pick Me, Pick Me!!!"

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

I'm ok with your decision. Let's keep our fingers crossed that my fund-raising campaign will be a success. My next thought on this aspect is that I may be asked to look for other candidates from other Regiments that the Trackers and Sarawak Rangers had been attached to during the 1948 - 1960 Malayan Emergency. I have a total of 42 Units in all. If there is a need to invite all, I will leave the decision to Sarawak's Deputy Chief Minister who is our Advisor.

Take care George,

Warmest regards.

Apai Rizal.

[rizalbob]

Dear George,

UPDATES ON OPS NGERAPUH

Just to update you on Operation Ngerapuh (relocation of remains of Iban Trackers and Sarawak Rangers back to Sarawak). We had 2 committee meetings so far. The first one was held in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak. The latest one was held on 24 March 2010 in Kuala Lumpur where various arms of the Army, Police, Customs, Health Ministry and KL City Hall were given responsibilities.

The sad news is, however, a new piece of land will be given to replace the one that was given earlier. Don't know yet where this piece of land will be.