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."
The Malayan Emergency - Britain's Deadly Jungle War v Communists
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Britain's Victorious Jungle War Against the Communists. Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.
Malaysian here, thank you for another great video. Thanks for the Commonwealth soldiers and shout out to the best local army at the times, The Sarawak Ranger. My dad served in Malaya (Green Howards attached to 6th Gurkha Rifles & Jungle Scouts) between '49 & '53.
One of their Iban trackers crafted a cased blowpipe & darts (in their own small case) as a parting gift for my dad, but the RSM caught wind of the gift and it was confiscated for use by the regiment lol. We visited the Regimental Museum back in the 70's, only to find dad's blowpipe set proudly amongst other items in their Malayan Emergency display case.
My Uncle, Brian Clayton (1936-2006) did his National Service 1957 to 1959 and served in Malaya. I wrote to him in 2005 and asked him to tell me about his time there. He wrote back with a few thousand words of his experiences in the Malayan Emergency and lots of photographs. I am willing to pass this stuff on to you if you would like. His reminisces are very evocative.
Brian was in the 1st Battalion of the Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire).
