Rudyard Kipling"
āWhen you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldierā
General Douglas MacArthur"
āWe are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.ā
āIt is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.ā āOld soldiers never die; they just fade away.
āThe soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.ā
āMay God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .ā āThe object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
āNobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
āIt is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Kinta Valley Homeguard as related by Colonel Peter Hall DSO of the Worcestershire Regiment
Friday, April 21, 2006
* The Home Guard training Centre came to be known as the Territorial Army Training Centre. Which later evolved to "Pusat Latihan Askar Wataniah" (PLAW). Currently it is known as PUSWATAN, located along the Tambun Road, opposite the 23rd Royal Malay Regiment, adjoining the Corps Mess of the Royal Rangers.A Museum of sorts was set by Col Shukor Abdullah, when he was the Commandant of PLAW, with photos of the Kinta Valley Homeguard with their bits and pieces of their badges. I wonder if it is still there. I wonder if his successors have maintained the good work he started. - Ranger
This would release regular troops from this duty and they could, then,perform deep penetration jungle operations. I should, now, explain the term āHome Guardā. Unlike the Home Guard of wartime Britain, this was NOT to be a force of volunteer civilians who pursued normal profession/trades by day and operated as a back-up military force by night and at weekends. (Theirs had been a magnificent, patriotic effort.)
The State Home Guard of Perak was a full- time, professional force. Members were on a three year contract and paid by the State. Their injection into General Templerās āorder of battleā released about 10 battalions of regular troops from rural and urban duties. This made available around 10,000 additional men to squeeze Chin Peng and his Communist Army from their jungle strongholds. Continued here.....
