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EIGHT
as No. 3 (leather boots with leather soles, brass shoulder titles, lanyard, formation signs),
skeleton battle order (fatigues and webbing) and full battle order. Full battle order included a
large floppy backpack, a heavy rubberised poncho, an entrenching tool, the bayonet, a grenade
pouch, toggle rope, aluminium water bottle fitted into an aluminium mug with folding handles,
two nested mess tins with folding handles, the First Field Dressing (FFD), a change of clothing
with towel, a pair of canvas shoes, a military torchlight and the military jack knife which was
essential for opening the ration cans in a twenty-four hour ration pack. The steel helmet, with
detachable fiberglass liner and cloth camouflage cover and either leather soled combat boots or
rubber-soled canvas jungle boots completed this bulky ensemble, which could weigh about 20
kg. Those who loved their creature comforts could add several packets of cigarettes, salted dried
plums (sour canna), mosquito repellent, moisturising cream, Tiger Balm and mummy’s cure-
all medications. In full battle order, seeing the lighter side of being entrusted with additional
equipment such as the Infantry Rocket Launcher was literally impossible.
IV. FIRST AID
V. ELEMENTS OF PHYSICAL FITNESS ONE: 5 BX
First aid training was rudimentary in the 1960s. It was conducted by an NCO named Corporal
Zulkiflie, or Zul as he was known, from the medical centre. It dealt with the basics of blood
circulation and bone fracture: how to staunch blood flow with the application of the FFD and
a tourniquet and immobilise a fracture with a stick, the rifle or a sling. It was assumed that
the medical orderly attached to each company or platoon would provide a more professional
service and this was emphasised a lot based on the concept that confidence in medical support
was key to troop morale in war. In addition, trainees were taught and practised in the medical
evacuation of a mate using the fireman’s lift. Being young and indestructible, it is doubtful if
anybody took all this too seriously, other than to hope that the person they were paired off
to evacuate with the fireman’s lift during the practice sessions, was one of the skinnier ones.
Not many had reason at the time to contemplate the carnage of the battlefield or the horrible
damage weapons could inflict on the human body, least of all their own. On the other hand, if
they did indulge in such contemplation, the first aid training offered would hardly have helped.
During the first few weeks of basic training, each of the two companies had several Duty
Officers who would stay overnight in camp, with ‘B’ Company frequently having Duty NCOs.
Barring inclement weather, one of them would come round to their own company around
0500 hrs and get everybody unceremoniously out of bed to fall in on the company parade
square for the famous five basic exercises. 5 BX consisted of deep knee-bends, push-ups, sit-
ups, star-jumps, torso-twists and forward bends to touch the toes. After this warm-up, the