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Malayan Scraps

Started by george.theshed197, January 08, 2010, 10:15:12 AM

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george.theshed197

To the relatives and descendants of those members of the Manchester Regiment who served in Malaya twixt 1951 & 1954 who are genuinely interested in what their 'relatives may have been involved in 'during that spell - these 'narratives' may give you some indication of what it was like in those very early days, but which changed drastically by about 1952 when the various 'systems' had been put into place to concentrate the scattered populace  into 'New Villages' thus removing their contact, primarily food supplies and intelligence, with the CT's.
Interesting to say the least.
George.


themonsstar

#2
This one is to big to post, but if anyone would like a copy drop me a PM with your e-mail.

A Malay battalion task by Lt Col C.A.I. Suther OBE  Cheshire Regt, CO 2nd Malay Regt.

themonsstar


themonsstar

A Subaltern's War in Malaya. By Major P.E.Crooks OBE, Royal West Kent Regt.

george.theshed197

Having read 'Stymie' ;' A Subalterns War' in addition to 'All this and a Medal Too' I am looking forward to reading the larger item 'A Bn. Task' -
I will refrain from asking any awkward questions but must admit I now regret very much having destroyed  my own 'Tanah Merah' over forty years ago, however we are all experts with hindsight.
The only other reference I have ever known to anyone firing the EY Grenade Discharger Rifle from the shoulder was with our very own Jimmy Elmore - not a pretty sight  I have to admit. So my previous remarks to any descendants of our gang still hold - read and digest.
George.

themonsstar


themonsstar

Factory For Jungle Food, By Capt C.D.Edwards

themonsstar

Land/Air warfare Malaya 1949/50. By Major E.A.Cooper-Key MC,Norfolk Regt. This file is to Big PM me if you would like a copy.

george.theshed197

Many thanks Roy for the biggie, made for interesting reading especially as that area of Pahang - Mentakab, Temerloh and Triang were our stamping grounds for several months of 1953, and was the prime area in which I trained my Sarawak Rangers in military tactics as opposed to their natural ' one for all, all for one and everyman for himself' type efforts which may have worked in the jungles of Sarawak during WWII and before but were not much good in the 'hide and seek' of Malaya of the time. The CT's favourite trick was to wait for one of the trains coming through, fire off many rounds and then run like hell, we very rarely caught them at it despite putting out multi ambushes. However, we won in the end by literally starving them out.
The lamp is starting to swing which could be dangerous.
Would appreciate the other biggie on the Land/Air activity when you can manage. Once again many thanks.
George.

themonsstar

The outbreak of Violence in Malaya, Causes & remedies. By Major E.V.Rambush R.E.

themonsstar

Realistic Jungle Training.By Lt Col C.N.B. Rose, CO 4th Bn Malay Regt.

Living of The Land, Sakai Fashion.

Operation Lowestoft.


This is a big file, PM if you would like a copy.


themonsstar

Malayan Christmas Eve.

Index to BAJ issues Nos 1-10.

george.theshed197

Many thanks for those Roy,
Definitely a worth while read for any descendants of former veterans of the campaign. I was amused by the comments of one chap that '...We were somwwhat horified at the bulk and weight of the rations... ' and the follow on '.. we decided we could not carry all that was allotted so took only a proportion..' I would be inclined to say that he hadn't done much operational work and was working on  'short rations' which is very dangerous and might well have even been  fatal. There was never any solid guarantee that you would only be out for X days - only a presumption in the Orders; I can remember going out for a five day op in one instance, setting up base the first day found that one of the senior men had not packed any rations presuming that his batman had carried them!!! When I reported this fact on the radio net that night Sunray did his nut and asked what I intended to do to which I responded 'Return to base in the morning, drop him off and resume this patrol minus him !!' This I duly did and on return to base a few days later noted his absence and was advised 'He has been posted!!' Fortunately blokes like that were few and far between.
Cheers.
George.

rizalbob

George,

I'm bemused by this posting. The "weight problem" had been our problem too in the 70s and 80s in Sarawak. Many a-times we had to resort to things like:" 6 hari makan 8" (6 days to last for 8). This was to ensure we had more productive days and less rerationing frequency. In a remote area which is accessible only by boats, we had to walk for a couple of days to a rendezvous and to walk in again into our AO would take another day or two. This was a sheer waste of time.


Rizal