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HMS Sembawang

Many thanks to Robert Ferguson for these photos from his time with 'B' Platoon, 6 Coy RASC at HMS Sembawang, in Singapore.

most of 'B' Platoon 6 Coy RASC.

This is most of 'B' Platoon, 6 Coy RASC in 1958.

I am seated at the back, fourth from left. Eleventh from the left at the back is Dvr Lebbern.

Standing extreme left is Alex Rhodes. First to the right of the Seikh guard is Charlie Lockhart. Last two standing, extreme right are L to R, Sgt Varnam and Chalky White.

HMS Sembawang

Just took off and heading for Malaya

HMS Sembawang

HMS Sembawang, Nee Soon.

'A' Block.  HMS Sembawang

'A' Block. HMS Sembawang. Photographed my myself in 1958.

Accommodation of 6 Coy RASC.
Leaving Malaya and approaching Singapore

 

Took this photo in 1958 from an Auster of Flight 1911. Leaving Malaya and approaching Singapore.

 

Auster at HMS Sembawang 1958

Auster at HMS Sembawang. 1958

This Auster, Number WZ78, was part of the Army Air Corps, Flight 1911.

This Auster, Number WZ78, was part of the Army Air Corps, Flight 1911, was, like 6 Coy RASC, based at HMS Sembawang, Nee Soon.

On Days off, I would sometimes volunteer to fly with them as an observer looking for signs of terrorist activities. The Austers had no doors fitted and the observers seat, on the right hand side, stuck out from the side of the plane by about four to six inches.  Looking down, there was nothing under me and one of the biggest frights I ever got was when zooming along at tree top height, we suddenly shot out over an enormously high cliff. White knuckles don't even begin to describe the shock I got.

The Causeway in 1956

The Causeway in 1956.

I could probably get a better scan if I removed the photo from the cover, but I don't want to do that.

Singapore Bus Ticket

We usually pulled our resources and shared a taxi when we went into town but on a couple of occasions I took the bus just for the feel of it.

Indian Bazaar - Nee Soon Village

 Where we got our hand made clothes and shoes

Union Jack Club - Singapore

Maybe it was just me but I always thought that this was a real dump of a place.

Britannia Club, Singapore

A group of us from 6 Coy RASC on the balcony of the Britannia Club.

 L to R =  Jock Comrie, Myself (broken wrist on the mend), Tom Gallagher (Tom and I still keep in touch) ? Rawles, Roy Gael, Dick Galloway, Jackie Fyffe, ? Lebbern and Charlie Lockhart.

 

Dance Ticket

I think this place was near to the 'New World' but I could be wrong.

 

We had no sooner got settled in when the army top brass very kindly gave us detailed instructions on where to go if we really wanted to enjoy ourselves.

Out of Bounds - Map

If going into the city with no particular destination in mind, then it was recommended that you take this map with you.

 

Out of Bounds - Map

Very handy for making sure that you were not in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or vice versa.

Out of Bounds - Hotel List

Nothing to say about these establishments. But it wasn't all that unusual to see MP's frog marching military personnel out of them.

Bedding CardThis is the bedding card for the trip from the UK to Singapore

I think it was the first voyage for the Nevasa. As the Suez Canal had been blocked with sunken ships by the Egyptians, we sailed via Las Palmas in the Canary islands, into Bombay harbour, stopped, did an about face and sailed on to and docked in Durban, and then Colombo. Somewhere in the Indian Ocean, we passed the Dunera on its way home. Both ships altered course so that the passed within about 100 yards. Hundreds of milk bottle white bodies heading east, waving to hundreds of brown tanned bodies heading west.

November, two years later, sailing home, this time via Aden and midway through the newly re-opened Suez Canal, we experienced a snow. The first time it had snowed in Egypt (so I was told) for about two hundred years. We were still wearing tropical kit and we were freezing cold. I remember feeling the cold all the way through the Mediterranean and it wasn't until we left Gibraltar that we were issued with warmer UK uniforms.

Sembawang Village, Singapore 1967

 

Sembawang Village 1967

Thanks to A. J. Allen.  Ex Leading Radio Operator Royal Navy, for this photo

See also these pages with a Naval connection: Tim Brown  Sue Watts  Junior & Infant Schools

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