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BARRACK LIFE DURING SECTION TRAINING
191
TEN
If the training went on into the night, as it often did, the parade square would remain lit up
until all the necessary equipment cleaning was done and returned to the stores. Most trainees
spent a lot of time on cleaning and oiling their rifles to reduce the workload the next morning
before muster parade and also to prevent the dreaded pitting of the barrels, which would
attract some stiff responses at a weapons’ inspection. Night training was always followed up
with a night snack, which included hot tea in hay boxes and either sandwiches, cream puffs or
“bubor kachang”, a watery green-bean or red-bean porridge. Though the latter was a traditional
Singaporean recipe, SAFTI was probably responsible for introducing this to many young men
in Singapore. It has also embedded itself in the military menu because it is now, as of this
writing, been made available in all military units.
Other than marking an overlay for night navigation exercises, there was no ‘academic’ training
as such, involving written work or passing a written examination. It would have been awkward
with only one GS table and about six chairs per barrack room to do any kind of written
assignment outside the auditoriums. Also, although NCOs would naturally be required to train
their sections in operational units, during the section training phase, there were no mutual
i.e. peer instruction as part of leadership training. It would have entailed too many sessions,
whilst even among the trainees themselves, it was evident that quite a few would have had great
difficulty expressing themselves in writing, if written exams of any kind had been included in
the syllabus.
The cleaning of equipment and weapons at night also became the forum for social interaction
as section-mates tended to get together while doing their chores. The broad cement apron
in front of each platoon block was the usual venue and groups would festoon them around
three sides of the parade square. These sessions provided the only real inter-section bonding
opportunities. Those who had finished their assigned cleaning tasks of collective equipment
would proceed to another favourite pass-time, the polishing of leather boots and brass fittings
like shoulder titles and cap badges, or ironing uniforms. Every section had its own iron
purchased collectively by the section and some had immersion heaters for hot drinks. There
were not many who wrote letters, probably because they would be home in the weekend anyway,
while those who were courting would meet on nights they were off training. Some would use
the telephones in the company offices after duty hours. Quite a few would read newspapers
or books, but there was no evidence that any one kept personal diaries. This may have been
smart since there was no guarantee that what was in a barrack room would be treated as strictly
personal and confidential by either colleagues or instructors. However, there was not a single
instance of a break-in into a locker, loss of money or intrusive search of private possessions
left in the lockers by fellow trainees or instructors throughout the course. On the contrary,
there seemed to have been a very high sense of personal integrity and mutual trust all round.
Oddly, there was no attempt to provide in-camp entertainment as such. Nor had the idea
of national education and the Music and Drama Company yet surfaced. At this stage of the
training, there was also no promotion of sports, although occasionally the concept of making