If it had not been for the last six weeks I think the Leicesters tour in Borneo would have been described as fairly average for an infantry battalion . However , things did hot on that last lap
with much of it emanating from Ba Kelalan and my key source Sara Dakong .
As I mentioned earlier I had no written orders but on that initial briefing at the Haunted House CSM Smith had stated that we were not allowed within three miles of the border .
This had to be taken with a pinch of salt as in Ba Kelalan the airstrip was only 3km from the border . On the patrols I went on with the SAS we never crossed the border .
When I tasked my own sections I kept them well back from the border unless I was leading them myself . Sometime in Dec 63 whilst on patrol just on the border I located a vacated Indonesian observation post . There were three bashas and up a tree an observation platform .I climbed the ladder up to this observation post ( OP) and using my binoculars could see to the north our little fort by the airstrip . This felt pretty annoying like having a "peeping tom" on your doorstep . We thought we were secure in our fort yet all the time we were being observed .I did not know how long this OP had been in place or when it had been last used .We could not have been engaged by direct fire weapons from this location as the range was too great but the OP could have been used for directing artillery . Before leaving I booby -trapped the three bashas using 36 grenades . This can be a bit scary as once armed you tip toe back hoping your vibration will not trigger the grenade . Early on in the tour we almost had a serious accident when a soldier forgot to take out the fuse before he did the striker test . He ended up with grenade smouldering in his hand . I was standing next to him and yelled throw it which he did over the wire . Nobody was hurt but it was a close run thing .
Remember years later in 1973 interviewing a young IRA bomber who we had caught in Londonderry. I asked him if he ever got scared making bombs ? He then told me how he had been making this bomb on his bed at home and before inserting the detonator he thought he would check his circuits using a torch bulb .It lit up, he had not wired his bomb correctly and if the detonator had been in he would have gone to his maker. I digress back to the story .
A short time later Sara Dakong came to me to tell me he had located a position where the Indonesians had established a medium machine gun (MMG) position near the border . I took him on patrol and from an adjacent ridge I could see this MMG mounted on a tripod . I had to climb a tree to get a good look . I think the next day my own commanding officer , Peter Badger , came in on I think his second visit . I told him I had located this MMG and did he want me to take it out . I did stress is was probably on the other side of the border . His response was if it is a well planned attack I will back you up which when you think about it was kind of funny . However I took it as a YES .
On the 1st of Jan 1964 I set off with six men and one of my Sarawak Ranger trackers . Just the other side of the border we located the MMG . I left five of the patrol on top of a ridge and went forward with the tracker and Pte Danny Dance. We did a series of hooks through the jungle to get closer to the gun coming back to the ridge track to check our position .As we were making quite a lot of noise I decided to drop the tracker off and go forward with just Dance . We got within about 50 m of the gun which had a cover over it when an Indonesian came up took the cover off , fiddled about and then replaced the cover . He then headed directly towards us. With the lay of the land he would disappear and then reappear . I got in a position to shoot but he must have stopped for a pee and went back . I got out a small camera and took some photographs . Then I looked across the track & saw Dance lying on his back smoking a cigarette . He was a cool customer who had been in the Israeli Army and the French Foreign Legion . I indicated to Dance that smoking was bad for our health ! I then indicated that we would walk down the track .I think Dance now started to flap a bit because he did enquire in stage whispers whether I had cocked my rifle and did I know what the hell I was doing . I responded affirmative . What I had failed to inform him was that I new the Indonesians were having an inter platoon football match and a sort of stand down day it being New Years Day .
We moved down the track which sort of dipped and then I heard these voices above us. I popped my head up and spotted four Indonesians in a basha lying on their backs . I indicated to Dance four fingers . He had a grenade out ready to throw it : I gave him thumbs down as I thought fragments would come back on us . By means of hand signals I indicated I would jump up and that he would go round the other side . We worked well together somehow Dance and I were instinctively on net . I jumped up and they sure were surprised. The problem was I was not sure what to do next manily due to lack of linguistic skills .Events took over as the second in dived for his weapon ; I shot him and the two furthest away from me dived out the other side only to be shot in the head by Dance . I shot the fourth and then we instinctively knew it was time to get the hell out of it so started to run up the track on this spur towards the MMG. Dance got there first and started taking the off the cover whilst I stopped two throw a couple of grenades back the way we had come. As we could not unlock the MMG from its tripod we decided to abandon it and get out . We had only about 400m to go to get to safety over a crest line. But suddenly the bullets came whistling over our heads from another machine gun we had not located . We both dived off the track and landed on top of each other. Strangely we both thought we had heard someone say I am hit and started examining each other for wounds . Neither of us had been hit . I said to Dance lets check our magazines . They were both empty ! Our only form of escape was to cross this narrow ravine which was about 18 ft deep and the bottom was covered in what could best be described as bramble bushes . A large fallen tree straddled this ravine . We both gingerly crossed over on this log . If we had fallen off that would have been end game ,the Indonesians in pursuit would have executed us entangled at the bottom of the ravine . We ran for about 15min just get away from the area and then stopped for a breather . We then had a bit of an argument as to which was the best way back . Sense prevailed and we relied on the compass . In theory if we went north for 30 min and then due east we should end up in the Ba Kelalan valley .It worked but what a relief when we hit the home run .
Back at base the next relief was that the rest of the patrol had made their own way back and were safe but the tracker was missing . It would be dark soon but I started to organise a fresh patrol to go and find him . Then we spotted him; the tracker was jauntily making his way back having stopped at several longhouses to celebrate . I sure was glad to see him as all were home safely.
That night we slept in our trenches just as a precaution . That is except for Dance : I got Sergeant Rankin to give him a bottle of rum and he deservedly retired to his hammock .
Because it was dark it was too late to get though to battalion headquarters on the radio and I was unable to give them any details till the next morning . Sergeant Rankin had informed them he had heard firing but knew no details . Now certainly for me things seemed to get difficult because I got no messages back from battalion headquarters for about 36 hours . I did get a signal from the commanding officer of 22 SAS saying well done.( Lt Col John Woodhouse ) .
Later another officer told me that my CO had gone loopy and threatened to Court Martial me but changed his mind when the Brigadier thought it was ok . Later Peter Badger was to claim that when he was questioned by Admiral Sir Varyl Begg ( Commander Fareast ) to the effect " Did he not have control of his own officers " he Badger had responded : " Nelson was famed for turning a blind eye ." Again I am not sure if this story is true .
It is only many years later when Nick van der Bijl was researching for his book Confrontation did I discover that my attack was quoted as an example of what could be done and helped to persuade Dennis Healey , the then Labour Minister of Defence, to sanction Operation Claret whereby cross border attacks of up to company strength to a depth of 10 km were authorised (big change from two ).
I did feel pretty nervous for next few days : bit of shock settling in . It did cross my mind a cat has nine lives , I am 21 and have lost one--eight more to go .
Dance and I were flown up to Long Semado to meet the then Conservative Secretary of State for Defence, Peter Thorneycroft . However , before I went I got a letter from the John Parsons , my first company commander who was now second in command of the battalion . In it he told me to make it clear to Thorneycroft that the MMG had been on our side of the border . Often wonder how many second lieutenants have been instructed to " fib " to senior politicians ! In the photograph from left to right in the foreground is : Bill Brown my fifth company commander ; Peter Thorneycroft : my commanding officer Peter Badger with the map and me .
We moved down the track which sort of dipped and then I heard these voices above us. I popped my head up and spotted four Indonesians in a basha lying on their backs . I indicated to Dance four fingers . He had a grenade out ready to throw it : I gave him thumbs down as I thought fragments would come back on us . By means of hand signals I indicated I would jump up and that he would go round the other side . We worked well together somehow Dance and I were instinctively on net . I jumped up and they sure were surprised. The problem was I was not sure what to do next manily due to lack of linguistic skills .Events took over as the second in dived for his weapon ; I shot him and the two furthest away from me dived out the other side only to be shot in the head by Dance . I shot the fourth and then we instinctively knew it was time to get the hell out of it so started to run up the track on this spur towards the MMG. Dance got there first and started taking the off the cover whilst I stopped two throw a couple of grenades back the way we had come. As we could not unlock the MMG from its tripod we decided to abandon it and get out . We had only about 400m to go to get to safety over a crest line. But suddenly the bullets came whistling over our heads from another machine gun we had not located . We both dived off the track and landed on top of each other. Strangely we both thought we had heard someone say I am hit and started examining each other for wounds . Neither of us had been hit . I said to Dance lets check our magazines . They were both empty ! Our only form of escape was to cross this narrow ravine which was about 18 ft deep and the bottom was covered in what could best be described as bramble bushes . A large fallen tree straddled this ravine . We both gingerly crossed over on this log . If we had fallen off that would have been end game ,the Indonesians in pursuit would have executed us entangled at the bottom of the ravine . We ran for about 15min just get away from the area and then stopped for a breather . We then had a bit of an argument as to which was the best way back . Sense prevailed and we relied on the compass . In theory if we went north for 30 min and then due east we should end up in the Ba Kelalan valley .It worked but what a relief when we hit the home run .
Back at base the next relief was that the rest of the patrol had made their own way back and were safe but the tracker was missing . It would be dark soon but I started to organise a fresh patrol to go and find him . Then we spotted him; the tracker was jauntily making his way back having stopped at several longhouses to celebrate . I sure was glad to see him as all were home safely.
That night we slept in our trenches just as a precaution . That is except for Dance : I got Sergeant Rankin to give him a bottle of rum and he deservedly retired to his hammock .
Because it was dark it was too late to get though to battalion headquarters on the radio and I was unable to give them any details till the next morning . Sergeant Rankin had informed them he had heard firing but knew no details . Now certainly for me things seemed to get difficult because I got no messages back from battalion headquarters for about 36 hours . I did get a signal from the commanding officer of 22 SAS saying well done.( Lt Col John Woodhouse ) .
Later another officer told me that my CO had gone loopy and threatened to Court Martial me but changed his mind when the Brigadier thought it was ok . Later Peter Badger was to claim that when he was questioned by Admiral Sir Varyl Begg ( Commander Fareast ) to the effect " Did he not have control of his own officers " he Badger had responded : " Nelson was famed for turning a blind eye ." Again I am not sure if this story is true .
It is only many years later when Nick van der Bijl was researching for his book Confrontation did I discover that my attack was quoted as an example of what could be done and helped to persuade Dennis Healey , the then Labour Minister of Defence, to sanction Operation Claret whereby cross border attacks of up to company strength to a depth of 10 km were authorised (big change from two ).
I did feel pretty nervous for next few days : bit of shock settling in . It did cross my mind a cat has nine lives , I am 21 and have lost one--eight more to go .
Dance and I were flown up to Long Semado to meet the then Conservative Secretary of State for Defence, Peter Thorneycroft . However , before I went I got a letter from the John Parsons , my first company commander who was now second in command of the battalion . In it he told me to make it clear to Thorneycroft that the MMG had been on our side of the border . Often wonder how many second lieutenants have been instructed to " fib " to senior politicians ! In the photograph from left to right in the foreground is : Bill Brown my fifth company commander ; Peter Thorneycroft : my commanding officer Peter Badger with the map and me .
Dance and I only spent one night in Long Semado and then flew back to Ba Kelalan . Helicopters played an important in the campaign in Borneo . They were mainly Whirlwinds and Wessex flown by the RAF and Feet Air Arm . The RAF did have a twin rotor helicopter called the Belvedere but it kept crashing and was nicknamed the flying widow . What we really wanted was the American Chinook but it was 20 years later that the first ones came into service with the RAF. One pilot who was a great favourite with the infantry was Chunky Lord not just because he was a good RAF pilot but he really under understood what it was like for the infantry on the ground . In the back of his helicopter he always had fresh eggs and bread . Also he had a guitar and if grounded because of bad weather would entertain the troops with his folk music .
When the Beverly's came over to give us our weekly airdrop we would throw colour smoke to give them wind direction . Our location was tricky as after ejecting the shutes they had to make a steep turn to avoid crossing the border . We could speak to the pilots on the radio using a special crystal. I remember congratulating one pilot as everything had landed on the airstrip . The reply came back in a strong Australian accent "Glad to be of service mate ." During Confrontation the Australian Air Force and SAS were involved . One Australian SAS patrol had a fatal contact with a rogue elephant . Elephants were not indigenous to Borneo but had been brought in by the Japanese for logging and at the end of the war had gone wild .
Sara Dakong was to turn up trumps again for he was able to tell me that a group of 40 had left Pa Bawn four days ago . They were a mixture of Regular Indonesian Troops (TNI) and ex rebels (TNKU). Their target was Pensiangan which was another of our platoon bases . Based on this information a battalion operation was mounted and assisted by the SAS Mike Peel , another platoon commander in B Coy , caught up with this group and attacked them .
My platoon was not involved and our only scare near the end was when an Indonesian fighter ( Mustang ) flew over the border and headed for an RAF Beverly en route to Bario . Fortunately it veered off and and went back .
It was now the end of Jan 64 and getting time to hand over to 2/7 GR . Somehow I have found that near the end of tours things can not necessary go askew but the balance of equilibrium changes . An SAS four man patrol arrived and I was not sure what their task was to be . The Gurkha platoon commander arrived and somehow went off my interpreter Musa . I never got to the bottom of it . However , the villagers organised a great feast for my platoon and I was presented with that hat .
We flew out to B Coy base at Limbang where the rest of the Coy had been for the bulk of the tour. I linked up with the trunk I had left behind in Hong Kong . Nobody had bothered to open it and air my clothes most of which were covered in mildew including my smart light weight suit .
That night after supper I sat on the veranda of the Officers' & Sergeants Mess and felt a great weight had been taken off my shoulders . I got very drunk with C/Sgt Hill .The next morning we had a proper muster parade with all four platoons present . No 5 platoon had not done drill for five months .
My last task was to go to Brunei and settle our NAFFI account with the Paymaster . This entailed a two hour trip in a long narrow log boat . As I watched the alligators slip into the water I appreciated we had all gone through a different set of experiences . Ba Kelalan was to become a Company Base with its own artillery . I was lucky that it had been a platoon base .
Things moved quickly as we staged through Brunei and then by river to Labuan Island and the large airport. Then about 48 hrs later we arrived at Stanstead in the rain . My last visual memory of Borneo was of the Golden Mosque . Back in UK it was as if one had moved from a technicolour word into a black & white one.
Customs were not worried about the soldiers' pangas and blow pipes but did get twitchy about the poison for the darts .
It would be thirty years before I returned to Borneo . One thing that did shock us was the news that President Kennedy had been assasinated in Dallas .
When the Beverly's came over to give us our weekly airdrop we would throw colour smoke to give them wind direction . Our location was tricky as after ejecting the shutes they had to make a steep turn to avoid crossing the border . We could speak to the pilots on the radio using a special crystal. I remember congratulating one pilot as everything had landed on the airstrip . The reply came back in a strong Australian accent "Glad to be of service mate ." During Confrontation the Australian Air Force and SAS were involved . One Australian SAS patrol had a fatal contact with a rogue elephant . Elephants were not indigenous to Borneo but had been brought in by the Japanese for logging and at the end of the war had gone wild .
Sara Dakong was to turn up trumps again for he was able to tell me that a group of 40 had left Pa Bawn four days ago . They were a mixture of Regular Indonesian Troops (TNI) and ex rebels (TNKU). Their target was Pensiangan which was another of our platoon bases . Based on this information a battalion operation was mounted and assisted by the SAS Mike Peel , another platoon commander in B Coy , caught up with this group and attacked them .
My platoon was not involved and our only scare near the end was when an Indonesian fighter ( Mustang ) flew over the border and headed for an RAF Beverly en route to Bario . Fortunately it veered off and and went back .
It was now the end of Jan 64 and getting time to hand over to 2/7 GR . Somehow I have found that near the end of tours things can not necessary go askew but the balance of equilibrium changes . An SAS four man patrol arrived and I was not sure what their task was to be . The Gurkha platoon commander arrived and somehow went off my interpreter Musa . I never got to the bottom of it . However , the villagers organised a great feast for my platoon and I was presented with that hat .
We flew out to B Coy base at Limbang where the rest of the Coy had been for the bulk of the tour. I linked up with the trunk I had left behind in Hong Kong . Nobody had bothered to open it and air my clothes most of which were covered in mildew including my smart light weight suit .
That night after supper I sat on the veranda of the Officers' & Sergeants Mess and felt a great weight had been taken off my shoulders . I got very drunk with C/Sgt Hill .The next morning we had a proper muster parade with all four platoons present . No 5 platoon had not done drill for five months .
My last task was to go to Brunei and settle our NAFFI account with the Paymaster . This entailed a two hour trip in a long narrow log boat . As I watched the alligators slip into the water I appreciated we had all gone through a different set of experiences . Ba Kelalan was to become a Company Base with its own artillery . I was lucky that it had been a platoon base .
Things moved quickly as we staged through Brunei and then by river to Labuan Island and the large airport. Then about 48 hrs later we arrived at Stanstead in the rain . My last visual memory of Borneo was of the Golden Mosque . Back in UK it was as if one had moved from a technicolour word into a black & white one.
Customs were not worried about the soldiers' pangas and blow pipes but did get twitchy about the poison for the darts .
It would be thirty years before I returned to Borneo . One thing that did shock us was the news that President Kennedy had been assasinated in Dallas .
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