The Jungle Bashers

[TonyConboye]

Hi, my dad is Christopher Raymond Conboye bn. 14/08/33 I don't know what batallion he was in but he served in malaya 1952-54 during the 'Emergency'. I am trying to get my hands on a copy of Bonner's book the 'Jungle Bashers'. I have tried ringing the museum at Ashton without reply. Can you help please.

[harribobs]

Hi Tony

and welcome to the forum

I'm sure we can help you, in fact the author of Jungle Bashers, Captain Bonner, is a moderator of this forum!

cheers

chris

[Robert Bonner]

Welcome to the forum.  'Jungle Bashers' is long out of print but there are a number of copies in public libraries.  If you live near to Ashton copies are available to borrow from the local studies library.  Otherwise go to your nearest library and borrow the book through the inter-library lending service.

[george.theshed197]

Hi Tony,
I was with the Bn in Malaya but cannot honestly say that I knew your Father, are you looking for something particular in Jungle Bashers or just wanting to read it to find out what he might have been doing out there ? I have checked the index and regret to advise that he is not actually named in the book but as Captain Bonner has suggested you should be able to get it through your local library services for reading purposes.
Do you have any idea which company he served with ? or has he mentioned any places he was at - on arrival he would have done the first six to eight weeks at Minden Barracks Penang - basically acclimatising and getting instruction on Jungle Training - then he would have been posted to one of the outlying companies - A coy at Alor Star; B coy at Kroh; C coy up in the Cameron Highlands; D Coy (after it was reformed)  was at Tapah; Support Coy acting as a rifle coy apart from the 3" Mortar Platoon was at Kulim and Main HQ remained at Minden Barracks, Penang with a sub-unit at Tapah, eventually I think it moved to Butterworth around late 1953 early 1954 but I could be wrong. Then a month or so prior to the return home the entire Bn moved to Selarang Barracks, Singapore.

Cheers, George.

[TonyConboye]

Hi George, I wanted to read Jungle Bashers myself and also thought it would be nice to let my dad have the copy too. Although his name is Christopher Raymond Conboye he was known as Ray.   I might e-mail Capt Bonner and see if he can fix me up with a copy. Dad was in A coy. He went out on the troop ship The Empire Orwell around Feb/Mar 53. He remembers being at Alorstar and Tapah and says he also visited Buket Mutajen and Epo ( Spellings may be wrong ! ) He was the patrol bren gunner as he was the tallest and remembers his 2nd gunner and ammo man as 'Bunny' Anderton. Other people he joined with include Johnny Walker and Cyril 'Cess' Hill who was a good friend. One of his and Cess's appointed tasks in Malaya was to guard the regiment's Band instruments and drums and ride shotgun  when they were sent out to play the beating of the retreat etc.. He was in Malaya until the regiment's 3 year tour ended around May 54 and returned on the SS Astorias with the rest of the btn.

Thanks
Tony

[rafboy]

Hi Tony
My father 3525679 Sgt Arthur Phillips was the pay Sgt with the Battalion, he had been in the 1st Bn since about 1937 but just before the Bn went to Malaya he transfered to the Royal Army Pay Corps.  The Army being the Army then sent him to Malaya with the Bn.  I was there with him and went to school first in Penang then to the Army boarding School in the Cameron Highlands, I also came home on the Asturias.
Have you looked at the Photo Section on the Forum there are several photos there from that period including one of the Asturias.
Cliff

[rafboy]

Hi again Tony, I forgot to say keep an eye on Amazon Books second hand copies of Jungle Bashers comes up from time to time.  Currently it is unavailable there.  See:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=Jungle+Bashers&x=14&y=20
Cliff

[TonyConboye]

Thanks Cliff. I have already tried Amazon and other book sites without success. I might put out an appeal on the forum and see if anyone has a copy that they might want to part with. I will look at the photos too. My mum is sending me some photos of Dad taken in Malaya and I will post them when I have them.

Cheers
Tony

[george.theshed197]

Hi Tony,
With respect - to the best of my knowledge there are only three people on the forum who have copies of the book, myself, Cliff and the author so I would say you are on a hiding to nothing by putting an appeal on the forum.
 I have been  trying or a couple of months now to get a copy for a friend of mine in Malaysia without the slightest success. Your best bet is to settle for trying to borrow a copy through your local library and then the pair of you can have a darn good read ;- the coding details are ISBN 1873907 -12 - 5 published in 2002 by Fleur de Lys Publishing.
Cheers,
George.

[themonsstar]

Come on George you missed me

[george.theshed197]

I did say - to the best of my knowledge - your the quiet one I see 

[tonyrod]

hi tony, check this out,   tonyrod


Jungle Bashers: A British Infantry Battalion in the Malayan Emergency, 1951-1954
by Robert A. Bonner
Format:    Hardback 152 pages

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#
Jungle Bashers: A British Infantry Battalion in the Malayan ...
11 Jan 2002 ... Jungle Bashers: A British Infantry Battalion in the Malayan Emergency,
1951-1954 (Book) by Robert A. Bonner (2002)
new link, http://www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/browse/ebooks/4294964587/
#

[TonyConboye]

Thanks George but there are actually are no books in stock despite the indication to the contrary on that website. I could borrow the book myself but my Dad now lives in Spain so it would be difficult to arrange for him to be able to read it.

Regards
Tony

[tonyrod]

Thanks George but there are actually are no books in stock despite the indication to the contrary on that website. I could borrow the book myself but my Dad now lives in Spain so it would be difficult to arrange for him to be able to read it.

Regards
Tony

tony, its, tonyrod not george,
 at the time of posting there were 3 copies left,
 timberman obtained one so you missed out by time,

i first posted on the mods section,   
the jungal bashers book
« on: November 22, 2010, 07:37:23 PM

then on this thread 2  minutes later
i posted at Re: The Jungle Bashers
« Reply #11 on: November 22, 2010, 07:39:45 PM »