ARTICLES
background of mangrove. The mangrove was very thick either side of the position, which prevented landing some distance away to work the flank, and the exposed mangrove roots prevented a fast direct approach. Crouching in the lead boat as it slowly approached the reported firing position I muttered the subaltern’s prayer: “Please, God, this is my first command – don’t let me mess it up!” The Almighty was apparently able to divert his attention from running the galaxy to arrange for the Indonesians to retreat when they saw us coming – and they only left their footprints in the sand. This was my fourth day on the job! How lucky can one man get!
Army pursuit in Swamp!” But there was little time to rest on any laurels. On the following Saturday Ralph Reynolds announced he would be visiting some of his other responsibilities, the coastal towns of Lahad Datu and Sandakan, to the north. The trip was to be by a scheduled Dakota of Borneo Airways and would take four days. I drove him to the airport at Tawau and his parting words were “John, whatever you do, don’t lose the airport – it will take the Navy four days to get to you.” Heady words for a twenty-year-old – in charge of the defence of an entire country – but nothing the source of my inspiration, General Sir John Nicholson, would have worried about. So, here’s to the memory of General Nicholson Saheb! And, to all those Nikal Seyns out there: Namaste! John Conlin
On the following day the local Tawau newspaper ran with the headline: “Police Ambush by Indons:
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE CIGS
I
t was mid 1951 and Intake 7 was getting close to graduation. Derek Organ of our 1st Battalion was Brigade representative at Sandhurst, he was also Swimming Officer and as I was in the team and also captain of water polo I got to know him quite well. If you haven’t heard of water polo it’s that very un-sahib like game where you do nasty things to your opponents under water, all the while hoping the referee doesn’t notice. Field Marshal Slim had been brought back in late 1948 from retirement, by Prime Minister Atlee, to take over as CIGS from Field Marshal Montgomery, the first Indian Army Officer to hold the post. He quickly reinstated permanent cadre (it is said previously opposed by Monty) for the four Gurkha Regiments and Colin Scott of the Intake 5 was posted to our 1st Battalion as the first officer to benefit from the system, he was followed by six officers from Intake 6 , including Demi Walsh who also went to the 1st Battalion. The CIGS decided he would personally interview
the eight contenders for the two places available to Intake 7. We had been whittled down by Derek to something a bit more manageable from the original forty-four present at the first meeting. We all travelled to Whitehall to have our personal interview with the CIGS in his office in the Old Building of the War Office as it then was. I remember my interview, a daunting experience, went something like this: CIGS. “So you think you are good enough to join my Regiment do you?” I thought if I said yes he would think me presumptuous and if I said no that would be the end of it so I said: “I hope so, Sir.” The CIGS replied, “I hope so too because if you are not the Gurkha soldiers will see through you in two weeks.” The rest of the interview was a bit of a blur but
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