HOURS after Apollo 11 made the first moon landing 50 years ago, another piece of history was taking shape for Malaysia.
The first batch of 19 Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) apprentices began training to become artificers at HMAS Nirimba in Sydney, Australia on July 21, 1969.
These artificers or skilled military mechanics were a special breed who ensured that the RMN’s vessels remained ship-shape, well maintained and operational at sea.
Lieutenant-Commander (Rtd) Shandra Dass, among those trained at HMAS Nirimba, related their episodes.
“Being young and just out of school, we endured not only the strict and rigorous training, but battled with the extreme cold weather.
“Freezing temperatures and the overseas trip was a first for us,” said Shandra, the organiser of the “HMAS Nirimba’s 50th golden anniversary” reunion at the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur recently.
Present were the country’s first local RMN chief Rear Admiral (Rtd) Tan Sri K. Thanabalasingam, Australian deputy high commissioner Michael Growder, Australian defence adviser Group Captain Gretchen Fryar and reunion co-organiser Lieutenant- Colonel Nic Weston.
“Between July 1969 and January 1972, we trained for 42 months as shipwrights, stokers and marine technicians.
“Subsequent batches, from July 1972 until 1991, trained only for 26 months,” Shandra said.
Vasu Kunjambu and Chow Kheng Huat, from the pioneer batch of 19 skilled hands at sea, have since died.
Five of these pioneers were commissioned as officers.
They are Ahmad Rahim, Baharom Saring, Ranjith Jinadasa, Wong Whye Heng and Rajendran Rasiah.
FROM ARTIFICER TO OFFICER
Shandra, 65, who trained with the 1974 batch, was among several who rose through the ranks to be commissioned as an officer.
He retired from the RMN as a lieutenant-commander in 2005 to venture into the corporate world.
He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in 1984 before becoming a lieutenant-commander 11 years later.
“My final appointment was as a military observer and teamsite commander at Mijek with Minurso (United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara),” said Shandra, who is now managing a 50-strong marine engineering facility for the defence, and oil and gas industries.
Shandra said the RMN apprentices were an embodiment of the nation’s hope to fill the vacuum left by withdrawing expatriates.
Britain was pulling out its troops east of Suez, requiring a newly-independent Malaya to fend for itself.
“We had a choice — to pursue our own ambitions elsewhere or join as apprentices. We were determined to go to HMAS Nirimba,” he said.
HMAS Nirimba is a former Royal Australian Navy (RAN) training base at the former Royal Australian Air Force station at Schofields in Quakers Hill, New South Wales.
It commenced training of apprentices in July 1956 before being decommissioned on Feb 25, 1994.
A total of 13,000 young men and women from the RAN and other Commonwealth navies, including 466 from Malaysia, graduated from there.
ADJUSTING TO CULTURE SHOCK
“We were even so naïve at handling the dining cutlery, unsure of which hand held the knife, fork or spoon. Eating corn flakes and milk for breakfast proved a culture shock.
“On our flight to Australia, an apprentice mistakenly attempted to unlock the aeroplane’s cabin door in his desperation to ease himself,” said Shandra.
Sitting on the “dunnies” (stainless steel toilet bowls) in winter mornings was a big challenge, with many fully clothed to avoid shivers.
“We also fought shaky, numb fingers to write during examinations.
“The biggest test was in jumping into the icy pool to pass the swimming test,” said Shandra.
The Aussie instructors, staff and their families, Shandra added, displayed great kindness and affection.
“They were forgiving for misdemeanors, often letting us off with fatherly advice or a slap on the wrist.
“They called us ‘sons’, something that touched our hearts.
“They ensured our cold eggs at breakfast were replaced with warm ones,” said Shandra, adding that they took into consideration the Malaysians’ food sensitivities and culture.
“One day, the Aussies passed the hat around, enabling a Malaysian apprentice to fly home for his father’s funeral.
“On weekends and semester breaks, four out of five families you met would readily invite you home for dinner.
“This built an everlasting bond and relationship, with some of us even marrying into their families. Over the years, many of these apprentices have also returned to live and work in Australia,” said Shandra.
He added that there was never an idle moment for them during the entire course, from washing laundry, cutlery and keeping the premises sparkling clean.
The seniors’ success stories motivated their juniors to bring out their best.
“We were able to emulate the Aussies in almost anything — from downing a ‘yardarm’ (of beverage) in seconds, or roll a paper and tobacco into a cigarette, light and smoke it — all in one hand!” Shandra said.
He recalled how commanding officers readily expressed confidence and reliability when the artificers returned for duty on board RMN vessels.
Upon retirement, Shandra said many moved on as dockmasters, oil and gas specialists, doctors and lawyers.
THE PIONEEER ARTIFICERS
The reunion saw six pioneers in attendance — retired Warrant Officer Lim Len Chow, and Chief Petty Officers Cheah Cheng Hup, Thomas Wong, Daniel Ho, Daniel How Teck Chai and Low Ban Ne. All are now aged 68, except Lim who is a year older.
Lim recounted how they were hurried to Nirimba as pure freshies, without any basic training or preparation.
“The freezing cold was unbearable as we lived in World War II dongas (tin huts).
“The Aussies were so surprised to see a multi-cultured bunch, taking us to be from Greece or some far away land,” he said.
Cheah described their arrival at Nirimba as a pure culture shock, not knowing what to expect.
“The Aussies then took us for some very primitive race which lived in jungles and up on trees,” he said.
Cheah added that they quickly adapted to the environment and learnt a lot of valuable technical aspects.
Wong, who achieved the all-time course record of 98 per cent pass, said the daily drilling toughened them up.
Ho said each time they had finished for the day, they smelt really terrible.
How initially had difficulty comprehending the Aussie accent, as they faced some of the stiffest training which tested their endurance and strength.
Low said he was enticed to join the RMN as it offered an overseas trip but had second thoughts and was longing to return home.
“Eventually, I was so enthusiastic to have graduated. The good grounding in Sydney helped me in my meteoric rise in ranks, becoming a Leading Rating in my fourth year and a Petty Officer the following year.
“By the sixth year, I became Chief Petty Officer. Hence, I became the envy of many,” said Low.
Thanabalasingam commended Australia’s support of Malaysia during its trying times.
“Australia stood by us through thick and thin, defending us against the Japanese invasion during World War II, the first communist insurgency (1948-1960) and the Indonesian Confrontation (1963-1966).
“Our military bond was rock solid and unshakeable even during the odd political hiccups, like in 1993 when the then Australian prime minister Paul Keating called his Malaysian counterpart Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad, a recalcitrant,” said Thanabalasingam, who served under three Australian predecessors — Rear Admiral Bill Dovers, Admiral Tony Synnot and Commodore Allen Dollard.
He said the artificers were young bachelors when sent to train abroad.
“I, too, was a bachelor then but the rest have moved on as fathers and grandfathers, while I still remain a tottering old one,” laughed Thanabalasingam.
He paid tribute to two artificers, whom he could only identify as Petty Officer Harris and engine mechanic Said.
“Harris acted as my engineer and electrical officer when I brought back KD Sri Kelantan, all the way from Britain in December 1963.
“He was a gem of a person who sorted out all our problems during the passage.
“I had absolute faith and trust in him,” said Thanabalasingam.
Likewise, he also praised Said who did wonders when Thanabalasingam was on his first sea command of KD Sri Pahang in 1961.
“He was another amazing man with both knowledge and experience. Said was invaluable to the ship.”
Thanabalasingam also thanked Britain, New Zealand, India and Singapore for training RMN artificer apprentices, mechanics and electricians.
When Britain decided to withdraw its troops east of Suez in late 1968, then prime minister Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-haj realised that the Oct 13, 1957-signed Anglo-Malayan Defence and Mutual Assistance Treaty would become null and void.
“I had a tremendous task as RMN chief to recruit officers and ratings to be trained and find billets abroad.
“Australia was ever ready and willing to assist in training apprentices.
“However, Britain could not oblige to accommodate our large annual requirement of 80 to 100 billets to train officers at the Britannia Royal Naval College.
“The cost to train in the United States and Canada was prohibitive,” he said.
It led to the country’s in-house officer and recruit training facility at KD Pelandok on Aug 12, 1971.
“But owing to our limitations of setting up from scratch our own facility, we could not train the required numbers initially,” said Thanabalasingam.