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SIXTEEN
VI. CAMPAIGNS AND OPERATIONS
began to bypass them for unit commands, they were moved out of the chain of operational
command to support services and secondary staff appointments in MINDEF, the higher
formation HQs, and training establishments. Quite a number were also selected for posts of
Defence Attaches in the ASEAN countries, or as overseas training base commanders, both
assignments fraught with diplomatic perils. One, Chng Teow Hua, was seconded permanently
to the Ministry of Home Affairs as Commander, Singapore Civil Defence Force, where he
made a name for himself, setting up the SCDF almost from scratch and, more directly, during
the Hotel New World disaster rescue operations.
At the end of their tenure in the SAF, five First Batch officers had become generals. Ng
Jui Ping had reached the pinnacle as Chief of Defence Force with the rank of Lieutenant-
General. The others were BG Gary Yeo, BG Patrick Choy, BG Chin Chow Yoon and
BG Colin Theseira. Interestingly, except for Colin who was from Platoon 2, all were from
Platoon 3, to the immense satisfaction of COL (RET) Goh Lye Choon, their Platoon
Commander during officer cadet training, who already had the satisfaction of bagging the
first Sword of Honour recipient, Kwan Yue Yeong.
Luckily or otherwise, no First Batch officer was required to fire a shot in anger. If there had
been any kind of a shooting war, it must be presumed that the training would have taken over
and the First Batch would have acquitted itself satisfactorily, maybe even with distinction.
Certainly, there were in it personalities who took peacetime hazards in their stride, while
most of them became professionally competent. But, to paraphrase Sun Tzu, the acme of
(military) skill is to subdue the enemy without even fighting. Perhaps, something of the sort
did happen, and just the creation of a very purposeful-looking SAF achieved its objective
in the early uncertain days of sovereign independence. The SAF’s performance in Bersatu
Padu certainly showcased the ability of the SAF, despite its brief history at that point in time.
However, the First Batch and others in the early SAF barely survived two internal campaigns.
The first campaign was waged to get each military camp to cultivate a plot of papaya plants and
to gather the fruits to supplement rations as dessert. Presumably, the exercise would imbue
servicemen with the spirit of self-sufficiency, if need be, in extended operations. The idea
seemed rather preposterous and initially, it did not get the command attention that it should
have. Most people thought it would pass, and units had plenty of more pressing concerns.
But, they reckoned without MINDEF’s penchant for monitoring the implementation of its
edicts. A Logistics Division office was tasked to report to the First Permanent Secretary, the
state of each papaya plantation and suddenly, there was hell to pay. The plantations were
soon being monitored not only for the number of plants but also for their rate of growth
and productivity. Commanders were personally called up for a very unpleasant interview with