My Name is John Plumb and this is a record of my military service from July 1953 to July 1955. I joined the army at Winchester on the 9th July 1953 in the Rifle Brigade, within two weeks I was transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps at Carlisle, a training camp for the cavalry regiments, I spent four months at Carlisle during which time I was trained as a armoured fighting vehicle driver on Daimler armoured cars.

I was then transferred to the 11th Hussars, Prince Alberts Own Regiment. On the 21st December I left Carlisle along with 20 other Hussars to make the journey to Southampton to embark on the infamous HMT Dunera which was to set sail on Christmas Eve bound for Singapore.  

 HMT Dunera
R.A.C. Carlisle 1953

The Journey to Singapore took 28 days, the ship calling at Port Said, Aden, and Columbo, life on board the Dunera was horrendous, most of the troops slept on the decks rather than below decks.    Christmas Day dinner was served as the ship went through the Bay Of Biscay, the plum pudding and custard being mixed up with the turkey and sprouts. the crew continually hosing the decks down.  We arrived in Singapore to be met by a very mean Sergeant, Eddie Slack, duly issued with firearms and then on to the railway station for the overnight train journey to Seremban,                                                                                                                               The first month at Paroi Camp, Seremban was more training, this time jungle warfare, I joined 2 Troop, A Squadron. The troop leader was 2nd Lt. John Trotter, the troop Sergeant being Sgt. Ron Shaw.  At Seremban we lived in huts known as bashers, these bashers where made of atap, a form of broad leaf palm, very cool but they did tend to leak during the monsoon season.              Within a short space of time 2 troop went on detachment to Rompin, an outpost in the middle of the Ulu (jungle). These detachments were welcomed by all the squadrons as it was a means of getting away from the spit and polish of camp life.  We lived in tents, six to a tent. Our role while on detachment was to escort food convoys between the many kampongs (settlements) also early morning patrols along the roads shooting at anything that took your fancy.                          While on detachment there was usually a group of Ghurkhas within the vicinity which meant the occasional game of football played barefoot and wonderful curries.  It was on one of these detachments at Sungei Dua (two rivers) that my mate George Symes was shot in the chest while driving the water buggy by a member of the Malayan Communist Party (ct's).  On our return to Seremban 2nd Lt. Trotter left us and was replaced by 2nd Lt. John Harris as troop leader, who I trained with at Carlisle in 1953. 

  

 

 

R.A.C.
11th Hussars
Other detachments were at Jeram Padang and Ladang Geddes.  At Jeram Padang my job was to take the troop leader to "morning prayers" at Bahau, a daily meeting with the Officer Commanding Police District, this allowed the gunner and myself a daily breakfast of tea and toast. We  were also afforded hospitality by the plantation managers at Jeram Padang.                                     During late 1954 I went on a course in the wireless school, passed, and became a driver/signaller A.F.V.      October 25th was the centenary of Balaclava Day, a day of celebration for all 11th Hussars, tea in bed served by the officers, a full dress parade, regimental games, and then one hell of a party. 
 11th Hussars P.A.O
              Daimler A.F.V.
               Saracen A.P.C.

November 1953 saw the arrival of the Saracen armoured personnel carrier, the 11th being the first regiment to be issued with this machine.   "A "Squadron went to Konkoi, a training area for jungle warfare, life was tough here, nothing but jungle bashes and assault courses, we were glad to get back to Paroi for the luxury of a hot shower.   Christmas and the New year saw 2 troop at Jeram Padang once again, not that I remember much about it at the time,  cocktails of whisky and Drambuie kept me out of it for two days.  On our return to Paroi I gained my first stripe, but in the evenings in the N.A.F.F.I. I wore a jacket with no stripe so that I could join the troopers. A few weeks later I went on a N.C.O's cadre course which meant shouting at one another across the parade ground, with twenty blokes all shouting at each other it was bedlam.                         Early March we were engaged on escort duty to General Sir Gerald Templer, this involved escorting him around various rubber plantations to meet with the managers, an added bonus was to escort his 20 year old daughter to Port Dickson to allow her to go swimming, no lack of volunteers for this task.                                                                                                   I was due some leave so along with six other mates we went to Singapore, we stayed at The Union Jack Club and we had a glorious time,  I remember buying a Rolex watch for 40 dollars (about £18 GBP), drinks in Raffles Hotel, and having a pair of trousers made in under three hours by a chinese tailor.                                                                                                                   May came around and it was time to leave Paroi Camp for the journey back to the UK.  2nd Lt Harris was at the main gate with clipboard in hand, urging us to re-enlist, he had no chance. We caught the train back to Singapore and to a camp by the name of Changi.    

  

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               Konkoi
We were to fly home from Singapore but had to wait for a week for a suitable aircraft to be found, eventually they came up with a Hermes transport plane, it was so old the thing couldn't get off the runway on take off and it careered through the perimeter fence, another three days while they repaired it,  At last we were on our way home, via Bangkok, Delhi, Bahrain, Rome, Nicosia, and finally Blackbushe Airport, Hampshire,  it was June and we were freezing after the heat of Malaya.   We were herded into a nissen hut, given a valour oil stove to keep us warm,  finally we were put on a clapped out Bedford bus for the journey to Bovington Camp. Dorset.                                                                                                                             It was now mid June and a fine summer, about six of us volunteered to go to the gunnery school at Lulworth Cove, it was better than gardening,  there we enjoyed the delights of picking up empty shell cases from the ranges, and watching the holiday makers, with the occasional trip into Weymouth.                                                                                                               The day came to leave the army, I was given a railway ticket for home,  I went to Wool station to find that the railways had gone on strike.  Nothing left for it but to thumb a lift to Bournemouth,  I got to Bournemouth station and was told by a porter that there was an empty newspaper train going to London and if I asked the guard he might accommodate me, he did and I sat on my kitbag in the guards van to London.                                                                     I am extremly proud to have served with The 11th Hussars (The Cherrypickers) and proud to have worn the brown beret with the crimson band, as did my father some thirty years earlier.  The 11th Hussars were raised in 1715 and continued as such until the 24th October 1969, they then amalgamated with the 10th Hussars, to be known as The Royal Hussars on the 25th day of October 1969, Balaclava Day.   
George Symes
        Dress Uniform
            Guard Duty