Borneo Veteran Making Contact

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

In latter years while at Manchester University we covered "Hearts and Minds" tactics as used in military warfare as one topic in our management studies then I recalled those very techniques used in the 'Borneo Campaign'!
So wonderful to have had an earlier experience in Labuan from you folks!
Cheers!
Antonio.

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

The forest fire that is now smoldering in NSW, Australia reminds me of one, albeit a much smaller scale, that occured in Labuan sometime in 1959/1960 or so. The area was next to the War Graves, the edge of the old DO's bungalow, leading up to the road before the airfield.
The RAF's Fire Service, the Police and Volunteers assisted seriously in extinguishing all those hotspots and intermittent fires here and there ravaging all those parched vegetation. Fishes in stream went dead, unrecovered WWII munitions exploded here and there. The dangerous part was that there were also unexploded bombs embeded in the ground around that had been dropped from WWII warplanes! It was just lucky that the area was not really inhabited!
After several days and with a change in the weather the fire was finally contained.
Antonio in AKL.

rayro · Newbie Joined: Jan 28, 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Bath UK

Hi Antonio,
Sorry I have been slow in posting more info for this site. Had to look after my little Grandson Freddie.

I am putting some stories together for this site and should get them out for all to see soon. Anyway, 'old buddy' keep up the chat line, as the stories are nice to read.

Always thinking of you 'mate' and I hope more people will join us for a chat on this part of the Forum.

By the way, what is your taste in music??
rayro.

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

No worry mate, take your time. We are looking forward to your candid stories of those years. It's marvellous now we have this Internet. However, written stories of those 'uncomplicated days' are always sought after. It seemed our mind worked better during those 'black telephone' era! 'Telegram', more often, brought bitter news than good ones!
I remember there was an RAF personnel that sang in our school's fair and he told us that he had been an early member of 'The Rolling Stones' before they became famous! His other mates even vouched the fact! Believeable.
In early 1960s when the 'Beatles' came out with 'Love Me Do', 'From Me To You'..we were excited listening to their SPs on battery-operated mono record player! I do still listen to their music as a sense of nostalgia! Neil Diamond is my favourite and so is Johnny Cash. His album, 'A Concert Behind Prison Walls..' is quite a classic!
Cheers!
Antonio in AKL.

martini_lime · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2009 1:26 pm Post subject:

Guys, it's very interesting reading all the stories..would u guys be kind enough to submit some pics and a story behind it.. it is a good reference for us the new generation ... by the way..did any of u return back to Labuan lately..i think Labuan is much more different now ... oh yea..ST. Anne school is still there..but sadly the old ST. Anthony had to be demolished.
_________________
younger everyday... Wink

butch · Newbie Joined: Jan 20, 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Ireland

i remember a village on the way to surrender point where they had cock fighting.
it was a big shock ,never having seen the likes before.
in that same village i was amazed to hear irish music when passing one night.
there on a stage a number of young girls with white dresses and green sashs were irish dancing.
it seems that irish NUNS were teaching them ,about the only time i felt homesick.i
i ofton think of the friends i did not get the chance to say goodbye too,Lucas Kong his sons and Rose.
i do plan to return to Labuan perhaps next year .
having had my 21st birthday in Labuan and now in my 60s part of me will always be there.

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

Hi Butch!
On your way to 'Surrender Point' you heard Irish 'toe-dancing' music? Complete with reddish sashes across their bosoms and perhaps Irish berets as well? Mysterious? A wee bit odd, as all along that stretch the residents were just coconut small-holders I remember! But who knows, they might be those St Anne's girls eagerly practising for their school do.
Looking forward to see some historical photos mate!
Cheers!
Antonio, AKL.

rayro · Newbie Joined: Jan 28, 2009 Posts: 8 Location: Bath UK

Hi you Guys,
Great to have you all posting info on this topic. I liked the pics that Butch has posted on the Gallery. Nice one 'old son'. Now I know that your Squadron also flew Whirlwinds. Great shots, keep them coming.
I will see if the Moderator can get an area for the pics taken during the days of the Borneo Confrontation. I am in touch with one and will pass items through him.

Martini, I returned to Singapore and Malaya in 2005 and located some of my old musician friends. I used to sing with the Big Bands and recorded with them for Radio in Penang, KL and Singapore. I did some TV work with TV Singapura and some Jazz/Latin Jazz with the Ernesto Deroya Band at the Gold Venus Club/Bar in Singapore. But that, as they say, is another story. No chance to get to Borneo, was too busy in the Jazz Clubs.

Talk to you guys again soon and will post some old and new pics of the music scene later on.
By the way, have you heard the story of the Airman that went to War and left his gun behind?? That story will be my next.

Ray.

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

Interesting Ray that you're involved in the Singapore/Penang music scene in those days too!
Yes, I do remember in around your time here, there were good Singaporean singers/bands, one in my mind was 'The Quests'..their music was more akin to the sound of 'The Shadows' too!
Another 'Lulu of Singaore' was Naomi Suraiya, if the spelling is correct. Her songs were sentimental ones mostly. Her records were not ordinarily made by the cheap companies but 'EMI' or 'HMV' I remember.
There was one famous composer that wrote the lyrics of the Malaysian National Anthem about the time when you're in the region too.
Cheers!
Antonio, AKL.

butch · Newbie Joined: Jan 20, 2009 Posts: 11 Location: Ireland

hi ,rayro whats happening things have gone very quite.

Bernard · Posted: Sun May 24, 2009 10:40 pm Post subject:

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

The last indication suggested that 'Uncle Rayro' has been busy 'baby-sitting'. Hope we could read further yarns of his or others from 'RAF Labuan'.
When I was in the 'Hash House Harriers' in Sandakan (where I worked for a few years) our no. 1 beer has been 'Anchor' specially catered for by the main agent 'Harrison & Crosfield'. 'Anchor' has that 'invigorating' freshness especially when mixed with 'Ginger Ale'. After the weary run and still in our sweaty T-shirts, soiled shorts and socks (under which were jungle leeches at times), we gathered around the 'Beer Wagon' (always conveniently parked on a clearing along a road) and enjoyed mugfuls of 'Ale'. As the sun set and mossies roamed around, our crowd became a wee bit rowdy. Jokes were cracked..old ones, newer ones, repetitive ones...
'Tiger' is quite internationally known now. I could get them in the big mart here in AKL. They are brewed in S'pore in fact.
Cheers!
Antonio in Auckland.

Dory · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 3:12 am Post subject:

[b]I want to join in this convo, don't know if anyone of you remembered
my dad or not, he was the super at the Shell Depot, and we did have a
lot of the British Army, RAF, and Naval men visited our house which was
right by the Shell office, of course. I have left Labuan a long time ago
myself, and have been wondering how to get in contact with a few of you
guys, but we never really knew anyone's real name. I finally realised
why a lot of the guys were named "Jock" or "Paddy" after having lived
in Canada for awhile, eh!!

Would love to hear back from someone on this. This is very cool indeed!

Dory · Posted: Sat Jun 13, 2009 7:16 am Post subject:

Bernard...hey hey hey...how you be, dude!!!! I do hope you remember
me! Where have you been, where are you these days?

Antonio · Newbie Joined: May 01, 2006 Posts: 38

I remember that silvery-painted Shell Tankers having a jetty of their own. The beach around could be rough at times. Walking along that stretch I could recall a spot where a number of rusting ex-Australian military landing crafts once stood still on the sand next to the Liberty Wharf (so named in honour of 'The Liberation'?).
As a kid I remember attending a Christmas party with my late aunt in one of the big houses of Shell around that area. There were a handful of RAF people wearing typically white long-sleeved shirts and typically dark well-pressed trousers. They respected me though Iwas just a wee brat then! That family who invited us then was named 'Neubronner' I remember well and they're good friends of my aunt who was then a staff of the old hospital next to the Commonweath War Memorial.
Cheers!
Antonio in Auckland.