All our stuff that we did not use for the duration of the course was stored above ground in a kitbag, in full view of everyone. Never expecting anyone in Commando school to pilfer our stuff. Guess integrity was sorely lacking. After this we were allowed to take a day off, as it was a Sunday.

Normally on a Sunday, I would head out to town to Malacca Inn, which had a dark, dusty and dank pub. I wonder if it is still in existence, gulping down 6 mugs of draft beer and one whole roast chicken. In the morning I took down the kit bag, after doing all the 4S’s (shit, shave, shower and shake not necessarily in that order).

To check what I should wear out, for my day of inebriation. I brought down my kitbag; I found that the tiny padlock I had fixed was snipped away. Hurriedly I opened the kitbag, in it I found that my black walking out shoes were missing, all my shirts and all my long pants, with the exception of a collarless yellow t-shirt, frayed and much thrashed slacks. All the officers too came to check on their kitbags. They too were screwed.

I decided I would still go out and that no one was going to stop me. For shoes I was going to wear the light “Kung Fu” shoes. This “Kung Fu” shoes was standard in our packs for leaving tracks and not combat boot tracks. So as to show no traces of the military presence.  Disavowing of our presence in an operational area. I did not not dwell too long on my misery and dressed up and walked out of Special Warfare Training Center.

The mood I was in, I doubt anyone would have the ability to stop me from going out. With these I strode out of that nightmarish place. At the guard house I was hailed by the Regimental Police. They just needed to be dressed down. A Corporal shouted at me saying, “You are improperly dressed, you cannot go out like that, all are bound by dress regulations!”

I replied very loudly, “If you Commandos were honest with integrity I would be dressed very well indeed. You are bunch of thieves and and dishonest bastards.” I guess the Commando Corporal nearly went into apoplectic fit . They called the orderly Corporal on duty at where we were training.  Saw the acknowledgement and shake of heads.

I was let loose. I had a good time and came back late in the evening. There was a call for us to assemble. We were led to a Commando barracks; there were some of the candidates who were waiting for their basic Commando course. All were standing stiffly beside their beds. On the beds were all of our stolen items.

The qualified Commandos, who had earned their Green Berets started trashing them with kicks and blows, uncontrolled blows were being rained down on them. Some were already bleeding there was no mercy shown. Finally one of the Officer trainee's called out for them to stop.