Yesterday I took a step back in time, when I went to view some equipment which was located in the Singapore Armour Center at Sungei Gedong Camp. Coincidentally it was the SAME camp which I was posted to from late 1980 to mid 1983 way back when I was young (sigh). Unfortunately cameras were not allowed into the camp so this is the only photo.
I had a walk-around and a feeling of 'deja vu' came to me. The Old B**** or the Standard Obstacle Course was where it used to be where we young NCOs trained our Armoured Artillery Men - alot of them where "Hokkien Ping" or "Chinese Helicopter".
These men were called "helicopter" because they could not say the word "educated" properly and so it came out as "helicopter". Though alot of them had little education and some looked like thugs and gangsters (they probably were 'outside' (the camp), I know most of them (where are they now I wonder?) to be kind and gentle souls.
We were the famous Armoured Artillary Battery of Charlie Company in the early 80s. Famous because Charlie Company had alot of jokers and major cockups (including one very unfortunate death of my friend tank Commander Shu Tai Yong).
"Yes Corporer !"
The Parade Square, Company Barracks and the Cookhouse looked EXACTLY like they were 25 years ago, no makeover or building amendments except for some new paint by the looks of it. The ever present 'chinup bar' - the bane of my Army time doing National Service as I had weak arms, the best I could do is 12 chinups was all over the place. Memories come back like it was just yesterday.
The were many of the decommissioned AMX tanks as reminders of the past but now with the latest Leopard tanks in service,Singapore is well protected any time of the year.
I guess I will make it one of my Missions this Year to Locate my Platoon and Section Men ; 25 years after ROD (Run Out Date). Where are We Now ???
1 comment:
ima souljaboy :P
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