FEAF HQ Badge - 11 Indep. Fld. Sqn. Badge - 28 Commonwealth Brigade Shoulder Flash

BUTTERWORTH BEACH AND BOATS The extremity of the beach was only about fifteen yards from the water’s edge (Below) being flat with brownish sand, the shallow water stretched for some way out to sea. Because of the plethora of palm trees adjoining it, invariably the beach was littered with dead leaves, small broken branches and stones. Unfortunately for us, it was a grubby beach. We could traverse it and did many times including the two mile stroll to the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) base two miles north for a visit to their swimming pool. Otherwise we didn’t use it much, especially for swimming as the sea was plagued by dangerous jelly fish, the Portuguese man 'o' war and sea snakes. Swimming was definitely out of the question and not allowed.

South view

North view

This though, didn’t deter the local fishermen, who early in the mornings, could be seen just by their head bobbing about offshore, quite a familiar sight most days. In RAF days, it had a history of enterprise and interesting sightings. The powers that be however had a different slant on beach use much different to our instructions. Indeed, John Lear writes another account: 'Life went on at Butterworth, punctuated by odd events like the 'Thing'.

After storms in the area and rough seas we awoke one morning to find a tree trunk on our beach measuring about 30’ by 3’ thick. It had obviously been in the water for a long time and was covered with shellfish and other marine life. This was OK for a couple of days, but after the sun shone on it and dried it, it began to smell! We formed a plan of action and decided to push it back to where it came from, i.e. the sea. About half a dozen of us spent a long time scraping the sand away on the seaward side of ‘Thing’ until we had enough water to manage to push it into deeper water (looking back I find it amazing). Once we had it moveable we pushed it out further and two of us, myself included, swam out with it and guided it away from the beach until it was about 25 yards out and then we swam back’. Below a picture of John Lear sitting on the ‘Thing’. Another piece below by Bill Bohannon, who was in the camp 1950-52, about an unusual officer called Howard Stirling who was an Air Traffic Control Flying Officer. He was beach bound too. ‘My first knowledge of the existence of Howard Stirling was through general chat in station workshops where I was assigned on my arrival at Butterworth. It was about this Air Traffic Control flying officer and to do with a sea craft concoction (centre below) he had designed, and had made, in the workshops just prior to my arrival. It consisted of two floats he had scrounged from a seaplane and an engine he had obtained from a crashed Auster aircraft somewhere. This engine was mounted on one side of a wooden platform approximately seven feet square and attached to two floats, resembling something like a hydroplane. For this he was dubbed as “The Mad Scientist‟. All the time I was at Butterworth, it was anchored about two to three hundred yards out from the shore in the Malacca Straits between living quarters (basha huts) and Penang Island. We spent many an enjoyable hour or so swimming out and diving off the platform. I only ever saw this contraption in actual operation once, the noise from the engine was deafening! I did hear that he was banned from using it by ‘senior management’ but cannot verify this.’ It is believed the ‘contraption’

sank and is at the bottom of the sea somewhere between the ’old’ camp and Penang Island, but the Tsunami of 2004 probably moved it on.’ As usual, the camp environment had a relaxed happy atmosphere on Christmas day in 1949 and as customary in all services Christmas lunch was served by the officers. (Officers and SNCO’s served the men and then retired to their respective messes to enjoy their Christmas). The men were in a jolly mood, families were on camp. (It was normal practice to have the children’s party pre Christmas lunch) Mums, dads and children all love to see Santa (below) arrive on this special day., so being brought in by launch Santa, aka Flight Lieutenant (Pedlar) Palmer, arrived to the delight of all minus his traditional knee high boots. Dispersing presents he led the children along the sand and photographs were taken.

Les Featherbe who was at the camp during 1949 was attached to the RAF Marine Craft Unit. At that time a boatyard was situated close to the mouth of the River Perai a few miles south of the camp. The RAF had a couple of Marine craft in use, for official duties only. Later the launches were used to supply rations to the RAF personnel on Bidan Island about 17 nautical miles north of Penang, late used as a holiday retreat in the 1970’ & 80’s. Two islands north of Bidan, Pulau Telor & Song Song, were used for high and medium level bombing on a large floating pontoon target, and low level bombing on a locally made floating target, together with an air to ground rocket and gunnery facility from 1959. We knew little of this training activity so close to the camp. Below from Les are two photographs of 'boats' attached to the Marine Craft Unit in 1946, undergoing servicing and being de-barnacled in the Butterworth boatyard. All RAF craft (Below), had large numbers painted on the hull for identification purposes.

In Malaya or wherever in the world the Royal Engineers were active, much plant and machinery went with them including small floating craft. Watermanship indeed played a great part of their work. We trained for this at Sungai Besi. 410 Independent Plant Troop pictured below, along with our Park Troop, had a considerable amount of heavy plant, including a Blaw Knox BK50 mobile cranes, D8 and D9 bulldozers, graders, Scammel’s with low loaders, and Diamond T’s transporters. These machines were worked hard on the various projects we undertook in the Malayan countryside. Eventually, they reached the end of their working life and had to be taken down to Singapore for disposal. Being beachside this proved a handy facility for such a shipment. The ‘Arakan’ L.C.T. (Landing Craft Tank) (below) came up from time to time and could be seen with its large ramp down on the beach just yards from Curly’s hut. Weeks before its scheduled arrival, at a point between one and two troop bashas, the old worn out stock of vehicles and plant were stored ready and handy to be driven or winched onto the large craft. When the craft beached it was an impressive sight which naturally drew the attention of the locals to have a close-up view of the goings on. It took several hours to load the craft and our officers would swarming about on the beach to keep an eye on things. The beach though small was used practically and enjoyed by us all. It was an integral part of life at Butterworth. Regretfully it could

have been larger and cleaner, like on the east coast and Langkawi further north. Swimming would have been the ‘icing on the cake’ but it was not to be. THE CAMP PART THREE - RECREATION AND RELAXATION There were several places in Malaya for servicemen to enjoy an extended period of R & R. The best known was the NAAFI run Sandycroft Leave Centre on the north coast of Penang. Not many of the Butterworth lads went there purely because of its close location to our camp. Scores from Singapore came up, often for a two weeks stay paying for themselves at a reasonable rate. Fred Hoskins a RAF aircrew officer, who in 1952 writes: 'Butterworth was an interesting and exciting place to be, with Penang for off duty pursuits and most of us belonging to the Penang Sports Club for the rugby and the Penang Swimming Club for the swimming and some social life. With rugby on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons and perhaps two games of water polo on Sunday mornings, I can see now why I was just a little slimmer in those days’. It wasn’t widely known but we could apply for a ‘change of air’ at the Cameron Highlands north of Ipoh. I had a spell there and what a sensational place it was. I believe a lot of RAF personnel had their place at nearby Frasers Hill. Another outside camp venue for R & R was swimming at the RAAF base north of us (below) This facility was frequently used and enjoyed by all of us.

One thing was needed to enjoy any R & R and that was cash. Below is a photograph of a typical pay parade at Butterworth, note even the cooks straight from the cookhouse in their whites needed Malayan dollars.

There are generally 3 troops plus an HQ troop in a field squadron, depending on the circumstances. At Butterworth we as an independent field squadron also had the Park troop mentioned earlier - altogether a compliment upwards of 200 men. Recreation and relaxation was fundamentally important for the soldiers at Butterworth. Engineers were fit and strong young men. The effort they put into work in the high temperatures was exhausting and tiring. When the job was done that need for R & R was crucial to charge up their batteries. One obvious relaxation at the camp was your own bed-space with nice white bedding, on a comfortable mattress, along with a cupboard for personal belongings. One year before the Beatles recorded ‘Please Please Me’, Butterworth had its own Beat Band. Formed by Chris (Smudge) Smith, ‘The Outsiders’ played gigs in both the corporals mess and the NAAFI. There is no doubt in my mind that had they been playing in England at the time they would have been spotted by an music scout and gone on to become very successful. Chris Smith and all the band members were well liked. Their drummer Terry MacLean was a ‘whizz’! I remember him performing in Penang, doing Elvis Presley impersonations at competitions. John (La) Crawley, the lead singer, and Matt on base guitar were the other two members. I will always be indebted to Chris who agreed to play at my wedding reception in the Sydney Bar, Penang in 1962. I was so glad to meet up with him again at Coventry reunion in 2012. Very sadly Chris went to play in the sky the following year - they all will love him there as well, we all miss him and his talent.

The Outsiders, Sydney Bar, Penang 1962

The services the camp provided were in the main good, the cooks did a great job with providing the soldiers with decent nutritional meals. Plausibly, the greatest R & R that was available was the delights of Penang and its nightlife just thirty minutes away. Spirits were always high with the majority of the soldiers, certainly when in camp. But life being what it is there is often something or someone that makes us humans retain a definite cause for concern. There was a darker side at Butterworth that was mostly inconsequential, to many, but part of the history of the camp nevertheless. The reader, especially those who have served in the Army, will no doubt understand that many of the other ranks were young, impressionable soldiers, full of testosterone with a sense of adventure. Here they were thousands of miles away from home with no parental influence in person, serving their country and fending for themselves particularly in off duty periods. Some then, became influenced by some of the older soldiers who cajoled the younger men into ‘trying something new’ under the pretence of R & R. To the uninitiated, slang for marijuana was, weed, grass, pot, hash or ganjar. This drug indigenous to south Asia is not overly harmful, but then, and indeed to this day, is widely used. In Malaya during the 1960’s it was easily available and acquired. It is fair to say, that only a small percentage of young men succumbed to using it on a regular basis. I think quite a lot tried it, but quickly decided it wasn’t for them. One sapper particularly used it ‘big time’. I noticed two particular effects the drug had on him. One, it produces an effect of euphoric relaxation, producing much laughter about almost anything or anybody. Secondly a hunger, hence the need to supplement their state of euphoria by frequenting late night eating houses. Little brown paper packets at one dollar each, about two inches long, the diameter of an old halfpenny, would be stuffed inside the man’s socks whilst wearing them. I don’t think anyone of seniority ever knew of this subtle aid to carrying. This of course meant he had a ready supply of his ‘little secret’ even in working hours when at tea breaks. He was a moderate to heavy user, although it didn’t affect his work too much. I remember vividly to this day, that he said that six months before he was due home he would stop. He did. It proved to me that Marijuana was not really habit forming, at least at that time in Malaya with so much going on. If someone like him could use it for eighteen months or so and then stop as he did, well, make your own conclusions? I was told many years later that sadly he didn’t make old bones

Another sensitive issue in regard to R & R was the real possibility of contacting venereal disease. With Penang and other areas on the mainland where money or indeed drugs are plentiful, this one was one to watch. In fairness to the Army the medics pointed out this challenge frequently both verbally and in print, so really there was no excuse. The unit did provide care should the need arise to deal with this disease promptly. A Bedford RL ran almost daily to the B.M.H. (British military hospital) at Taiping, known locally as ‘the Taiping Special’ if diagnosis was positive an injection of streptomycin was administered, being the known cure at the time for mild forms of the disease. Another important concern for the WD (War Department) was the possibility of soldiers contacting malaria. To alleviate this risk we all took Paludrine daily in the form of a small pill. The risk then was low; I know of none that actually caught the disease. On a lighter note, let’s turn to another piece of action that occurred on a Christmas Day in1960. This Butterworth recollection is etched in my subconscious and the memory will be with me forever. The event was just that bit extra special. I’ve always wondered who set the programme up, but, they arranged some very unusual amusement for us. Let me tell you my story about it. ‘We had all enjoyed our Christmas lunch in the cramped dining hall, being served by our commissioned officers. We all liked them and I believe they liked us. We had a pretty good relationship with them, roughing it in the jungle together. A photo of Christmas day is shown left with the menu below I recall that the weather was particularly pleasant, no wind or cloud. The whole unit including our Australian colleagues were in and around the NAAFI enjoying drinks and exchanging the usual Christmas banter and stories from home. One of the jovial chaps, relaxed with a pint in his hand said ‘Hey come and look at this’. We wandered over to the window opening, (the shutters had been opened) to see that there were several Indian chaps outside quite close to the NAAFI walls positioning certain items of equipment in various positions.

There were laying out bits and pieces of tackle, a large block of timber on some sturdy wooden legs on wooden boards, a chunk of concrete with a wire attached, a couple of ‘hairy’ coconuts and other paraphernalia. Naturally we wondered what it was all about. Soon we deciding as group to meander outside where others were sitting on chairs, drinking, smoking, chatting, and watching the goings on. One of our NCOs said something like ‘It’s show time’, then telling us that we were lucky as we had a special show for Christmas. Everyone was surprised to say the least to see a ‘fakir’ (an Indian/Hindu showman who performs feats of endurance), a very well built dark skinned man appeared before us standing barefoot. He was wearing little, having a naked torso and only wearing khaki shorts. He had long black curly hair, his thighs and biceps were heavily muscled, standing at about five nine. We were relaxed, ready and in a terrific mood. Gathered together in a large circle we were in awe as he picked up one of the coconuts and started peeling the outer skin off with his teeth, a bit like a lion tearing at the flesh of his prey. This feat got the attention of everyone and as he spat out the last bit of outer skin and the milk dripped out of the inner kernel there was great applause. Next six inch nails were hammered into the block of wood on legs. With five or six in a row he leaned over them and with his teeth bent them towards him like they were pieces of soft wire. (left) Who is his dentist I thought? Next, he asked one of the larger Australian lads to come towards him and attempt to lift a rough cube of concrete that was before him. The cube had a metal ring embedded in it and a fairly long

wire attached to it. The tall Australian, well over fifteen stone couldn’t lift it but just about dragged it along a bit. Thanking the soldier with a smile he somehow inserted the wire that was covered with a piece of cloth around the end into his mouth. With a backward lean and huge exertion he lifted and turned at the same time swinging the cube around his body. A parallel somewhat to a discus thrower, swinging around in circles before he hurls the discus away! Just a three sixty degree turn and then the concrete smashed onto the ground, it was really incredible to watch. What was just as incredible was the next act. Two NAAFI tables were stacked, one on top of another, and Jumbo Davies climbed up with the help of assistants and stood upright looking down at the strongman who was lying down on the boards and below tensing his stomach muscles. He gave a nod and Jumbo, who weighed in at about 16 stone, jumped off the tables on to the chaps’ stomach. With hardly an exhalation of breath the strongman sat up as if a football had just landed thereon. Jumbo staggered to keep his balance and quickly stepped off. Two pictures refer to the scene below. The fakir performed many other feats of strength as a much larger audience had gathered, all gasping in amazement. His coup d’état’ was sensational. I was involved in his last feat of strength. Ropes were attached to the towing eye of a Bedford RL. I climbed into the driving seat, whilst several lads on instruction, climbed in the back. Once again this incredible man facing me about fifteen feet away put the rope, (again wrapped in a piece of cloth) in his mouth. His loyal assistant alongside my cab told me to release the handbrake. Leaning backwards the man took the strain of the rope. With my hands grasping the steering wheel I felt the vehicle lurch slightly and it began to move forward. The fakir was leaning backwards, pulling the vehicle along fairly steadily for perhaps fifteen yards or so. To roaring cheers and hand clapping, he dropped the rope, turned and smiled to his now big fans and bowed. The ‘’cap’ went around and this incredible show of raw strength was over. Frankly, it was the greatest show of its kind I have ever seen at first hand.

Laughing and joking, everyone rushed into the NAAFI for a top up. Afterwards a tug ‘o’ war competition took place. Here the lads of the 1, 3 and HQ troop took on the Australian 2 troop. I cannot now remember now the outcome, who on earth could follow what we had just seen and remember the result? With basketball to finish, and more and more alcohol, it certainly was a Christmas day to remember for all time at Butterworth. SPORT AND FITNESS I had seen assault courses at other army camps in the UK, but ours ran alongside our perimeter fence with the beach just yards away. Most of us with a few exceptions were very fit, often slim, tanned and in good health. Periodically, as part of fitness and operational training, we spent time on the assault course, often with a PTI (physical training instructor) in attendance). My weight at this time was 147 lbs or close on 67 kilos. It was part of life at Butterworth to be fit and healthy, that was what being in the army was all about to me and many others. Inter-troop competitions were also held on the assault course, intense and highly competitive. Just imagine, whilst climbing, crawling, jumping and running over the obstacles one had to dismiss the glorious views of the beach, the sea and Penang in the distance to concentrate fully on the job in hand. Some of the boys were masters at negotiating all the different aspects built into the course, HQ troop were very good and often walked away with prizes together with some agile Australians. Other aspects of fitness were road bashes. These were forced marches, of three, six and nine miles, up and down the road toward the air base and past it. On your back was a full complement of kit, weighing between 40 and 50 lbs. I loved these hard marches. What certainly came under the remit of fitness was our national sport, football. Over the years there were many football matches held on the pitch, bordered by the sergeants mess, the OC’s office and the NAAFI. Matches against other units, local teams and inter troop matches were held frequently. The squadron strip I knew was yellow and green with white shorts. Although I was very keen on playing for the team I only managed it once as goalkeeper, when we played at Tuaran on the local Padang in North Borneo in June that year left. We won about six goals to one.

I had been a regular team goalkeeper at boarding school at Sheephatch, in Tilford, Surrey. Ironically had I known it at the time, that when we played the top team in the area at Heath End School Farnham, that only three years on I would be only a couple of miles away at Cove, Hampshire, in basic training as a Royal Engineer. Thankfully, many photos, and some press articles have survived concerning the squadron football teams from the years 1956-1962. I include several below, as a representation to include many of our colleagues. Matches were played at home and away at Butterworth, Penang, and even Singapore. The league at Butterworth was known as, the first division of the P.W.F.A. (Province Wellesley Football League). The team also played in The Penang Garrison league, the League Champions Cup, the RE week at Singapore, and the Victor Ludorum Cup amongst others.

THE PARADE GROUND I believe the heart of all army camps is the huge flat area of concrete layered with minute gravel that lies empty in operational units for much of the time. On our recruits course and NCO’ cadres, many hours were spent on the parade ground, sometimes called the drill square learning how to march, salute and dress (to the right) to hopefully keep in a straight line whilst marching, satisfying the drill sergeant and officers alike. My recruit course took place over autumn 1958, a bitterly cold period especially on watermanship on Hawley Lake, but I loved every minute of it. Butterworth, on the other hand was hot, with its parade square, a good bit smaller than Cove’s parade grounds. Unusually for a military base Butterworth was bordering the main road, open viewing for all, often therefore we had many spectators when parades were held. If a dais had been put in place, normally positioned so that it was backing onto the armoury, the public got a wonderful view not only of the parade itself but of the inspecting officer who took the salute. We were the only Independent R.E. unit that comprised part of the multi-nation 28th Commonwealth Brigade. There were three other field squadrons in the brigade: 9, 12 and 28 along with the 368 Postal Unit RE. Our squadron saw three outstanding brigadiers during the period 1955-62. The longest serving was 52675 Brigadier P. N. M. Moore, D. S. O. xx (?), M. C., B. A. Peter Neil Martin Moore was born 13 July 1911, being commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1931. He commanded the brigade from September 1955 until July 1958. What was an interesting fact in regard to this story was, during his time, the assembly of the first skeleton brigade headquarters on 16th September 1955. The required offices that were kindly lent by Group Captain Baxter commanding officer of the RAF station at Butterworth. They became operational from 1 October 1955* Later in November of that year, the Brigade Ordnance Field Park of fortyfive men and twenty vehicles arrived at Butterworth Camp. The camp was a very busy place in 1956, as at the end of June, the men and families of 11 Sqn were arriving, along with the families of the Ordnance Field Park who went over to Penang. 11th Independent Field Squadron set up camp in part of the 105th Field Battery’s lines. 105 had been there since 1st January 1955 and were then deployed elsewhere.

At about the same time the brigade headquarters moved down to Taiping when the 1st Federal Division of the Malayan Army moved out of its headquarters. Brigadier Moore of course knew the Butterworth Camp well. In his obituary following his death on 23 July 1992 in the Independent newspaper it was stated that: ‘Peter Moore was one of the bravest soldiers of his generation and one of the most modest’. Brigadier Moore was succeeded by 73153 Brigadier H.J. Mogg, C. B. E., D. S. O. x (?) who came to the brigade during operation ‘Ginger’ in July of 1958. Herbert John Mogg, born on 17 February 1913 was distinct from his predecessor. Brigadier Mogg was an extrovert who was quickly accepted by his officers and men of the brigade. Much could be written about his time in the brigade and further reading is recommended (see bibliography). General Sir Herbert John Mogg died on 28 October 2001 aged 88 years. Earlier we have spoken of the brigade being multi-national? The make-up of the brigade employed civilian staff from eastern Asia together with countries such as Great Britain, Canada, New Zealand, India and Australia being represented in various units countrywide. For the first time in November 1960 an Australian brigadier took over the helm. 227 Brigadier F. G. Hassett D. S. O., M. V. O. C. B. E. was born in Sydney on 11 April 1918. The new commander, a Korean veteran was promoted in 1960, he was known as ‘Frank’. Like his predecessor he was an excellent communicator with all dignitaries and ranks right down to the humblest soldier in the brigade, in other words a man’s man. He was to see out our time at Butterworth together with overseeing the move to Terendak in Malacca. He left the brigade and Malaya in October 1962, the same month that I returned home. Yet another officer like Majors Cooper and Campbell, linked to 11 Squadron, that became generals. General Sir Francis George Hassett sadly died on 11 June 2008. During their tenure, the commanding brigadiers came to Butterworth to take the salute at least once. This was a good excuse for the OC to get us to ‘tog up’ and welcome them at Butterworth by holding a parade. But by far the most important parade that took place was to celebrate the Queens official birthday in June each year. In England it is held in that month (although the Queen was born on 21st of April) because the weather is usually better then, it makes little difference in Equatorial climates.

Apart from these bigger events local troop parades were held where the resident OC took to the parade.

Brigadier John Mogg above at G. O. C. Parade Butterworth circa 1958, accompanied by Officer Commanding Major Cooper

1961 was a year when Major Campbell received instructions from the brigade that a new initiative had been brought about by Brigadier Hassett, that of preparing the brigade for air-portable operations in the Far East. The Commonwealth Brigade had been designated ‘Task Force Blue’ of the SEATO (South East Asia Treaty Organisation) Strategic Reserve. Being a fully independent field squadron, we too had to have the capability of being air portable on quick notice. Deployment may have been necessary under that reserve for South Vietnam and the south central region of Laos. To complicate matters Malaya was not a member of SEATO, so all flight movements would have to be from the RAF bases in Singapore. For us to be in a complete state of readiness, the parade square was in use again for the purpose of practicing loading our large holding of LandRovers and trailers as seen in the photograph below. Exercises therefore had to be practiced to hone our skills to ensure our readiness to move quickly. As always any large action on the square attracted local spectators. As a driver-signaller, I and many of my colleagues were also involved. Being Land Rover drivers we were issued with our Stirling sub-machine guns. These smaller guns, as opposed to rifles where much easier to be at the ready if needed in the confines of a vehicle cab.

THE CAMP PART FOUR Much of our time was on detachment at various locations far away from Butterworth. These included the mainland at Kedah, Malaya during the early part of 1960 and later in May to December across the South China Sea to North Borneo. Royal Engineers build things and sometimes blew things up. Likewise our colleagues in the RAF who used the camp earlier predominately flew aircraft and sometimes crashed them as we experienced at Fort Tapong when a Twin Pioneer broke its nose cone. Commonly in Malaya and North Borneo we undertook many tasks, building and widening roads, constructing bridges, culverts, airstrips, and the building of Fort Tapong, Kedah, the very last jungle fort of a dozen or so to be built. Today Tapong (after all that sweat and toil) lies beneath a huge reservoir. The work we had to accomplish was extremely demanding and tiring on the human body. Working solidly for a minimum of eight to ten hours a day in searing heat takes a lot out of even the fittest of men. Some of the operations in the jungles lasted many weeks. In Kedah for example, the three field troops exchanged on a rota basis after three weeks. The CTs (communist terrorists) had all but been beaten in the latter end of 1959. All soldiers in so many units throughout Malaya had completed a magnificent job under continued stress for over twelve years.

Opened on 7th November 1962, by the Governor of North Borneo, Sir William Goode, the Bailey bridge shown above is a fine example of the Royal Engineers expertise. It is at Jalan Sayap Kota Belud. At a length of 360 feet it can take a load of 40 tons. We enjoyed our re-visit to the bridge in 2008. From 1956 until 1962 our period at Butterworth was a time of hard work and practical training for the Butterworth engineers. Raw gutsy manpower was employed on innumerable tasks both on the mainland and Borneo. The squadron senior officers believed that when the sappers returned to the camp, in order to continue to get the best out of their men, a softly, softly approach was best. It was jokingly mused that Butterworth was a holiday camp! Flip-flops and shorts were the order of the day. Yes, there were routine duties to be performed, but it had a more relaxed feel about it, regimentation was ‘out of the window’ for the majority of the time. After work or sport, the shower block (left) was so inviting. It was situated close to 1 Troop basha. A pipe fed water supply tank was again provided with a high kilowatt immersion heater, in its own round tank outside. Very serviceable, it was luxury compared to the cool fast flowing jungle rivers where we washed naked most of the time. What was even better was that we were close to our bashas and bed-space and our civilian clothes. It really was Shangri-La in the Coconut Grove. This however wasn’t always the case, writes Val (Valery) West, former RAF serviceman who now lives in Canada-he has different memories of his time there early in 1948. In his day there were no large water tanks with clean fresh water aloft on stilts. He describes thus, after being at Butterworth: 'As an after-thought we must have been pretty ‘ripe’ on the train back to Singapore! When we got there, three of us were quickly taken to a hotel and told to have a bath and change of clothing. I had thought I had kept myself pretty clean in the circumstances but the lovely hot water peeled off several layers! I drained the tub and refilled for a good soak. The initial soaking was a brownish colour that was so thick it barely drained. I lost about half of my tan!’ In another dispatch Val, writes more of his observations of camp life in the late 1940’s;

“We lived in bashas in an encampment a few miles south of the runway, which had been built by the Japanese, (we have now discounted this wide held belief). The conditions were to say the least, primitive. No running water, latrines emptied by the locals in a ‘honey wagon’ every few weeks. The huts were infested with bedbugs, ghekos and a sort of termite that seemed to enjoy eating KD (khaki drill). Since we had no lockers our gear was stacked on shelves over our beds. When a change became necessary pulling clothes from the shelf was sometimes accompanied by a shower of these pests! The local wells had dried up so water was trucked in by bowsers. I believe the plumbing in the washouses was absent so ‘O’ type dinghies had been inflated near each wash area, filled by the bowsers and within hours becomimg a sea of moving creatures. The NAAFI did a good business in bottles of Lysol which we used to ‘sterilise’ this soup. Drinking water came from a bowser situated near the OR’s mess. I don’t know how the NCOs’ or officers faired. Were it not for Tiger beer most of us would have dried out. Wireless operator/telegraphist, the late Allen Blackman, was at the camp during 1947-48. He described the camp as ‘very basic and there were not too many of us there’. Allen goes on to say in his article in ‘Eastward’ (The newsletter of the RAF Butterworth & Penang Association newsletter). ‘Living accommodation at the camp was pretty primitive; the picture of the guardroom, hydrant and surroundings (Below) gives some idea of what it was like’. ‘We lived in wooden bashas which had no glass windows, just wire netting over the window gaps to keep the wildlife out, huge khakicoloured flying ladybirds that would fly into your face unless you swatted them away… we used to sleep on crude benches with three ‘biscuits’ (cushions) to sleep on. Just thinking about those days has brought back so many memories’. Allen states that he and a friend used also to swim in the sea at Butterworth. He goes on to describe Christmas 1947.

‘One interesting souvenir I have is a Christmas menu signed by some of my fellow inmates. The menu looked impressive and included roast turkey, buttered cabbage, Xmas pudding, cheese and all finished off with, yes you guessed – cigarettes! In fact looking back, looking at the letters I sent home at the time, the nosh was better than I was used to back in Blighty’: (bearing in mind this was just after the war when food was rationed). Allen continued, ‘grub and general conditions were fairly good and there were thousands of coconut palms everywhere to make up our diet. Eggs, chicken and tinned fruit and all kinds of fresh fruit were plentiful and reasonably cheap and as soon as I got organised I got a parcels sent off. I also remember occasional visits from the NAAFI van and a jeep full of wellarmed Gurkhas. We used to play football against them and even though they played barefoot they still beat us every time.’ Back in the basha, with the evening sun setting over the hills of Penang, it darkened and the lights come on. This encouraged and highlighted the ‘House Gecko’s’, chitchats as we called them. Small lizards if you like perhaps two or three inches long that used to run up and down the walls. We used to have fun by trying to catch them by the tails. If you did they just ran off and you were left with the tail under your fingers. Mosquito’s were an irritation for sure and you had to make sure your ‘Mosquito net was securely tucked in below the mattress. If one had got in and bitten you during the night, (only females bite you) when you awoke and looked up there it was, hitched up inside at the top of the net. If you squashed it, your blood would ooze out of the dead insect. Left, an evening photograph I captured of a Blackburn Beverley flying west over the Coconut Grove. Evenings were time to reflect and for making your own amusement. If this was one of your nights in as sometimes funds were short, letter writing was a must. Many of us took lots of photos predominately in black and white. Colour slides and photographs were beginning to arrive, but had to be sent off to Singapore for developing. We had a darkroom for developing our own pictures and this took up some of our time and patience. It was still quite hot in the evenings and in the basha it certainly was relaxed dress, normally only underpants were worn in there. Sleep was pretty easy and once off you

slept soundly, even if returning revellers made a little noise, it made little difference. One of my greatest pleasures on awakening was that almost every morning the sun was shining, it really made your day. The squadron always had Australian engineers attached. In the middle fifties it was 4 Troop at Sungai Besi, and later, 2 Troop with us. Their basha was fifty yards northwards from us. There was competition in almost everything involved with them, even down to the meat ration, and sport also. Good for morale though. Out in the jungle there was rivalry as well. On bridge building, the Aussies God bless ‘em, always had to put a wood carving of a kangaroo on each end. Overall, we all got on pretty well together. Towards the end of 1961, the word was going around that a huge new army base was well on the way to completion. Built at Malacca, Camp Terendak was over 300 miles away down south, also on the west coast of Malaya. One knows now that the idea was to get the whole of 28th Brigade in at one location. It made sense of course, but at the time for us it was a great upheaval and a time of sadness to leave camp Butterworth, to say nothing of saying goodbye to Penang. The advance party started moving in the spring of 1962. I left Butterworth as a married man in May of that year; I had little time left of my three years to spend at Terendak. The Butterworth era was at an end. However it has never been forgotten by either the air force or army personnel that served there. EPILOGUE Almost nothing remains of the area that the camp was in. Where the parade square was is now a large block of flats with shops underneath. In front of the building is a corrugated iron roofed café and seating area, still serving Nasi Goreng (we ate in there in 2006). Where the officers mess was, is now private middle class dwellings with the drive to the mess replaced by a short road westwards. The sports field area is still barren. Amazingly the goal posts were still there when we looked around. Where most of the bashas were is now a transport company, with large vehicles parked everywhere. The remains of the assault course can also be seen, along with one or two of the small sheds that served us as shops. The post and wire fence remains bordering the lost beach.

On the opposite side of the road are car sales businesses and opposite one old trishaw driver aged 81 years, selling second-hand cars. Otherwise the main road that divided the camp is somewhat quieter as the E17 takes most of the northern long distance traffic away. The main air-base north of the camp was handed over to the Royal Malaysian Air Force on 30 June 1988. A presence is still kept there by the Australian Defence Force. Also the Australian Army maintains an infantry company (designated Rifle Company Butterworth) at Butterworth for training purposes. However what will always remain, are the wonderful happy memories that I hope this article has helped to re-kindle. I would like to dedicate this story to all our friends and colleagues of both services who served at Butterworth camp and are no longer with us. Sadly, they will never know the hidden revelations that have only come to light this last year. I’m sure they would have wanted to know. Copyright: Anthony E. Catherall December 2014.

______________________________________________________________________________________ Bibliography & Acknowledgements. Reference to books Action Stations Overseas by Squadron Leader Tony Fairburn Devotion to a Calling by Harley Boxall and Joe Bamford Something Extra 28 Commonwealth Brigade 1951-1974 by H B Eaton **The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng Royal Corps of Signals, Unit Histories of the Corp 1920-2001- page 84, 208 signal Squadron by Cliff Lord, Chris Lord, Graham Watson. Photographs, cuttings emblems etc.

‘My particular thanks go to the Royal Air Force Butterworth Penang Association’ and members. In particular I would like to pass on my most grateful thanks to archivist and newsletter editor Dave Croft MA. Dave provided many records and photographs together with his time for proof reading the article. Without his help I wouldn’t have been able to fully illustrate this story covering the full historical period of Butterworth ‘Old’ camp’.

The late, Chris Smith Army The late, Bernard Waslin Army. John Farrell Army. Richard Lee Geoff Lambourne Army Peter Keddie Army. Hank Lawrence Army. Ian Kennedy Army. Jim Scoular Army. Pete Sutton Army. Tony Goodridge Army. Peter Dance Army. Peter Dadd Army William (Billy) Purvis Army. Tony Bunker Army. Fred Bray Army *Terence (Chunky) Allen Army Terry Tullis Army Dawson Powell Army William (Bill) Murison Army. John (Taff) Roberts Army. Ron Davies Army. Barry Foot Army George Nolan Army. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Margaret Martin. Valery (Val) West RAF. The late, Duncan Gray RAF. Bill Bohannon RAF. The late, Francis Allen Blackman RAF. John Lear RAF. Alex Sandy Nevill RAF. Rod Maliphant RAF 1947. Fred Hoskins RAF. Don Brereton RAF. RAF Website. Photos from members on 11 Ind Fld Sqn website not mentioned above. Photos From author’s collection. Wikipedia. C. Peter Chen. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nominal Roll of all known RAF Personnel, who served and were accommodated at Butterworth camp from 1941 -1952 The late Bob Pilkington: 1949-1952 Jnr Tech Workshops (Blacksmith/welder). Norman Alder 1945 – 47 Wireless Operator at Penang Seaplane Base. D/F (direction finding radio) and Met Unit. Billeted at Butterworth George Aldridge 1947 - 49 RT Op. (radio transmitter operator) The late Andy Andreawrtha 1951 - 52 Admin/Armament Keith Black 1948 - 49 Robert Bourne 1945 - 46 RAF Regiment John Capps 1947 - 48 The late Norman Clements 1952 -54 Armourer/bomb dump Peter Clift 1949 for 3-4 months, 60 Squadron Bernard Crayfourd 1951 – 53, Code & Cipher SHQ Signals Section. Alan Dewar 1947, RT Operator, Station Signals John Douglas-Ryder 1951 - 54 RAF Police Les Downey 1945-47 Les Featherbe 1949 P Flanagan 1949 R Fowler 1949 Cpl, Telephone Operator R S Franklin 1952 - 53 FM (E) Driver 33 Squadron Jim Campbell 1947 - 48 The late Duncan Gray 1949 - 50 MT Driver E H Gummer 1948 - 50 HF/DF Wireless Op James Hanchett 1949 - 50 Wireless Mech Alfred Hart 1952 - 54 Storeman Equipment Section Peter Hawkins 1945 - 47 Radar Op Fred Hoskins 1952 Walter Kingham 1945 46Fitter/Airframes, 60 Staging Post Robert Leach 1951 - 53 33 Squadron Armourer John Lear 1950 - 52 Wireless Operator (Signals)Brian Lee 1952 - 54 FEAF Ground Radar Installations Kenneth Mayes 1952 - 53 1125 MCU J A McKnight 1950 - 52 RAF Police William Milne 1941 T J E Powell 1951 - 53 John Randall 1946 - 48 RAF Police J S Smith 1945 -46 Geoffrey Southern 1952 - 54 MCU Charles Storey 1952 – 54 - 33 Squadron Electrical Section Charlie Tagg 1952-54 A. J. Taylor 1950 - 53 (no further details). Ian Turnbull 1950 - 52 Attached Butterworth 9 months, Band of the Worcestershire Regiment Robert Walsby 1945 - 46 Flight Mechanic 60 Staging post R Watts 1945 - 47 Clerk S/D Air Booking Centre F G Webb 1950 - 51 Robin Webb 1949 - 51 Engine Fitter John Whatley 1949 MT Section/60 Squadron R G Williams 1951 - 52 Air Movements section Harold Yeoman 1945 - 46 Flight Lieutenant, Adjutant Bill Bohannon 1950 – 52 The late Fred Freeman 1941 Ray Brett 1949 The late Allen Blackman 1947-1948 R. Blezard 1945-1946 James Caldwell 1949-1952 The late Ian Cheeseright Mervyn Hinton 1952-1953 Colin Horwood 19521953 James Hughes 1952-1953 Cliff Kelly 1950-1951 Rod Maliphant 1946 Geoff Myatt 1952-1953 Army Intelligence Dennis Pateman 1945-1946 The late Howard Stirling 1950-1952Brian Watkinson 19501953 Viv West The late Harry Wormald 1951.

81 Squadron detachment 1951-1952; Keith Ordish, 'Jock' Laird. Barry Surie, 'Ginger' Young, Ernie Withers, Brough, Chillcot, Ferguson, Lander, MacDonald.

Names from Allen Blackman 1947; Sawyer, Gladstone, W. Scott. R Welch, J. Musgrave, G. Raven, K. Pearce, R. Jackson, Steve Stacey.

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Nominal Roll for all known UK Army personnel who served at Butterworth between 1956 -1962 ? - Indicates soldier might not have served at Butterworth during 1956 or 1962. Allan (Chunky) Terence 1953-1957 Baker Kenny 1954-57 Ballard Derrick 1961-65 Barton Don 1957-60 Ballard Derek 1962-65? Bates (Scouse) Ronald 1958-61 1 troop Beharrell Fred 3 troop 1960-63 Bell (Dinger) John 1961-2 Bishop John 1954-1957 Bissett John 195760 1 Troop 1960-63Bougourd Ron 1959-1962 1 troop Bowles Colin 1955-56? Bray Fred 1957-59 Brown (Jock) John! 1959-61 Brunning Dave 1 Troop 1958-1960 Bunker Tony plant 1957-1958 Buttle John 1961-1963 Caddy Peter 1962-64 Calderbank Alan 1954-57 Campbell Alan (Bert) 1960-63 Campbell Frank 1957-58 Campbell Peter 1961-63 Carter Ron 1954-1957 Catherall (Tony) Anthony 1 Troop 19591962 Clarke Frederick 1962-1963-1957-1960 1 troop Clarke (Nobby) Richard 1957-60 1 Troop – passed 24 March 2014 -R.I.P. Clemence Mike 1962-65?Clowes Roger 1960-62 Cole William 1959-1962 passed Oct 2014 R.I.P. Collins Brian 3 troop 1956-59 Cooksey Eric 1962-65? Cooper Cedric 1957-1959 – passed RIP Cotton Joe 1954-1957 -Passed 9 June 2009 Cox George 1956-59 Crampton Allan (Mick) 1961-1964 Crawley John La 1961-64 3 troop Dadd John 1957-58 Daker Harry Park Troop 1961-64 Dalton Mick HQ Troop1958-1961 Dance Pete HQ Troop 1957-1960 Davis Terry 1955-57 Davies Ron Taffy 1955-57 Denby Keith HQ Troop Reginald1959-1962 Despard Richard 1956-1958 Devlin Roy 1957-1958Dick George 1962-65? Docherty John 1959-1962 1 troop Downing Reginald 1956-58? Doubtfire Roy deceased Downing Reginald 1956-58 Dunne John 1962-65? Eley Maurice 1955-6? Elliott Cliff 1955-6? Enoch Chris 1955-58 Emby John 1962-1965 plant troop? Evans Caris 1958-59Faith Mel 1960-1963 -passed 17 June 2010 Farrell Jimmy 1961-1964 Farrell John 1959-62 Fiddes Bill 1962-64 HQ? Field Brian 1960-1962 Flynn John 1959-61 Foot Barry 1959-62 Fowke (Fingers) Tony 1961-64 1 troop Fraser-Allen Michael. 1961-64 Fox Gordon 1954-56 3 troop? Frape Fred 1962-1965? Furness Robert 1958 Gale Bob 1960-1963 Gallagher Louis 1962-1965- R I P March 2010 Gaunt Ron 1960-63 Gavin Barry 1961-63-R I P may 2004 Gee Walter 1962-64? Gibbins Brian 1 Troop 1958-60 Girling Ken 3 troop 1960-63 Gleeson Gerry 196264? Godley Mike HQ Troop 1 Troop 1960-1962 Golightly Brian Geordie HQ Troop 1958-1961 Goodridge Tony 1957-59 Goodson Guy -1957-59 RIP Govier Les MT 1954-56? Goymer Ray (Tich) 1962-1965? Gray Fred 1961-1964 Green Trevor 1960Gregory Allan 1956-1959 Grubey Alan 1962-65? Guy Colin (Yorky) HQ Troop 1961-1964 Halls Kenneth 1957-59 Hanrahan Terry 1959-61Hampton John 1957-1958 Hann Alan 1958-59 Hayhurst Ronald 1956-58 Heaton Ron 1962-65 Hinchliffe Barry 1960-1963 Henderson David 1955-57 Hewitt Hubert 1956-1958 Hodkinson Sam 1958-1959 Holden Frank 1957Holder K.C. 1962-65 Howatson Ian HQ Troop 1959-1962 Hudson Terry 1956-1959Hunt Harry 1959 Hutchings Sid 61-64 Jackson Peter 1959-60 -Passed November 2010 Jefferis Gordon 1955-1957 Jeremy Allen 3 troop 1956-58 Joinson Malcolm 1960-63 -passed 9th June 2011 Jones Michael Colin 1960-63 MT Jones Russell Taffy 1962-64 Jones (Taffy) Trevor 1961-64 Keddie Peter 1 Troop 1959-1962 Keeping Reginald 3 troop 1962-64 Kellet Jim 3 Troop 1959-1962- passed RIP Kennedy (Tiny) Ian 3 Troop 1960-1963 Kennedy Peter 1 troop 1959-61 Kibble (Lofty) Bill 1 Troop 1957-1960- passed August 2013 King Eddy 1 troop 1960-63? Lambert Ray 1954-1957 Lambourne Geoff f 3 Troop 1961-1964 Lamont Peter 1961-64 ACC Lankshere David 1962-64 Leech Alan 1956-1958 Lidster Gordon 1956-57 Llewelin Peter 1954-57 Loach Julian 1959-62 Lord Brian 1957-59 Luetchford Mike 1960Ludlow Fred 1961-64 Marchant Ivan Reg ACC 1962-1965? Marshall Brian 1960-1963 McKie Bill jock 1958-62 MT Melville Alex (Sandy) 1961-1965 Membury Alf 1959-1961 Meston Roy 1962-65? Metcalf Allan 1961-64Middleton Dave 1 Troop 1959-62 Mills (Ginger) Allan 3 Troop 1961-1964 Mitchell Anthony 1962-65? Molloy Jim 1962-65? Moore Sammy 1962-65? Morris Bert 1957-1959 Muldoon Ken 1 Troop 1959-1962 Murison Bill 1957-59 Neave Leslie Arthur Army 1962 -3 Noddle Norman 1960-1963 –passed R I P Nolan George 1956-1958 Oxley Frank 1954-1957 Oxley Kenneth 1957-58 –Passed RIP Palmer Trevor MC 1960-1961 Powell Dawson 1955-1958 Purvis Billy Brian 1956-58 Rawlands Les 1956-1958 Richards Arthur (Dick) 1956-1958 Roberts George 1958-1960 1 troop stores Roberts (Taff) John HQ Troop 1961-64 Rose Bryan 1956-1959 passed R I P Russell John 3 Troop 1959-1961- R I P Saunders Mick 1960-62 Plant troop Schwalm Ray HQ Troop 195861 MT -passed RIP Scoular Jim 1961-Oct 62 1 troop Scrase John 1954-57 Shaw David 1954-57 Smith Chris 60-63 + 65-68 –passed R I P Smith Terry 1955-1958 Sowerby Frank 1 Troop 1959-1962 Spice Alan 1958-60 Spiller Keith 1954 -57 –passed RIP Stuart Billy 1961-1964 3 troop Sturgess Ray 1959-1962 Stockton Allan HQ Troop 1959-1962 – passed RIP Strudley John 1954-1957 Sutton Peter 1956-59 Symonds Stuart 1958-1961 Tapp Keith 1959-1962 Thrippleton Jimmy 1 troop 1957-60 Toase (Toots) John 410 + Park Troop 1960-1961 Toft Brian 1957-1959 Tout Fernley 1962-65Vaughan Lyndon 19581960 Vincent Edward 1962-65Waddington Charles 1960-1963 Ward Rob 1958-1961-passed R I P Waslin Bernard 1960-1962- passed RIP Watson Edgar 1959-1962 White more Jesse 1957-60 Why

Barrie 1962-65 Wilkinson Maurice 1956-58? Wilcock Fred – 1959-62 passed RIP Williams Kenny 1 Troop 1961-1964 Wilson (Willy) Leon 1962-65? Passed RIP Wood James 1954-57Woods Jim 1954-57 Woods Jim 410 1959-62- passed RIP Woolatt Geoff 1960-62 Woolnough Kenneth1962-65? Worth Ron 1956-58 Williamson Robert 1956-1959. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Nominal Roll - for all known RAE personnel with confirmed dates, who served at Butterworth between 1956 -1962. Aitken Morrie 1961-64 Boxell (Lofty) Alan1961-3 Foote Norman 1961-3 Goodwin Yippe 1957-59- passed RIP Hanrahan Terry 1957-59 Hill (Sticks) Allan 1957-59Johnson Max 1957-9 Menzies Wall 1961-3 Quin Bob 1961-3 Richardson Alan 1961-3 Scott Don 1957-9 – passed RIPS Smart Trevor 1961-3 Taylor (Dayo) 1959-61 Van Gelder Malcolm 1961-63 Young Henry 1961-63.

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