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FOURTEEN
Inche Omar conducted some training sessions followed by the test. For
the test, we stood at one corner of the parade square and shouted out the
commands with the selectors positioned at the opposite corner across the
square. I cannot recall whether the test was at the platoon or company
level. But Inche Omar and WO1 Hong were there. A few days later, Inche
Omar congratulated me on my selection. The conversation took place on the
corridor outside my section’s room. I guess CPT Goh must have told him to
do so. In those days anything to do with parades and drill was a Sergeant
Major’s responsibility. Officers did not get involved, except to go on parade
after the NCOs had done all the work—a British Army throwback.
Soon after that conversation, Inche Omar gave me the Commissioning
Parade commands in writing to learn by heart and briefed me on the form of
the parade. Inche Omar tutored, advised, gave tips, encouraged and trained
me personally. The four of us (the Cadet Parade Commander and the three
Cadet Platoon Commanders) also had several practice and training sessions
with WO1 Hong, sometimes with WO1 Sng Cheng Chye (RSM, SAFTI)
present. We also did some dry runs of the whole parade without the troops.
Besides the sessions with Inche Omar, I did some basic practice of my own.
It comprised learning the words of command by heart, committing the form
of parade to memory and shouting out the words of command. Shouting the
words of command took place mostly at night, on the parade square. I would
stay back in camp during the last weeks of the course instead of going out
when there was no night training. On instructions from Inche Omar and
WO1 Hong, I also took to drinking honey water which was supposed to help
keep my voice in peak form.”
Officer Cadets Khoo Kong Ngian and Jimmy Koh with CPT Jagrup Singh.