Basic Military Training in the 1970s

My Basic Military Training was in Changi Camp. I was in Delta Company Platoon 14, a mixture of all races, different educational levels and of different social economic background nearly 50 years ago.

Unlike the softy softy recruits of the present day, 2024, when family members or themselves put on social media how/what their precious brother or son experienced on their first day, all of us then was left alone and sent to the unknowns.. From the day of enlistment at Dempsey Road Camp to the barracks, we were transported by 3-tonner trucks for a 3-month confinement in camp which 3 weeks were spent in solitary confinement. We could only contact our loved ones via a public phone during the off hours. We all somehow survived.

DO NOT expect fancy air-conditioned transportation, great food or soft beds which are now the defaults in the present day National Service. Nowadays, even parents ,brothers or sisters or girlfriends were allowed to savour the moments and specially cooked meals and a tour of the barrack. It is just like going for a holiday camp rather than going through sacrifice for our Nation , as the social media made it to be, Hollywood or Bollywood-like.

Our barrack was situated in the midst of the present day Commando Camp area (Bus Route 2) and was a 3-story British built construction. Woe behold when we had to run down and up the staircase to the parade ground again and again during 'change parade ' in the middle of the night. We have to put on our uniform and boots and then change into PT attire or combat attire as a form of punishment and 'training for alertness and readiness'.

It was only after 3 months before we were 'passed out' as privates and sent to different units for vocations. Happiness was when we knew that we were posted to a service unit rather than be in combat.

Front Row: Satrah , Aziz Ibrahim, Cpl Oh Chong Ho (Sect Instr), Cpl Chandra (Sect Instr), Cpl Peh Eng Chin (Sect Instr), L/Sgt Leong plt sgt, Lta Tan Boon Teck,

2LT Archie Ong (Pl Comdr),Cpl Mohinda Singh (Sect Instr), Cpl Lim Kang Seah (Sect Instr), Cpl Pang Chee Seng (Sect Instr), Cpl Koh Eng Kian (Sect Instr), Ragiman Raduan

Centre Row: Wong Poh Kong, Chee Eng Soon, Pay Loo Seng, Chye Chorn Mer, Dhavantray Shah, Sim Seah Lim, Low Yew Huat, Woo Peng Fei, Sukhwender Singh (my bunk mate), Tan Choon Tee, Tan Kok Leng, Skadiang Edward, Lim How Chuah, Jaafar Abdullah, Zainal Rahim, Leong Hou Kit, Hamzah Dawam, Karam Singh, Duad Ali, Chua Mui Tieh

Back Row: Md Jali, Abdullah Mohidin, Jumaat Aziz, Sinnathambi, Shukor Mohd, Azmani Sitam, Seow Keng Siong, Tan Cheng Huat, Abdul Rahman, Mohd Ismail, Mohd Ali, Goh Seng Huat, Lim Fook Ming, Mahmud Hassan, Tan Hock Heng, Md Nasir, Sanip Rahim,. Lim Meng Yhee, Cheong Seng Wah, Seng Boon Wah, Ho Yong Heng, Jasine Jaafar, Abdul Karim

Absent: Zainal Baktoo, Ng Poh Choon, Yew Wing Keong, Gesmasamy, K Rajendran, Kaneson Sockalingam

July 1975 - in army green, after 3 weeks of confinement. We bent or fold our 

      cap to make it presentable

RI Soccer (post 40 years)

After 40 long years, the RI soccer team of 1978 met once again on May 9th evening at Kalidass J's place in Yio Chu Kang to commemorate the 40th year of the 'A' Division triumph on May 10th 1978, National Stadium.
It was so heartening to see 16 out of 20 of the 'boys' turned up for this gathering. Some travelled back from overseas to be present. Some of the 'boys' are grandfathers by now. Many of them are still playing recreational soccer together. For the other three who were not able to be present, we wished you were there!!

Mr Alfred Chen, the soccer master who was with the boys since lower secondary was also present!
What an evening!!

Auspicium Melioris Aevi

Insert: The original 1978 lineup at National Stadium vs 2018 lineup

Some with less hair but most of the lads did not change much

Jose, Eng Teng and goal scorer Clifton 

Captain Auyeong Pak Kuan back from Austria

Good Company over food and drinks

The beloved steps we used to sit at Grange Road @2011

The classroom block overlooking the field where home matches for soccer and rugby were played.

Glorious view of RI field from the grandstand

Auyeong receiving Ortega Cup @ 2004

Old Rafflesian soccer mates are still playing together, after 40 years

Auspicium Melioris Aevi

update 2 years late...........

on 8th June 2022, the '78 squad had another gathering, after the Covid-19 episode in Singapore. This time, the venue: Chjimes

10 of the squad members attended, some with spouse

Stories from the Relics of the 50s & 60s

These are the records which I managed to retrieve from my mother's cupboard, documenting some part of my parent's life in the 50s and 60s.

My father went to Raffles Institution in the late 40s from Outram but it seemed that he did not complete the full years there. He took a Diploma in Bible Studies and later took the external (British) Accountancy course and examinations.

  The Diploma my father obtained through correspondence school 1950

A letter of Recommendation in 1950

 Leaving certificate 1950s

Application for exemption in his Accountancy Course 1956

 My father's Birth Certificate 1930s

Job application for post of Inspector in the Police force 1950

Meanwhile my mother enrolled into evening class in the early 50s

List of LPs in my father's collection

He finally found a job as a Clerk in Singapore Harbour Board (SHB) at Keppel area. His annual salary was $3240 in 1956 till $3986 in 1962, a raise of $750 in 7 years!!

My father's detailed records of the Salary Scale and the salaries of some of the SHB Workers then in the early 1960s.

The Pass to the SHB Dockyard area was renewed every 6 months

        He kept the receipts of the SHB Staff Association membership

Vaccination cards in the 50s and 60s

Record of collections from colleagues at SHB 1963

We lived in Margaret Drive after moving out from grandfather's place at Silat Road. It was a large 3-room 3-storey SIT flat where the present Dawson flats are being built.

 1958 Rental agreement with SIT for 242A Margaret Drive

Receipt for payment of rental 1958

Envelop to a past competition in the 60s where hair grooming was important

 Poll Card for General Election in the 60s

A receipt for gold purchase in the 60s

Insurance Certificate 1960s

Primary school's School fees receipts in the 60s

In August 1963 when my father passed away, we (my mother and a brood of 4 sons) have to move out of Margaret Drive to a much smaller unit at Blk 5 Bukit Ho Swee. It was a SINGLE room unit with communal toilets. A couple years later, these few blocks were demolished and we moved to a unit at nearby Block 13 which came with our own toilet!! Presently Boon Tiong HDB blocks occupied the area where Block 13 was.

Appeal for remission of my school fee in secondary school

Even in the dark times, my mother's application for an Istana job was rejected after the interview. She finally found a job at The Botanic Gardens.

PUB receipt during our stay in Bukit Ho Swee

Fortunately the Social Welfare Department gave us a monthly allowance to see us through the dark days.