One of a Kind (2nd Edition)

BASIC TRAINING

154

EIGHT

trainee in each platoon and the overall best trainee in each company. The rehearsals included

the procedure for prize winners to collect their prizes. This seemingly straight-forward task,

when broken down into its component parts as ceremonial drill was an extended exercise

in precision: the trainees had to come smartly to attention when their names were called,

pass their rifles to the trainee to their right, take one step forward, turn left or right, proceed

to the reviewing stand, halt smartly in front of Dr. Goh, salute, step forward, receive the

prize with both hands, right palm over left, step back, salute again, deposit the prize at a

table nearby, march back to his position in the ranks, collect his rifle, come to attention and

stand at ease again. Each of these steps had to be done as a drill and the sound of his right

foot slamming into the ground at each halt had to be distinctly heard. There were separate

company rehearsals and combined rehearsals with the SIR band under SAF Bandmaster LTA

(later Captain) Abdullah. For the initial rehearsals, the SAFTI Corps of Drums (which each

military camp used to have, made up of HQ Company personnel) kept time for the marching.

MAJ T. E Ricketts of ‘B’ company was the Parade Commander, while CPT Albert Tan of

‘A’ Company was the Parade 2I/C. The expectation of the parade, as the first milestone

on the path towards a commission was an exciting prospect to the trainees. They would

no longer be raw recruits, but officially trained soldiers, though lowly privates. They were

now reasonably at home in the army and the next step, which many were looking forward

to without apprehension unlike the basic training, would lift them to a higher status in the

hierarchy in about three months.

The parade was held on the morning of Saturday 13

August at what was, in those days, the

main square of SAFTI, next to the MT lines. For the parade, the M16 was again used and

the trainees were in crisply starched Temasek Green fatigues and camouflage covered helmet

liners. Relatives, friends and local dignitaries were invited and there was an open house,

which required the trainees to render their barracks spotless. For the Singapore public, it

was a novel experience to be invited to a parade as a national event, though relatives of

soldiers in the regular battalions had in the past been invited to attend parades in what

were essentially limited private functions. It was evident that the guests of the trainees were

uncomfortable with the socialising aspects of the reception and tended to cluster around

‘their’ recruit. Most of the trainees left with their guests for the weekend after the reception

at the respective dining halls.

XVII. A HISTORICAL BLIND SPOT

What the first intake of SAFTI experienced in the basic training phase was ground breaking

in so far as military training in Singapore had ever been. It was unique even among officer

training establishments, not excluding Israel, because it was an amalgam of IDF concepts

and traditional British military training, influenced by local terrain and society. But, a great

deal happened in the course of the 74 days from 1

June to 13

August, 1966. SAFTI

was officially opened; its raw recruits participated in a military tattoo, became the stars at