My short excursion into the jungles of Malaysia were full of segmented stories, some crazy and hard to imagine, but most were mundane, uneventful, and hard to remember. I have difficulty remembering the names of guys I lived side by side with for months. Yomping through leech infested multi- canopy jungle, sliding down monsoon-drenched mountainsides together for weeks on end, and I can’t remember their names. I suspect this is a coping mechanism, a cleansing of stressful memories of a stressful time. I do periodically have vivid flashes of faces and smells and images of mountains, streams, trees, and sounds of helicopters, artillery and those quiet dark nights lying under a poncho tied to branches with elastic ties. I can’t even remember walking out into the jungle alone to relieve myself. I know that I did and I did it often, I just can’t remember. I vaguely remember setting up our base for the night, setting up the trip flares and claymores. I have vague memories of night watch, fighting to stay awake and often falling asleep. So many memories lost to redundancy and the vagueness of passing time. Yet I have a sense of being there, a collage of the past, interpreted from so much vagueness. I did take many photographs while in Malaysia. I had hundreds, photographs of the guys, the jungle, the Malaysians, even the first pair of jungle boots that I wore out, everything! I lost them, all gone –lost in the Berlin fire. Now I have to rely on my memory. A collage of the past, painted with vague translucent images.
Now after all this time of all my training and operational experiences are etched indelibly in my mind and in no small way contributed to my personal career success.

To any officers involved in the planning and reading my account I would like to express my gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to Exercise ‘MINDEN ROSE’. This exercise was hugely successful and guaranteed to improved unit moral. It introduced jungle skills many Fusiliers had either forgotten or had yet to learn. The XX 1 LF training team contributed massively to its success, I should know, transferring skills taught on pre- jungle warfare courses. The result being, companies exhaustively enjoyed 3 weeks away from Hong Kong and the cycle of mundane guard and border commitments.
I was warned before Christmas 1967, by the Battalion 2IC who said simply” Ingham you are to remain at the Jungle Warfare School on completion of your SNCOs Tactics course and join the training team – OK” Yes Sir” I responded without really thinking what I had just been volunteered to do! As I was about to complete my SNCO’s tactics course, along with a number of colleagues of mine that I would remain at the Jungle Warfare School at Johor Bharu until Exercise MINDEN ROSE was finalised and the last company had returned to Hong Kong in August 1968.
Prior to me joining my course, I flew in a Hercules C130 (affectionately now known as ‘Fat Albert’) from RAF Kai Tak, Hong Kong to RAF Tenghi in Singapore, which took roughly 5 hours (approx. 2562 Kms). It was the most uncomfortable flight (the journey spent strapped in webbing seats) I had experienced. I had to wear two sets of ear defenders and earplugs as the internal aircraft noise was excruciating without them. The flight offered lunch in a box RAF style, entitled euphemistically ‘In-flight meals’ and jolly good they were too from the boys and girls in blue!

Figure 19 – A modern day map of Kota Tingie close to the British Army Jungle Warfare School {JWS].
The funniest episode was yet to come! During the flight if you were caught short and needed the privy [toilet] you had only one option and that was not a very private one! The toilet was a smart RAF blue bucket with a rather fashionable ‘mother of pearl ‘toilet seat. The toilet was positioned or should I say balanced on the planes exit ramp. The toilet was surrounded by a 3-foot flimsy plastic opaque screen, which left nothing to the imagination, when flapping in the draughty aircraft interior! Three hours into the flight and constant use, the toilet contents were reaching a critical level! Realising that this might develop into a serious health hazard, the RAF loadmaster consulted with the Pilot over the crew’s intercom! Back came the reply with the pilot eloquently announcing “the shitters full so no more attempts until we land, Ladies and Gentlemen”, well Jess and I and many more colleagues on the flight fell about laughing – hilarious and what a story! I could just imagine a similar announcement being made on a British Airways flight but imagine the complaints! We landed safely (without spilling a drop) at RAF Tengah and made our way to JWS at Kota Tinggi in the back of a comfortable four Tonner – no expense spared. We had serious work ahead of us from now on!
All Fusilier students on the JWS SNCO’s tactics course completed the test exercise around end of April and now prepared ourselves for the arrival of the first company from the Battalion. We had plenty of time to discuss our stands and exercise scenarios. We could not wait to practice our newfound jungle skills on our inexperienced colleagues.
When the students have finished the introductory courses they will have been shown and have practiced every phase of jungle combat the British Army has experienced during years of fighting Communist terrorists in Malaya and the year it has spent operating against Indonesian based guerrillas of Borneo in Sarawak and Sabah.
The CO of JWS at that time spent five years commanding troops in Malaya during the struggle against the Communist terrorists. So did the school's chief instructor. All the other instructors have fought in Malaya have just completed tours of duty with British troops in northern Borneo.
“The jungle is a terrifying and inhospitable place to anyone who doesn't understand it,” The Chief Instructor said. “It is also about the most unpleasant and dangerous place a soldier can fight in. But we have learned what to do and anyone who chooses to operate against us in the jungle soon finds this out.
RECEPTION OF RIFLE COMPANYS AND JUNGLE TRAINING PROGRAMME
A period of acclimatisation coupled with fitness training was our first priority in preparation for jungle training. If soldiers are not conditioned properly, they will find exposure to an unfamiliar jungle environment more challenging.

I completed my SNCO’s 6-week jungle warfare tactics course at JWS on 1 May and remained in theatre to form part of the instructional team for Exercise ‘MINDEN ROSE’. During the course of my jungle training I was fascinated about legendary tales of the ‘Chindits’ and the Burma campaign, with the XX The Lancashire Fusiliers forming self-sufficient Columns Numbers 20 and 50 respectively. More about my training ideas applied to this exercise later, based on my knowledge of the successful Burma campaign.

The Jungle Warfare School (JWS) at Kota Tinggi, Johore Bharu, Malaysia is the location for company-sized groups to conduct realistic training. This exercise enabled Company sized groups to rotate through a pre-arranged jungle training package for a short period (three/four weeks) prior to returning to Hong Kong much refreshed.
My expertise was gained from being exposed to a jungle environment with all the unwelcomed companions, leeches, red ants, scorpions and venomous snakes other natural, impregnable vegetation (such as bamboo) to contend with. Navigation proved a challenge but I honed my skills by adapting to the local conditions quickly. I’m convinced repeatedly my navigation skills developed in the jungle enhanced my military skills in preparation for entry into Sandhurst, soldiering in Germany and the Falklands etc. Why – because you appreciate ground and learn to read a map like a photograph, slopes, contours, saddles and water
Courses, topography and distance but above all you learn to pace and trust your prismatic compass!
The following members of the recently redesignated 4 RRF also attended as students on the course: The author, the late Jess Owen, Bob Gallagher, Dave Firth and Tommo and the late Dick Wordsworth.
During this course, I recall whilst sharing a fire trench with Cpl Bob. There was a commotion, lots of arm waving and stripping off uniform etc. On challenging Bob to keep quite he simple said, “Bollocks I’ve been bitten by a battalion of red ants” and we all fell about laughing. The DS did not get the joke but I know many years latter Bob never forgot that day – a tough Manchurian reduced to tears! He was covered in red ant bites!
DEMONSTRATION STANDS
Thoughts of a student: “After classes and orientation to Malaysian, I signed up for advanced training course. I was issued my gear including an M-16 with ammunition. Finally, I was assigned a weapon!  I felt a little more secure, but still scared as hell! I passed the course, which required learning advanced skills in escape, evasion, and survival. At one point, I had to call an artillery strike within fifty yards of my own position. Being a training exercise the calling for a fire mission was notional. I enjoyed every aspect of the course and wanted more.
 
The issue of jungle equipment and commencement of acclimatization began! Initially companies where formed into teams of 10, this enabled teams to rotate between stands easily and manageable for practical lessons. Stands comprised of the following:
Shelter (Basher) Erection: .Introduction into practical shelter (basher) erecting.
You also should have a basic understanding of fire building and shelter techniques. When you're thinking about shelter you need to ensure you're protected from the sun, insects, animals, rain, and the enemy. For this last bit you need to make sure your body is completely absorbed by your surroundings, by smothering your face with mud and your body in the fauna of your surroundings.
2. Water Purification
The next thing is to learn about water, edible plants, and hunting. You won't live long without water, especially if you're carrying gear and sweating. You'll most likely be drinking from streams. Explain the use of the Milbank bag filtration system as issued coupled with water sterilisation tablets.
Emergency Balloon Deployment.
The steps taken to deploy an emergency orange balloon that will reach above the jungle canopy should a helicopter search be triggered?
4. Food and Hygiene
I don't really think about my taste buds when I'm trying to survive. When you're desperate you don't care, your mind works differently. You're thinking in carbs, vitamins and nutrients. Also the only time I've ever been sick was in a restaurant in Hong Kong because I did the typical tourist thing and had an unusual meal. I didn't get off the toilet for a week. Just thinking about it makes my stomach churn. As a rule, we carried 5-days 24-hour ration packs with a planned resupply at prearranged RV.

5. First Aid and Emergencies. Explanation of Standing Operational Orders
6. Tactics, patrolling, ambush drills, breaking track, weapons and defence positions. Many ‘actions on’ exercises!
Another jungle danger was the booby traps that the demo troops would leave along jungle foot paths to surprise Fusiliers. The temptation to not to move along tracks was a difficult one for many to understand!
For many Fusiliers the above dangers were nothing compared to the dark jungle with its strange and alien sounds. Coming from Hong Kong jungle seemed a very hostile environment where you were never sure who or what was watching you, the trees in the
Malayan jungle were sometimes hundreds of feet high, blocking most of the day light out which created a strange and dark atmosphere. The instructors aim was to teach Fusiliers how to survive and move about in the jungle. They also went about destroying the myth that you cannot move about the jungle at night but you need to be well practised.
7. Watermanship. You became aware that at 4. P.m. every day you can expect a massive downpour that changes the jungle landscape almost immediately. Streams become raging torrents in minutes and navigation was much reduced. During exercise play a river crossing was introduced and creating a flotation pack out of your equipment becomes a reality.

8. Navigation
After willpower, the second most important thing is navigation. If you've lost your gear and been stripped of your watch—and most tyrants and terrorists love fancy watches by the way—an important and simple technique is to use the sun to find true north. As long as the sun is bright enough, you can use a branch and a few stones to work out how to face north.
My own experience came shortly after being deployed by Belvedere helicopter with my patrol. Prior to disembarkation I gave my map to the loadmaster – signalling to him to indicate our position at drop off. He pointed to a grid square on the map and I thought great!
On disembarkation the patrol up took all round defence on a sandy track, deploying dummy claymore mines, at the jungles edge. I checked my compass with map and yes you guessed it – nowhere near the position I had been briefed. Miles off course and no guide to meet us! What now I thought? I studied the ground and saw in the distance two prominent hills which was my original objective; Bukit Tamang and Bukit Simalang shrouded in mist. I carried out a quick and hasty map resection, using compass, map and protractor and identified my location on the map [a triangle of error]. I then worked out my route. I estimated that we had been dropped 12 Kms from my original drop-off point – surprise, surprise! Bloody, ‘crab air ‘I thought! A day’s march, just to reach the training area lay ahead of us.
Later on the patrol debrief on discussing being misplaced [never lost] an anonymous Fusilier said,” these things happen the patrol leader is an accomplished operator. He can look at the stars and navigate to where he needs to be. He is steeped in escape and evasion skills. He was never actually lost, but was not where they were expected to be. He has a great sense of humour and would find it funny.”

MEDICIMAL - PLANT LIFE
The jungle is an amazing place with many plants, trees and vegetation that with a little or no ingenuity produce medicinal potions. Take for example the Cupellmarie tree. Simply break the bark of the tree and out oozes a sap like liquid that when applied to the wound on your skin the healing process accelerates. In the Malaysian jungle many such plants, tree and various vegetation exists and are cultivated for their medicinal qualities. At JWS we touched during training very briefly on this fascinating subject.

LIGHT IN THE JUNGLE – SOME BASICS
Let's talk about this jungle training exercise. How do you avoid being caught with your pants down?
It broadly comes down to some simple rules. One: at night the light does not lie. Any light pinpoints not only your location but also the enemy's.
Two: move only at night, and spend the daylight hours observing enemy units, remembering their routines and planning. Three: travel alone, even though it's more desirable to travel in small groups. Also, if you ever find yourself trapped, use a different route to backtrack.
Three: Aftershave and soap can be giveaways in the jungle. Forget them – leave back in barracks!
Four: Silence is golden! Use hand signals and no chatting. If you have to talk whisper! All radios switched to whisper mode.
Five: Weapons loaded and ready. Claymore mines ready but unarmed. Smoke grenades ready in case of ambush.
Six: The use of tracker dogs in a jungle setting should not be discounted. During training of our Fusiliers, the Australian and U.S. tracker dogs were training hard for Vietnam service. I made full use of them in our training.

Figure 20 Jungle Training – A recent photograph of a Gurkha Soldier ready for Jungle Training.
AUSTRALIAN LIGHTWEIGHT SHELTER
I became inseparable from my Australian lightweight shelter system. Forget the heavy British Army poncho, which is too bulky for jungle use. The Australian system comprised a camouflaged ground sheet used as a shelter top, a sleeping bag outer and a stretcher top which could support two poles when added to a jungle constructed “A” frame or an emergency stretcher. A lightweight mosquito net completed the system. All this made for an exceptional item of equipment all Fusiliers used on the exercise.
Jungle shelters are used to protect personnel and equipment from the harsh elements of the jungle. Shelters are necessary while sleeping, planning operations, and protecting sensitive equipment. When selecting shelter, leaders should: Choose high ground, away from swamps and dry riverbeds Avoid trails, game tracks, or villages.
Navigation in thick jungle areas is difficult even for the most experienced navigators. Fusiliers navigating in the jungle must use various aids. The compass is an obvious aid, but a Fusilier would never be able to move very fast in the jungle if he had to move along a magnetic azimuth.
Movement along a terrain feature, such as a ridgeline, is easier but can be extremely dangerous when establishing a pattern of consistency. Fusilier must trust their compass, map, and pace counter. A Fusilier should not keep his eyes riveted on the compass; however, it should be used as a check. The shadows caused by the sun are an easily observed and accurate aid to direction. Allowances must be made for the gradual displacement of the shadows as the sun moves across the sky. Other aids to maintaining direction include prominent objects, the course of rivers, gradual changes in contours, prevailing winds, the stars, and the moon. What fun we had in this strange environment!
I thought I would take time out mention the dreaded parang, how and when you should use it in a jungle setting. First, think twice before you remove the parang from its sheave as more Fusiliers have been injured through incorrect use. It is of course considered an invaluable tool in the jungle.
JUNGLE ENVIRONMENT
The first enemy the Fusiliers encountered on entering the jungle was not the demonstration troops (Gurkhas in my case) but, a large array of deadly jungle insects and other nasty, creepy crawler creatures that lived in the jungle, most notably leeches. Fusiliers found that the leeches would get everywhere, on uncovered skin no matter how well you protected yourself. Once heat and blood detected by the searching leeches they were able to squeeze through the tiniest of eyeholes of the soldiers jungle boots, then through the woollen socks to get to human skin. After patrol had crossed, a river or a swamp time had to be taken to remove leeches from the body, sometimes up to 30 leaches at one time. If you were fair skinned like me the leeches just loved you – you were just yummy! Fusiliers could not just simply pull the leeches off from their skin because the leeches teeth and head would still be rooted to the skin which could lead to a deadly blood infection, among the other creatures that occupied the jungle floor looking for fresh, clean shaven, succulent Fusiliers. I found Army issue mosquito repellent an effective way to dislodge the little blighters! There where pythons the size of telegraph poles and scorpions the size of lobsters! It became a ritual every night before a Fusilier got into his "basha” he must check that he would have no unwanted company during the night sharing his basha. The boots of Fusiliers was a nice cosy place for a snake or two – we soon learned to check! If he did find something, and he often did then the buddy, buddy system came into play, a little dab of Army issue mosquito repellent, especially bloated leeches backsides would release their grip for a second and with a ‘flick’ of a finger hi presto the leech sailed through the air back to its natural habitat! Green and clean!
JUNGAL BOOTS - CHOICES
Much has been written about the most practical boot for use in the jungle – thankfully not by me. British soldier’s invariably do not like their issued equipment and will always test or prefer other nations preferred choices and jungle boots is no exception. Environment specific footwear did not really make an appearance until the 1960s and prior to this; the general issue boot had to make do in all terrains and weathers. Jungles being nasty, wet, horrible places, it was decided to introduce a special boot designed for such an environment.
The result was a curious bright green canvas and rubber affair - looking very similar to baseball boots but with a very high leg extension. They were not very successful, but they did have their plaudits and they were better than sloshing around the bondu in Ammo boots or Boots DMS (dems my shoes). These boots lingered on until the superior US manufacture classic jungle boot became widely available.
I first encountered the latter incarnation in early 1968, when the bemused onlooker was astounded by a US Marine sporting a pair of the most ally-looking daps he'd ever seen. He simply just had to have a pair of those. Said Marine was not willing to part with his footwear, but it wasn't long before I managed to get my hands on a pair.
They certainly turned heads in the mess - especially when worn in January with a set of tropical trousers and a parka! Top that! The boots really came in to their own during Exercise ‘Minden Rose’ when all companies were issued with the trendy “green canvas jungle boots’.
Not so I. By having privately purchased his 'genuine' junglies (from Silverman's), he had avoided such humiliation after all I was their instructor. I did admire the Australian jungle boot at the time. This boot was calf length, black canvas and lightweight metal sole plate for protection against poisonous bamboo pungies. They were hard to come by and anyway I was not going to Vietnam!
LESSONS LEARNT
The Malayan Emergency (1948-60) was one of the few successful counter-insurgency operations undertaken by the Western powers during the Cold War. It saw British and Commonwealth forces defeat a communist revolt in Malaya. The backdrop to this success was mainly three prong approach well lead and trained, well equipped and jungle aware and the adoption of new tactics (weapons) and logistical support.
JUNGAL EXPERIENCES
“We have a lot of skilled trackers available at JWS, so I manage persuade a number of Australians to teach a whole day of tracking to Fusilier groups,” Dingbat’ my Aussie mate said. “Tracking could easily go into a week of training. However, we do a whole day, and most people love that. You start looking at things differently after you go to that class. You start seeing stuff you never saw before.”
Tracking is a skill that is not only different in the jungle than in the desert, it’s also one that is needed to survive in the jungle, Dingbat said.
“When you get into the jungle environment, it’s a significant deviation from just simply following someone through some easily visible footsteps or through an urban area,” Dingbat said. “This is wild country. It is a tropical forest. Brushing up on those skills is something that we try to convey to the students as both highly important, not only for tactical reasons but also for just general survival purposes in the jungle.”
Smudge, an instructor at the JWS, said you can learn a variety of things about enemy movement through the jungle with tracking“(Jungle tracking has) definitely been a lost art throughout our military,” Smudge said. “It was last used in Vietnam, and we’ve just recently started trying to pick it back up. We go through and teach our Fusiliers how to decipher what direction their quarry, or whomever they are following, is moving. How many there are? How long ago they travelled through and what different activities they did when they stopped for any period. It really helps develop the situation for that patrol on the ground. They can figure out what is going on, what they are facing and whether they have the right ratio. The Fusiliers operate in ten-man patrol group, we should really only want to engage two people. Whereas if we are following a platoon, then we need to start notifying people and let them know, ‘We have a lot of guys here. We need help.’”
Communicating with your unit is another part of jungle training. The tools Fusiliers have used in the past to figure out where they are and communicate with others often don’t work in the thick jungle canopy, Paddy said.
“GPS isn’t going to work,” Paddy said. “Everybody buys all these high-speed communications devices, but then when you get into thick vegetation and triple canopy, it won’t penetrate. You have to find another way. So we use a manpack HF radio plus omni-directional antenna, the signal will extend from the training area all to JWS Ops Room. The challenges of dealing with the jungle terrain often aren’t apparent to Fusiliers until they are in the field and asked to complete a mission”, Smudge said.
SURPRISES
“I envisage that there are a lot of natural things like trees and branches that can be used as weapons,” Paddy said. “Anything can kill you. I’ve learned about many things that you wouldn’t expect can kill you. For me, as a Fusilier, I’m learning the most basic skills that you need to know to avoid things like getting into an enemy’s ambush or trap. So it’s important general knowledge.”
Staff Sgt Smudge. Jungle Warfare Training Course instructor, said that training in this environment requires a mind-set that recognizes, in the jungle, the enemy is just one of many dangers.
“The biggest things I tell patrol leaders to be concerned about in the jungle are not only the enemy, but also the flora and fauna,” Smudge said. “Here in the jungle, you’re going to have large faunas, such as, in a worst-case scenario, you could run into a tiger. However, less hazardous but still problematic, might be coming across killer ants or bees or termites. The next issue would be flora. The jungle, through time and evolution, has defensive mechanisms, so you run into people being poisoned by certain trees. You have things like barbed vines or vines with hooks.” I call it ‘hurry up and hang about a bit’ vine. You must be very careful and slowly retreat and extract yourself from the vicious vines grip. Failure to slowly retreat will leave you with deep, bleeding scratches!
Staff Sgt Vincent Pop Weasel, now a JWS instructor, learned much about waterborne tactics necessary to get a patrol across a river or other water obstacle.
“The main thing that surprised me was the watermanship training, where you take your rucksack with all of your gear and use that as a flotation pack,” Peter said. “I’m well over 200 pounds, and for me to think something that weighs 60 pounds is going to hold my 200-pound frame up along with all my gear, I’d say you are kidding me. But to actually put all of your personal gear inside of your rucksack and to have it on your back and then jump into a body of water that’s over your head, and you still stay afloat — I found that to be extremely interesting. It’s something I will definitely keep with me for the rest of my life.”
Sometimes even the simple tactics and techniques needed to get through jungle terrain are what surprise Fusiliers, Smudge said.
“Simple stuff like knots can be a surprise,” Pops said. “We teach 13 different knots here. Everybody thinks there are only one or two, so when we start teaching them knots it blows their minds.
“We teach simple survival skills like fire,” pops said. “Who doesn’t like to learn how to start a fire with two sticks? We teach water procurement, teaching how to get safe water that doesn’t have animal waste in it or hasn’t dripped off a poisonous vine.”
Ail our knot test because knots are just hard, period. But on the JWS course, they make you do those same knots blindfolded. So, they just step it up a little bit.
Another valuable tip when lying up for the night was to surround your patrol basher perimeter with vine or green string (about waist height) essential if you attempted to stray outside your base in darkness and get lost.
‘MINDEN ROSE’ ENDEX
One thing every instructor attached to Exercise ‘MINDEN ROSE’ agrees on is that learning jungle skills ends up being useful even if that Fusilier is posted elsewhere instead of a posting to the Far East. The skills taught can help Fusiliers throughout their military careers.
Exercise ‘MINDEN ROSE’ taught me many lessons because it is extremely important if you can fight in close country or in thick vegetation without line of sight of your friendly forces and being able to manoeuvre onto the enemy, it can be adopted anywhere,” Smudge said. “It makes it a lot easier when you get into the open country, desert, and woodlands. When you are in that close country and you are dealing with bad communications, you are dealing with not being able to see, calling for fire and adjusting rounds by sound versus being able to see the impact. That just will multiply your capabilities when you can see. If you can fight in close country, you can fight everywhere.”
Jungle Warfare and training is a huge subject and the need for practical application gained through actually doing it was of immense value to all Fusiliers who participated. ‘Exercise Minden Rose’ was a successful period of training enjoyed by all.
FOR INTEREST SSSSSSNAKE!
Whilst exercising at JWS it was regarded as the norm to work closely with Commonwealth units that shared JWS facilities and mutual training expertise in the use of Combat Tracker Teams (CTT’s). I often as an Instructor called upon their help for support to reinforce and refresh our own jungle training programmes. I thought this extract would reinforce the point while Exercise ‘MINDEN ROSE’ took full advantage of this prized capability when conducting jungle-training operations.
1966, with the war in Viet Nam escalating, General Westmoreland, Commander of Military Assistance Command Viet Nam (MACV), was impressed by the British Army's employment of combat trackers fighting Communist insurgents in Malaysia. That year he sent LTC Starry along with a small team of U.S. Soldiers to the British Jungle Warfare School in Malaysia. LTC Starry was assigned the task of researching and assessing the British Army's employment of Combat Tracker Teams (CCT’s). The team of U.S. soldiers were trained by British and New Zealand instructors and later returned to MACV with a very positive report on the employment of Combat Tracker Teams and the value of Combat Tracking tactics employed to compliment larger military operations. Westmoreland approved the CTT concept and 140 U.S. soldiers were recruited to attend the British Jungle Warfare School’s 65 day combat tracker course.
When the U.S. Army soldiers completed their combat tracker training they returned to Viet Nam. The Trackers were organized into four Combat Tracker Teams per division, and broken down further into two elements per brigade. The mission of the newly organized Combat Tracker Teams was to re-establish contact with an elusive enemy, collect information on any recent enemy activity within a specific area of operations and to relocate lost or missing friendly personnel. The CTT was usually supported by an Infantry Platoon and patrolled well ahead of them to maintain noise discipline and the element of surprise.
Overall, about 240 US Army trackers were trained at the British Army’s Jungle Warfare School in Malaysia. Eventually the United States Army established its own Combat Tracker School at Fort Gordon, Georgia, but by the end of 1970 the school was closed. Ironically, in 1973 the U.S Army published Field Manual 7-42, “Combat Tracker and Tracker Dog Training and Employment”, but no longer employed the capability.
The employment of Combat Trackers to pursue, locate and interdict its nations enemies has been used by many Military's and Law Enforcement Agencies around the globe with a great deal of success. The British Army has maintained a formal tracking capability based on their combat experiences during WWII, Malaysia, Kenya, Cyprus, and Borneo. Today combat tracking continues to be formally taught through their Jungle Warfare Wing based in Brunei. The Malaysians also continue to maintain a formal Combat Tracking School since the British moved their Jungle 
MORE JUNGLE BUNNY STORIES!
This story is expressed by a Fusilier on patrol during the exercise and I have repeated it here to add an authenticity to our jungle experience,
Because the patrol we had found a cache of rice in the exercise area, which meant that there could be more, Lieutenant Peter called in for a notionally artillery fire mission to work the area around the clearing. One of the guys discovered punji stick trap while searching the tall bush for weapon or rice caches. The punji sticks, made of bamboo, were mounted vertically in the ground with sharpened tips around the rice cache. .
The Platoon Commander was told that the artillery on Fire Base Abbey was being used in support of another company. He finally was granted support from naval guns located offshore in the China Sea. I remember the Platoon Commander saying, “It’s on its way.” I heard Shot over…shot out! I’m thankful this was a training exercise and would not like to have been on the receiving end of such a lethal barrage. We stayed out on that exercise for a week or so looking for food and weapon caches, and during that time, I learned a lot about myself. I made the transition from boy to man. We eventually ended up back at firebase Abbey. Before we climbed up to the firebase, we all jumped in that lazy river for a swim. What a treat that was!  
A few days later, we cut a Landing Zone [LZ] for our resupply helicopter. We were resupplied about two times a week. If we were in a training zone, the supplies were dropped from the helicopter to the ground. The helicopter crew didn’t like to hang around very long. They wanted to get in and out as fast as possible.     Our supplies usually consisted of clean jungles and underwear, food and water, ammo and mail. There were times when we got beer from the rear. We would all chip in some money and one of the guys in the rear would pay off a helicopter crew to bring it out with some ice. We cooled down the beer by rolling it on small pieces of ice for a few minutes. It never got that cold but hey, it was beer.  Each 24 hour-ration pack contained cheese, crackers, and a can of something edible, toilet paper, and a small box of cigarettes. Occasionally we would get a Supplementary Ration Pack dropped onto our make-shift DZ by the CQMS. The experience of living in such a strange and challenging environment tested the Fusiliers beyond what they had experienced previously.
As an Infantryman, we always shared experiences and knowledge regarding weapons and personal equipment. Often equipment evolves through constant use and personal experience. Jungle warfare is no exception.
The debate about weapon systems continues today! Which type of rifle would you carry as an example? Would it be the rifle M16AZ with 5.56mm caliber as your weapon of choice? The predominant attraction of this rifle was its lightweight, at around 4kg, fully loaded, As compared to the British L1A1 SLR fully loaded at 5 kg, 600m battle range, with a longer
Barrel and heavier 7.62mm ammunition. In jungle operations, margins are important - do you go for hard-hitting rifle like the familiar SLR or do you plump for the lighter M1. Most troops favoured the M16 with shorter range at 400m but you were able to carry more 5.56mm ammunition and ‘shoot and scoot’ out of contact. Visibility is of course is key in thick jungle and rounds down will prove effective. In addition to the M16 rifle, I also carried a 9mm browning automatic pistol for close protection.
Personal equipment is just that! You have many types and variety to choose from. I went for a military style rucksack , a couple of pairs of olive drab rip-stop jackets and jungle fatigue trousers which were superior to normal issue (tear easily) and dried out quicker. My belt order was simple; two water bottles with steel cups for cooking, 3 ammunition pouches for ammo and emergency rations, machete and case plus any additional items considered mission critical. On my wrist I had my trusted lightweight compass plus watch with cover. Radio equipment would be dispersed throughout the patrol; extra batteries etc.
I mentioned jungle boots in an earlier paragraph. I used the Aussie GP boot often in the field. They had nylon sides with leather toes and rubber soles with an inner sole. The US terry towelling socks quickly forces water through drain holes in the outer inside of the boot and made walking through water a much better option. Remember that wet socks remained wet and needed changing often.

Added to our load of patrol equipment was the use of claymore mines, highly effective both in defines and ambush situations. The Dingbat – sensors for seismic detection (movement early warning system). A Sarbe beacon that sent out a distress code would also be carried in case of emergencies or medical evacuation.
You may have heard of a jungle plant called Atap; a plant that comprises of long leaves with sharp thorns, some reach a height of 20 feet and are a sod to get through and sore as hell if they attach to your face or arms.
SINGAPORE ATTRACTIONS
On rare occasions, when off duty, the more adventurous members of the Fusilier Training Team decided to venture into the unfamiliar ‘fleshpot’ attractions of Singapore had to offer in 1968. The more adventures team members comprised: Les, Dave, Jess, Bob, thought Bugis Street by night would be a good idea for starters, after all what could go wrong with street wise guys like us. Well, even the worse outcome would be entertaining and in any case broaden our awareness! Keep a secure grip on your wallets’ guys were the collective cry – followed by and your ‘crown jewels’, said another!

BUGIS STREET (OR BOOGIE STREET) BY NIGHT

Bugis Street was a Transgender attraction and definitely not sanctioned by the authorities. The military police would patrol during the night, and they made sure that you were gone before daylight. Soldiers would go there to have a little fun and blow off some stream with the local mama-sans. You could buy a beer for around 5 Singaporean dollars. The mama-san would say “your number one British soldier” who meant great, number ten
Meant you ‘blow job’, and sex was “boom” and that usually happened in a small room behind the bar you happened to be frequenting at the time.
Everything in Bugis Street you looked old and dirty, buildings were made from wood and odd pieces of tin. Drugs and prostitution were big among the foreign troops. Get high, find sexual gratification with a mama-san, and pretend it’s your girl and hope you don’t get the Clap or worst!
Singapore’s Bugis Street was renowned as a meeting place for transgender to mix, mingle and have fun during the 1950s-1980s. Each evening, a fabulous parade of glamorous transgender women would walk up-and-down the rundown streets at Bugis Junction, flirting with tourists, sailors, G.I.s and Fusiliers, often charging them to have their photograph taken, inviting them to a bar for a drink, or taking them to a quiet room (or rooftop) for intimate discussion?
For thirty years, Bugis Street thrived as a haven for transgender women and their admirers, until the government cracked down on what was described as “shameful” and “lewd behaviour” in the 1970s.
The old Bugis Street was demolished in the mid-1980s and replaced by a shopping mall and entertainment outlet much to the satisfaction of local authorities and the opposite for tourists. We were definitely not virgin soldiers….
I have to admit we (the Fusiliers Training team) found the street fascinating as for “Shameful” or “lewd” behaviour we Fusiliers saw none of that, however, we only visited the street once (so I’m told)! The visit was an experience but not really our scene – so we left to visit similar delights in the Malaysian town of Johore Bharu, a large town across the causeway that connects Malaysia to Singapore.
RAFFLES HOTEL AND LONG BAR
Raffles of Singapore is always worth a visit. The Long Bar continues its proud tradition as the Home of the Singapore Sling. Raffles Hotel is one of Singapore's most graceful landmarks. This luxury Singapore hotel celebrates a tradition of unwavering service excellence spanning more than 125 years. Immortalized in the novels of Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling, Raffles Hotel, Singapore’s colonial-style architecture and lush tropical gardens exude an atmosphere of timeless elegance. This luxurious Singapore hotel lies in the heart of the city, in close proximity to the banking and financial districts, Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore International Convention
Interesting that the Britannia Club (NAAFI) was very close and usually my starting point for a night on the town – primarily because the beer was cheap!
MEMORIES OF THE PAST IN HONG KONG
During my time in Hong Kong, I only ever came and went from Gun club barracks via the entrance on Austin Road. I recall having to sign out and sign in at the Guardroom when leaving barracks for a ' social outing ' and always being told to study the map on the wall which highlighted the areas that were out of bounds. Signing back in was always challenging particular if you were intoxicated and rowdy...it could be a sharp left turn into the cells! 
Go out the gate turn right and right again you entered a tree lined alleyway known to Fusiliers as Jorden Path aka ‘the blowjobbery gulch’ as I recall. This secluded narrow tree lined alleyway followed the boundary of the barracks fence line onto an open space. At night like most places in Kowloon underwent a transformation and became a private space frequented by ‘ladies of the night’ offering special favours! One late night, returning to barracks on suffocating hot evening, I was intrigued and decided to visit and see for myself what was on the menu. I initially went out for supper after eating chow fan [fried rice] and saw a number of women loitering in the alleyway and I then realised the stories were true! I was astounded at what I saw [not that surprised to be honest], however, my thoughts focused on returning to barracks; the serious business of booking in at the guardroom, as consequence for being late was harsh and expensive!
 I remember also when booking in or out of the guardroom seeing the ‘Euryalus Bell’ hung from a brass tripod and positioned on the Guardroom veranda overlooking Austin Road entrance to the barracks. A photo of the Euryalus Bell on its tripod is on the ‘Fusiliers wed site’. It was possible to gain entrance to the Barracks from Chatham Road direction to gain access to the MT Park and the lower playing fields where the 1968 Vesting Parade took place.   
Occasionally, while based at Erskine Camp, I took the Star Ferry from Tsim Sha Tsui to Wan Chai, where a friend had suggested I stay overnight at the reasonably priced Luk Kwok Hotel – then a popular pick-up place used by prostitutes where rooms could be booked by the hour. My intention however, was to crash out overnight after an enjoyable evening in the China Fleet Club or Wanchai before returning to barracks. The book ‘Suzie Wong’ was based on the stories emanating from the Luk Kwok Hotel.
I remember also the well-respected ‘Sam’s Tailor’ located on Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The shop was founded by Sam Melwani in 1957 and is still run by his sons. It is located in Burlington Arcade on 94 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, in Kowloon. Sam’s was a popular tailor for shirts and suits made within hours of ordering. All clothing was fantastic value and great place to visit. I lost my tailor made suit in the Berlin fire I recall.

The shop is well known for its A-list clientele, including Prince Charles, former U.S. President Bill Clinton, UK Prime Ministers the late Margaret Thatcher and Tony Blair, John
McEnroe, Boris Becker, Bob Hawke, Kylie Minogue, David Bowie, Richard Gere and Luca Marchesi not forgetting LF’s who clearly took advantage such as the late Jess Owen and Les Ingham. Until the handover in 1997, it was the only official uniform tailor for British troops in Hong Kong. Sam's Tailor was honoured with a postage stamp on the 50th anniversary of its founding.
A moment of reflection I feel. My erstwhile colleague Dave enjoyed the local cuisine so much that he when he returned to the Jungle Warfare School, Dave always avoided the Mess food and took a local meal of nasi goreng Indonesian dish in the local restaurant on base. Nasi goreng (English pronunciation: /?n??si g?'r??/), literally meaning, "fried rice" in Indonesian, is an Indonesian rice dish with pieces of meat and vegetables added. However, mentioned in the Fusilier journal was the highlight of Dave’s visit to the Sky Bar in Johore Bharu were Shreddy became the talk of the mess. It is a mystery to how the name Shreddy became linked with Dave. The story has become cloudy through the mist of time. I put it down to military humour and over time the story has been embellished somewhat – that is if there was ever a story! If you are reading this Dave – come clean and explain!
FUSILIERS’- SUCCOMB TO TEMPTATION
Many of my friends, now veterans, will understand that a Regiment is one large happy family and like all families we share experiences, you look out for each other. Commanding Officers’ are no exception as they are often fully engaged and exercised when it comes to matters of Regimental welfare. The Late Col TD Lloyd-Jones (incidentally the last Commanding Officer of the XXth I LF Battalion) was no exception. Essentially, he looked upon all Fusiliers as if they were his very own family. He was an excellent officer and a man of great wisdom! And utmost integrity. With this in mind, the CO’s Office in Gun Club Barracks was situated on the upper floor of the quadrangle with a clear view of the square and company lines. It was from this office that administered military justice and words of wisdom emanated. It was on this veranda that discipline and interviews assembled, to receive justice or praise in equal measures! On the opposite side, and level with the CO’s office was a similar veranda with a second door opening into the CO’s office reserved for entry for perhaps the more sensitive and private interviews ( e.g. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI).). The CO often held sensitive interview on completion of discipline and routine interviews weekly. In that category a small group whom the military medical authorities had provided written evidence some soldiers had strayed in either Hong Kong or Singapore from the moral high ground. Participating in unprotected sex resulting in the need of specialist medical treatment was a military offence. Indeed this group of Fusiliers, according to the CO were in need of ‘urgent recalibration or realignment of one’s moral compasses eloquently put by the CO! Why? He said” you were incompetent, negligent and it was ‘bonking stupid and stupid bonking’ was it not, having unprotected sex without taking the correct protection “glaring intensely at the hapless Fusilier and delivered in a strict tone of voice reminiscent of a father chastising his wayward son for some misdemeanour or other. The hapless Fusilier could only stammer “Yes Sir” before being marched out by the RSM (with an experienced smirk on his face – and whispered ‘stupid boy’ under his breath). Once the interview was over, I am sure you really would have felt chastened and very guilty about this inexcusable behaviour. However, like the fatherly figure he was - the CO simply said” put it down to life’s experience young man and let that be a salutary lesson to you and please shut the door quietly on your way out” jolly decent of him – so I’m told!
However, that was not the end of it! Instead of the whole interview, being private –in-confidence - the hapless and now ashamed, chastised Fusilier quietly left the CO’s office via the private veranda; a raucous cheer followed by loud laughter went up from a group of fellow Fusiliers – echoing round the corridor of BHQ. A crescendo of laughter, hooting and banter broke the silence I recall. It happened every week some people never learn an old soldier quipped. You were considered a hero throughout the Battalion for a day because you had a private problem! The talk of the Mess Hall for weeks! That is squaddie humour for you. ‘Mr Blobby’ was a nickname I often heard but I never really understood why (sic)!
My favourite haunt on the way back to barracks after a night out and ‘feeling a little peckish ‘was the need to scoff a ham baguette. The perfect solution was simple - go to an address on Nathan Road push a $HK12 note through the letter box and minutes later out popped a ham baguette – simple [fore runner to the Chinese takeaway I’m told]. I wonder how many Fusiliers took advantage of this enterprising service as I did!