• 2Lt N.H. Siebel PGB and Captain Maurice Lam PGB in the Congo

2Lt N.H Siebel was a Troop Leader in A Squadron, 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment, the Squadron was commanded by Major Lakhbir Sing Gill, the 2IC was Captain Maurice C.S. Lam (200051).

The Regiment was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Roger Nixon. The Regiment was part of the Malayan Special Force, under the United Nations banner. They were tasked as peacekeepers from April 1961 until January 1962. Malaya was a very young nation then, barely four years after Independence. A Squadron, 2nd Reconnaissance Regiment were stationed in a place called Goma, Kivu Province, Congo. The Squadron was initially deployed to be at Bukavu for awhile, after which it was flown to Leopoldville and then on to Stanleyville. ( Right : The Royal Malay Regiment On Parade Before Embarkation To The Congo. )

> View details

• The Eurasian Volunteer Units
  

In 1936 after considerable correspondence with the Authorities, approval was obtained for the formation of the Eurasian Volunteer Units in the F.M.S. (Federated Malay State) Volunteer Force. T.R. Marks who had been active in the Association in various capacities for many years, gave the following information with regard to the Eurasian Volunteer as far as he could recollect.

"Three Platoons, No. 10, 11 and 12 "C" Company of the 2nd Battalion F.M.S. Volunteer Force, comprised the Eurasian Volunteer Units.
Platoon No. 20 was under the charge of Sgt. O.N. (Ossie) Dorall
Platoon No. 11 was under the charge of Sgt. A.G. (Gooche) Howe, and
Platoon No. 12 was under the charge of Sgt. T.R. (Dick) Marks".

In the minutes of the Annual General Meeting held in October 1937 it is recorded that "the President congratulated the Eurasian Volunteers for the exceedingly good progress they have made".

At the outbreak of World War II, the "C" company was disbanded but the boys were given the option to join other units such as SIGNALS, LIGHT BATTERY, and ARMOURED CAR SECTIONS of the F.M.S. VOLUNTEER FORCE. Among those who took up the challenge to fight for the country, many were tortures, killed or interned by the Japanese in Changi, Singapore.

After the War, these Eurasians, Mr A.G. Howe, Mr T.R. Marks, Mr E.L. Schubert, MR A.S. Machado and
Mr M Sta Maria, were chosen to attend a victory parade in London on 8th June 1941.

The following extract of a letter to the Straits Times from a Mr E.F. Elkan and published in that newspaper on 1st March, 1946, is worth of record.

"During the Occupation and as an ex-P.O.W., I can speak of the magnificent help given to us by the Eurasian Community in Kuala Lumpur when we were in Pudu Gaol in 1942. Friends who came in from other camps at Malacca, Taiping, Penang, etc. told the same stories of the help before capture and during captivity. Later, I met many Eurasian lads in Changi who had elected to stay in uniform - lads from Singapore and other parts of the Federated Malay States - They were a credit to the forces".