Iban Trackers & Sarawak Rangers --- The Memoir

[autgoc]

Hello everyone,

My membership has only just been approved for this forum and I truly am grateful for this opportunity to be here.
I am Magdelene De Rozario. I am originally from Sarawak but I now reside in Fife, Scotland. I am currently researching the above subject matter for a book I have been commissioned to write. I working alongside GOC Major General Datuk Stephen Mundaw, 1st Infantry Division Commander, MOD Malaysia, an Iban by race. This project is fully funded by an enthusiast whose identity I am presently not at liberty to divulge.

I was home this Summer and travelled to Sibu and Sri Aman. I met up with a few of these wonderful men. My trip has triggered a Task Force, formed & under the personal supervision of GOC Major General Stephen Mundaw, to further seek them out and attend to their general welfare. Their welfare will be taken under the wings of JHEV (Dept of Veterans Welfare) as well as the existing SRVA. Please note that it is not our (author & GOC) intention at any instance to touch on the politics of SRVA. Our sole concern here is for the Iban Trackers & Sarawak Rangers.

It is safe for me to say that for the role our Iban Trackers & Sarawak Rangers played in the Malayan Emergency, it is very sad to note that officially we do not have a list of their names. It is my primary task to try and get hold of as many names as I possibly can. I have to date, through my researches on many British veterans websites, gathered a handful of names and captivating photographs. This is my 2nd year on this project and my gut feeling tells me that I have barely scraped the tip of this particular iceberg. I have given myself a loose time frame of 5 years whereby at the end of the 5th year would see the publication of this Memoir. It is my hope that veterans of the Malayan Emergency here would help me with stories and indeed information (especially names) with regards this relatively undocumented bit of Sarawakian history --- the Iban Trackers & Sarawak Rangers our Unsung Heroes.

Giving up is not an option as this particular band of soldiers must be immortalised.

Thank you for your views :-)


For further verification of my work please email me at autgoc.ibsr(at)gmail.com - replace (at) with @ (modified to protect you from spam)

[george.theshed197]

Good morning and welcome to the Forum Magdelene,
I am presuming that you may already have read or are in the process  of reading the previous twenty or so pages that should interest you in the earlier section in Malaya. In which you will find considerable items which will be associated with your mission, as the former Platoon Sgt (Commander) of the First Sarawak Rangers attached to The Manchester Regiment from their inception in Siginta Camp, Malacca back in 1953.
I am also interest in your own surname primarily because whilst teaching in Australia many years ago  i had a student of a similar surname - George del Rosario, came from the Phillipines - any connection at all?
Looking  forward to be helping you in any way possible.
 George

[sphinx]

Magdelene,

Good luck with the book.

I hope you can find time to go and visit George  and drain him of all his memories of that period.
I am sure he could contribute a great deal to the book.
From what I have read on here the subject is very dear to him.

regards

[autgoc]

Nma rita nuan, Apai Tuai George?

One long, arduous year of researching and writing, writing and researching, indulging in self-doubt, setting adverse emotions aside and pushing forth regardless; I stumble across this Forum. If ever I wonder whether this book should be published I know now that it must be.

You cannot imagine what your willingness to impart knowledge of your years spent with the Sarawak Rangers in the Malayan Emergency actually means to me. When I finished reading your message I jumped around my livingroom in total euphoria and utter disbelief of what lay before me. It took a good 10mins for reality to sink in before the tears came...
I've already sent a message to GOC Datuk Stephen, I told him to sup with a smile as my message found him on his way to a dinner engagement. We are both so so grateful. Thank you so much Apai Tuai George.

May I be permitted to follow up on what Sphinx has recommended and that is to come and see you personally some time in the very near future? Could I have a telephonic conversation with yourself soon? Please say yes :-)

By the way, as for my surname I regret to say that De Rozarios or Del Rozarios are as common as muck when it comes to being Portuguese. I am sorry but I am not related to your former student although I wouldn't mind to be :-)
My daddy was of Portuguese/Dutch/English descent from Singapore whilst my mummy was of Chinese Nyonya descent from Miri, Sarawak. I was born in the depths of the 2nd Division of Sarawak. Hence my love for my countrymen.

Salam sayau ke nuan sebilik Apai Tuai George.
Ngarap ke gerai belama.

Translation from Iban (above)...
Loving regards to you and your family esteemed Mr George.
May you enjoy good health always.


Magdelene

[autgoc]

Sphinx,

Thank you for your kind words.
With the passion and support which I am sure I will get in this forum, my book will find its way.
I will endeavour to make it worth its space on the shelf; here's hoping not just one shelf hmm :-)


Magdelene

[autgoc]

Apai Tuai George,
Here I attach a photo 1st of all of myself so you may be able to put a face to a name.

Warmest regards,
Magdelene

[george.theshed197]

Magdelene,
I have a major health problem - I have had two strokes which leaves me with various problems.
Firstly I have great difficulty with typing which annoys me very much and therefore I have had to work out a system  to try to answer your anticipated questions - therefore I have tried to make it as simple for you to follow in a fairly easy manner in which I have worked out for you to gain the answers.
Go right back to the FIRST PAGE OF THE FORUM. Click on the word Malaya-this will open up all the messages on this subject.
The very first subject isBorneo Head-Hunters click on that and it is the First Page of the messages relating to the Topic . Read All of the messages each time and it will all begin to make sense to you., By the time you get to page 2  where you will find that the first Photograph which is of Myself and Magi the first Iban to be mentioned. As you proceed further you will find mention of the first of many messages from Lt. Col. Rizal Abdullah -and by time you get further and further into the messages you will find ALL ANSWERS to 90% of your questions which in due course will also provide your GOC with the similar questions.
Any time you get stuck - fire away your query and I will try to give you answers. Apai Tuai George.

[george.theshed197]

Tis I again,
Many thanks for your photograph and your obvious excitement which exudes from your response.
Apai Tuai George.

[autgoc]

Yes I have found and been reading the comments made on the post Borneo Headhunters.
I am compiling as I go along. However I am finding difficulty opening the links to the uploaded photographs.
I shall persevere!

Many thanks for your generous assistance.
I still wish and hope to meet with you Apai Tuai George. 
I am prepared to travel. I only need to know where I need to go.
Please?

You are most welcome regarding the photo... I just thought it would help to put face to name :-)

indu Sarawak,
Magdelene

[autgoc]

One of the many photos taken with ex Iban Trackers & Sarawak Rangers circa 1953 in Lubok Antu during my trip back home to Sarawak this Summer,  July 2016.
L -- R
Anyang (Sarawak Rangers), Penghulu Burong (Sarawak Rangers), myself, Serau (Iban Tracker later Sarawak Rangers) & Capt Johari (1st Bn M'sian Rangers)

[george.theshed197]

Good morning Magdelene,
I will be sending you a PM - the system we use on the Forum to hopefully limit the availability for hackers to get private details for us - it should be with you in a few miniutes after I send thie message to you.
Apai Tuai George.

[Robert Bonner]

Magdalene.
To view some photographs of our Ibans  go to the Manchester Regiment Archives webpage.  Open the Image Archive section  and then open two pages : Dyak and then Iban.  Both have good photographs and some have the names of the men concerned.

Best wishes.

[autgoc]

Hello Robert,
Thank you so much for pointing me in the right direction.
I shall get right to it.


Magdelene

[autgoc]

Good morning Apai Tuai George,

Please find attached a pic of papers I came across this summer gone when I went home and visited some Iban Trackers & Sarawak Rangers.
This is of one Sarawak Rangers, Kiai ak Inyang, who was enlisted on 25th March 1953. Might he be one of the young men you received and was put in charge of all those years ago?
I regret to say he passed away in 2014. His were the only well kept and neatly laminated papers I found.
Is it not said though that the dead speak still from beyond the grave?


indu Sarawak Magdelene
(indu means girl in Iban)

[george.theshed197]

Good morning indeed it is Magdelene,
I (we) have read the manuscript which I found this morning in My Messages. It answered The very reason why I decided to send you my telephone number which resulted in our lengthy discussions last evening which I (we) thoroughly  enjoyed and are looking forward to meeting up with you personally next month.
Which brings me to the second item - i.e. The details of the "service records of the Sarawak Ranger ,Kiai ak Inyang, who Enlisted on 25th March, 1953 and was discharged 26th MARCH. 1956" - YES INDEED HE MAY VERY WELL BE ON THE PHOTOGRAPH currently lying up on the wall of my (our) dining room here in front of me. (What a pity we do not have the Identity Card he must/should have had with  him ?) Hey Ho and all that jazz!!.) All I can add is May He Rest In Peace and enjoy his Long-House rest.And yes indeed I agree entirely with your comment in that regard.
Let us leave the Moderators to think about this news. :-)
Till the next time.
Apai Tuai George.