pg 7-8 We travelled by train with the rest of the batallion from
Kluang via Kuala Lumpur to Mentakab which was to be the new
battalion HQ. D Company was based at Temerloh where we took
a row of new shop-houses which was built over looking the
River Pahang. Here all the rifle platoons were living together
and we were all now integrated into the company structure. The
free and easy life of the estate living is now over - we were back
in the army again. (Though this was not a spit and polish army).

Pahang was much less developed part of Malaya than Johore.
The later had a good road network whereas in Pahang the main transport
is based on railway and the river. At that time there was no bridge
across River at Temerloh and the other side was dearth of roads. The
other important difference in operational terms was that Temerloh was where
the first Malay branch of the Malayan Communist Party had been established
and Pahang was alleged to be the base of the only ethnic Malay regiment
in the communist force - the remainder in the rest of the country, were still
almost entirely Chinese. Our task was to keep Wan Ali and his colleagues
under control and if possible eliminate them. Their territory was across the river
from our shop houses well into the jumgle behind the kampongs which stretched
along the river bank. The other main change was in the way the betallion now
began to operate. With six months 'sort of' jungle warfare experience
we were now expected to spend a great deal more time in the jungle. The days
of the short four hour patrol were now over and we were obliged
to spend up a week away from base, The aim was for us to seek out
and attack bandit camps, to lay in wait and ambush CT couriers and patrols
and to be as expert in the jungle as they were. I dont believe we were
but we certainly tried hard! It was hard work as the jungle was not
a friendly place.

Awal

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