7th Rangers: Jungle Warfare School (Pusat Latihan Darat-PULADA) or Army Combat Training Centre by Colonel Peter Hall DSO of the Worcestershire Regiment
Fighting Seventh
The Fighting Rangers On War, Politics and Burning Issues
Rudyard Kipling"
“When 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 soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It 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."
Jungle Warfare School (Pusat Latihan Darat-PULADA) or Army Combat Training Centre by Colonel Peter Hall DSO of the Worcestershire Regiment
Friday, May 12, 2006
Left : Prelude to "Ganyang Malaysia"
Now we were off to patch up yet another crisis - confrontation (political jargon for WAR!) between the states of Malaysia and Indonesia. Borneo, is third largest island in the world, and the scene of this confrontation, one of the most difficult in which to conduct a military campaign. It consists of very mountainous country covered with nearly impenetrable tropical rain- forest.
There are very few navigable roads and practically no railway lines. In fact, the only navigable routes outside the small and scattered urban areas, were the rivers. These rivers meandered muddily through mangrove swamps down to the South China Sea. How did such a conflict break out in 1963? Why should British and Australian forces be involved?It was my good fortune that the officer I was to relieve as Commandant/Garrison Commander was an old friend. He was Lieutenant Colonel ‘Steve’ Purcell, OBE*, the Royal Hampshire Regiment. Steve and I had first met when he was commanding a Rifle Company in 2nd Malay and I was Brigade Major. We had already established a bonding. As I have said before, the British Army was not, in numerical terms, a large one Left : An Iban Tracker, the predecessor to the Rangers, explains the signs on the ground to his British comrades, whilst hunting Indons.
"*Col E.Steve Purcell became the Garrison Commander of British Forces in Cameron Highlands, that year was 1969. I was honoured to receive a scholarship to Outward Bound School, in Lumut from Colonel ES Purcell in the year 1969.I was then 15 years old and had just completed my LCE. The scholarship consisted of $300/xx for the 25 day course and of course pocket money of $50/xx, which was a fortune those days. I thank him once again for his generosity in making me realise my dreams. Bless you, sir."- Major (Rtd)D.Swami. Continued here...
