26 - FAMILY GROWING UP IN SINGAPORE CENTRAL CORPS
The two older children were good and helpful as we settled into our appointment at the Corps. Every morning Gladys walked to school, along Orchard Road till she came to the Singapore Chinese Girls’ School at the turn to Emerald Hill Road. Her cousins, Elaine and Anne, were attending the same school, and being able to make friends easily, she was happy.
At first my brother-in-law, Bin Lay, would give Stephen a lift at Orchard Road, when he drove pass with Leonard to the same school at ACS Coleman Street. As our son liked to be early, he decided to walk instead. Then the school moved to Barker Road, so he travelled by bus.
When the two children were very small they each received their pocket money every Sunday of $1.00 per week. After paying ten cents at Sunday school the rest went into their piggy banks. As they grew older they were taught to give one tenth of whatever they got as their Sunday offering in the meetings. They had to manage the balance for the rest of the week. It was hard for our son as a number of his classmates came from affluent families. They tended to flaunt their wealth. As usual Stephen was very resourceful. Again he decided to walk to school – this time to save fares! However, he did not expect harassment from the boys of rival schools along the way – Monks Hill and Winstedt Schools. He grew up fast, learning to defend himself! I only came to know this in later years, so was spared some pain of a mother’s heart!
My only sister and her family lived in Cairnhill Circle which was nearby. My mother-in-law lived with her daughter and children, Lily and Alfred TAN at Toa Payoh. My husband’s elder brother and his wife, with their children, Bernice, Aloysius and Thomas lived in McPherson Road area. Younger brother Anthony and wife Agnes, lived in Teacher’s Estate with children, Adeline, Adrian and Andre. I well remember being blissfully happy as a family. The only fly in the ointment seemed to be a nagging fear I had that Poh Chin was not developing normally. I was chided for comparing her with her older siblings.
One day the General Secretary, Lt. Colonel Watson, made an appointment for me to see a paediatrician, Dr. WONG Hock Boon. He was the head of the Children’s Department of the Singapore General Hospital called the Mistri Wing. His diagnosis – Poh Chin was physically and mentally retarded. Delayed delivery at birth had caused brain-damage. She was now put under the care of Dr. Freda PAUL.
My husband and I were devastated! What did I do or not do which could have prevented her condition? At first I felt that caring for her would have to be my sole duty in order to make up to her. Slowly I learned to sort out my priorities. Poh Chin would never fully recover and there were my husband and the other children who also needed my love and care. We decided that in general Dad would give priority to The Army, while I would see to the family first. In this way we would keep our officer and marriage covenants. Praise the Lord, my husband has always been very supportive in everyway in our home and family life. In this way I was able to continue my duty in the Home League and sometimes take my turn on the platform.
The older children were very good in helping out at home. Gladys used to watch her cousins Elaine and Anne practising on the piano. We could see that she was longing to learn also. As a reward for babysitting her sister, she was sent to Foorman’s School of Music for lessons. She really enjoyed it and passed her first grade within months. The school allowed her to skip grade 2 and went on to do grade 3. We then offered to let Stephen have lessons as well. It was money well spent because they have used their talent in ministry for God in The Army and the wider Christian community. As for Gladys, she went on to finance herself up to LRSM by giving others piano lessons. Today she is still a piano teacher to earn her bread and butter.
My sister and her children used to attend the Gospel Hall at Bras Basah Road. Now that we were in Central Corps at Clemenceau Avenue she brought her children to our Sunday School at 3.00 p.m. and stayed on for the evening meeting at 6.00 p.m. Prior to this we usually had high tea of sorts. Almost every month there would be a birthday to celebrate or some festive occasion to commemorate. The cousins seemed to enjoy being together. In fact they used to sing as a group called Kinfolk.
On special occasions like Easter and Christmas we also invited Mr.WEE Sip Chee and his wife Helen with their two children, Cecilia and Constance to the corps and our home. Helen is the sister of my brother-in-law, GOH Bin Lay. He was very often away in Malaysia. The Wee family gave good support to The Army as well as always being very kind and gracious to our family.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE -25
25 – HAPPY FAMILY IN SINGAPORE CENTRAL CORPS
I did my first four years of my officership in Malaya prior to marriage. After a break of one year together in Singapore we were sent back for 10 consecutive years, making a total of 14 years of service in Malaysia. The immigration officer kindly advised us to opt for Malaysian citizenship because Singapore might not survive as a nation!
On our night train journey from Ipoh to Singapore, the two older children had a bunk each, Stephen on the upper deck and Gladys on the lower. I had Poh Chin with me on a lower one opposite them. They were both good and helpful, although under ten years old.
Singapore Central Corps Hall was the main part of 207 Clemenceau Avenue which was also The Army’s headquarters (CHQ). However, the corps officers’ quarters was a big flat upstairs of the two storey house. This edifice was separated from the front building by a big courtyard. All the ceilings were very high and the floor of the ground level was polished red. A flight of stairs on the right led up to a wide landing with a similar red floor all along the front and also at the back of the flat. Slightly elevated was a wooden floor covering the rest of the apartment - a very spacious hall as the lounge and dining room. The bedrooms were along the left of the hall. Our son had one partitioned off from the front. Next was the bedroom shared by Gladys and her baby sister, Dora Poh Chin. We had the back room, next to the toilet and bathroom at the rear. Adjacent to this was our kitchen.
The original two rooms on the right of the hall had been sealed off to form part of a small flat, now allocated to our newly commissioned corps assistant, Lieutenant Sarojah KAKAN.
One of the first things I had to do was to register Gladys and Stephen for school. They were nearly 10 and 8 years old respectively. We called our children by their Chinese names because we knew their friends would call them by their western ones.
Poh Chin was only 7 months old, but I could not lug her with me. Mrs. Colonel Engel kindly obliged to babysit her. So I put our baby in a pram, with a pile of nappies and milk formula, then left them in the office of the TPWM.
It was relatively easy to get Gladys into Singapore Chinese Girls’ School (SCGS), thanks to my sister whose two older children, Elaine and Anne, were already studying there. I thought there would be no problem to get Stephen into Winstedt or Monks Hill - two government schools nearby.
However, I had to get permission from the Ministry of Education. My sister was on her way to ACS at Coleman Street with her son, Leonard, so I asked for a lift.
Anglo Chinese School (ACS) is one of the prestigious schools in Singapore. In those days parents would camp outside its premises overnight to ensure a place in the queue for registration. How much more difficult to expect a chance after registration had closed. However, while at ACS I was encouraged to see the headmaster; and by God’s providence Stephen was accepted, because the son of the Indian ambassador was returning home with his parents. Praise the Lord! He was and is and shall always be good to all who trust in Him!
My husband wrote us EVERYDAY - by snail mail of course. However, he was able to take up his appointment as CO of Central Corps in the first week of February 1970, just before the Lunar New Year.
All our predecessors were missionary officers. They would visit the corps comrades, with the OC and his wife in the morning, and with the GS in the afternoon. Having been away from Singapore for 14 years and being just appointed to Central Corps we simply compiled a list of the senior members of the corps according to their addresses. We were glad to have transport, travelling with them. However, the OC and his wife did not expect to visit some folk unknown to them! The GS wanted to visit comrades we had already seen that morning! What confusion! We knew better what to do the subsequent years!
We were familiar with the Central Corps hall as we were soldiers there prior to entering training. The huge front doors were painted bright red and had big brass rings which would have served as knockers originally. Not a nail was used but dovetailed into place. Embossed cement bamboo trees hid the pipes on the walls. The ornate roof and ceilings were supported by granite pillars shipped from China. The beams across the ceiling had carvings of dragons on them. General Arnold Brown was reputed to have said that one of those creatures spat on him as he walked pass!
I did my first four years of my officership in Malaya prior to marriage. After a break of one year together in Singapore we were sent back for 10 consecutive years, making a total of 14 years of service in Malaysia. The immigration officer kindly advised us to opt for Malaysian citizenship because Singapore might not survive as a nation!
On our night train journey from Ipoh to Singapore, the two older children had a bunk each, Stephen on the upper deck and Gladys on the lower. I had Poh Chin with me on a lower one opposite them. They were both good and helpful, although under ten years old.
Singapore Central Corps Hall was the main part of 207 Clemenceau Avenue which was also The Army’s headquarters (CHQ). However, the corps officers’ quarters was a big flat upstairs of the two storey house. This edifice was separated from the front building by a big courtyard. All the ceilings were very high and the floor of the ground level was polished red. A flight of stairs on the right led up to a wide landing with a similar red floor all along the front and also at the back of the flat. Slightly elevated was a wooden floor covering the rest of the apartment - a very spacious hall as the lounge and dining room. The bedrooms were along the left of the hall. Our son had one partitioned off from the front. Next was the bedroom shared by Gladys and her baby sister, Dora Poh Chin. We had the back room, next to the toilet and bathroom at the rear. Adjacent to this was our kitchen.
The original two rooms on the right of the hall had been sealed off to form part of a small flat, now allocated to our newly commissioned corps assistant, Lieutenant Sarojah KAKAN.
One of the first things I had to do was to register Gladys and Stephen for school. They were nearly 10 and 8 years old respectively. We called our children by their Chinese names because we knew their friends would call them by their western ones.
Poh Chin was only 7 months old, but I could not lug her with me. Mrs. Colonel Engel kindly obliged to babysit her. So I put our baby in a pram, with a pile of nappies and milk formula, then left them in the office of the TPWM.
It was relatively easy to get Gladys into Singapore Chinese Girls’ School (SCGS), thanks to my sister whose two older children, Elaine and Anne, were already studying there. I thought there would be no problem to get Stephen into Winstedt or Monks Hill - two government schools nearby.
However, I had to get permission from the Ministry of Education. My sister was on her way to ACS at Coleman Street with her son, Leonard, so I asked for a lift.
Anglo Chinese School (ACS) is one of the prestigious schools in Singapore. In those days parents would camp outside its premises overnight to ensure a place in the queue for registration. How much more difficult to expect a chance after registration had closed. However, while at ACS I was encouraged to see the headmaster; and by God’s providence Stephen was accepted, because the son of the Indian ambassador was returning home with his parents. Praise the Lord! He was and is and shall always be good to all who trust in Him!
My husband wrote us EVERYDAY - by snail mail of course. However, he was able to take up his appointment as CO of Central Corps in the first week of February 1970, just before the Lunar New Year.
All our predecessors were missionary officers. They would visit the corps comrades, with the OC and his wife in the morning, and with the GS in the afternoon. Having been away from Singapore for 14 years and being just appointed to Central Corps we simply compiled a list of the senior members of the corps according to their addresses. We were glad to have transport, travelling with them. However, the OC and his wife did not expect to visit some folk unknown to them! The GS wanted to visit comrades we had already seen that morning! What confusion! We knew better what to do the subsequent years!
We were familiar with the Central Corps hall as we were soldiers there prior to entering training. The huge front doors were painted bright red and had big brass rings which would have served as knockers originally. Not a nail was used but dovetailed into place. Embossed cement bamboo trees hid the pipes on the walls. The ornate roof and ceilings were supported by granite pillars shipped from China. The beams across the ceiling had carvings of dragons on them. General Arnold Brown was reputed to have said that one of those creatures spat on him as he walked pass!
THIS IS MY LIFE - 24
24 – HAPPY FAMILY IN IPOH BOYS’ HOME
Our immediate predecessor at the Ipoh Boys’ Home was a single Dutch lady, Captain Kitty Krueger. She must have felt lonely because she was often out leaving the staff to run the Home. There came a time when she lost control, having depended so much on a certain Eurasian bachelor house master who lived on the compound, Mr. Leicester. Anonymous letters found their way to the local press and IHQ, accusing the officer of absenteeism and negligence. So she was transferred.
Our family left Kuala Lumpur by train and arrived in the Ipoh on 4th July 1969. From the station we proceeded to Tambun, a small village where the SA Boys’ Home was and still is located. Rows of lovely orchids and a cage of colourful budgeries greeted us as we were driven up the driveway to a porch in front of the main two-storey building.
The ground floor had a room on the right side of the lobby used as the office. Behind the lobby were the dining room, kitchen and laundry. On the left side of the front lobby was a flight of stairs which led up to our quarters – a flat which was spacious, well furnished and kept by our predecessors who were all missionary officers.
Surrounding the house was a big compound with many fruit trees – durians, mangoes, rambutans etc. as well as rows of orchids. To the left of the main house were three long rectangular barrack-like buildings, two were furnished as dormitories for the boys and the last one as a multipurpose hall. To the right there was another similar building for the big boys’ dormitory.
We registered Gladys at a Convent Girls School which was not far from the Home.
My husband managed to enrol Stephen in the Anglo Chinese School for boys in Ipoh town. So, every morning our children travelled in the Home van with the boys on their way to the various schools. We had permission from CHQ to do so, refunding $10 per month as fares. However, they returned home on their own by public transport, and when possible my husband met them at the bus-stop.
My husband would spend time with the boys in their studies just as he did when we were in charge of the two Boys’ Homes in Kuching and Penang. Then he would go on his night round to pray with the small ones and tuck them into bed.
We thought the boys here were settling down after the storm, but one day stink bombs were thrown into his office! At night while on his round, stones were pelted at him. This went on for a few nights till he came home one evening, bleeding and hurt. Naturally my husband discussed the matter with Mr. Leicester. He seemed horrified that such a thing could happen.
In the course of my husband’s investigations, someone gave a lead. The house master was suspect. It seemed that he had a very cosy relationship with some of the boys and resented anyone coming between him and them. Perhaps he was working towards being in charge of the Home? It was alleged that he had been the instigator of all the previous rebellions in the Home! We could hardly believe it, because he was always very courteous and obliging. CHQ was informed but nothing could be done without concrete proof.
Meantime we tried to shield our children from this mutiny. Soon they were being harassed by some of the boys when travelling to school with them. Captain Ruut PIUTUNEN, of the Children’s Home, very kindly invited Gladys and Stephen to play with her children sometimes. I was stressed enough because Poh Chin was a very difficult baby to care for. She was always crying and more often than not vomited after a feed. We felt that perhaps all the tension in KL and now in Ipoh must be the cause. Later on we discovered that her problem was cerebral-palsy.
The officers and children from both Homes supported Ipoh Corps in Kampong Simee in the Sunday evening meeting. The Corps Officer was Lt. LOO Pho Khuan. There were hardly any “outsiders” except for one faithful Salvationist family, Mr. Peter and Mrs Ruth WOON with their children, Susan and James. now citizens of Canada. Ruth is the sister of Andrew ONG of Balestier Corps.
Just about the same time, Captain Peter & Mrs. Grace CHANG (Korea Territory) on CHQ received farewell orders. He had been sent to our command as Training Principal. After two sessions there were no more cadets. They were also in charge of Central Corps. However Hong Kong had cadets but no Training Principal. So CHQ moved us back to Singapore - to Central Corps.
At the end of December, a little more than five months in Ipoh, I left for Singapore with our three children, to get the two older ones registered for school in January 1970. My husband accompanied us by the afternoon train to KL where we changed to the night one which left at 9.30 p.m. for Singapore. He then got on the 10 p.m. train, back to Ipoh. (Incidentally his fares were personal.)
Meanwhile my husband remained in the Ipoh Boys’ Home till Captain and Mrs. TAN Thean Seng and Lay Saik arrived from Kuching to take over the reins.
Our immediate predecessor at the Ipoh Boys’ Home was a single Dutch lady, Captain Kitty Krueger. She must have felt lonely because she was often out leaving the staff to run the Home. There came a time when she lost control, having depended so much on a certain Eurasian bachelor house master who lived on the compound, Mr. Leicester. Anonymous letters found their way to the local press and IHQ, accusing the officer of absenteeism and negligence. So she was transferred.
Our family left Kuala Lumpur by train and arrived in the Ipoh on 4th July 1969. From the station we proceeded to Tambun, a small village where the SA Boys’ Home was and still is located. Rows of lovely orchids and a cage of colourful budgeries greeted us as we were driven up the driveway to a porch in front of the main two-storey building.
The ground floor had a room on the right side of the lobby used as the office. Behind the lobby were the dining room, kitchen and laundry. On the left side of the front lobby was a flight of stairs which led up to our quarters – a flat which was spacious, well furnished and kept by our predecessors who were all missionary officers.
Surrounding the house was a big compound with many fruit trees – durians, mangoes, rambutans etc. as well as rows of orchids. To the left of the main house were three long rectangular barrack-like buildings, two were furnished as dormitories for the boys and the last one as a multipurpose hall. To the right there was another similar building for the big boys’ dormitory.
We registered Gladys at a Convent Girls School which was not far from the Home.
My husband managed to enrol Stephen in the Anglo Chinese School for boys in Ipoh town. So, every morning our children travelled in the Home van with the boys on their way to the various schools. We had permission from CHQ to do so, refunding $10 per month as fares. However, they returned home on their own by public transport, and when possible my husband met them at the bus-stop.
My husband would spend time with the boys in their studies just as he did when we were in charge of the two Boys’ Homes in Kuching and Penang. Then he would go on his night round to pray with the small ones and tuck them into bed.
We thought the boys here were settling down after the storm, but one day stink bombs were thrown into his office! At night while on his round, stones were pelted at him. This went on for a few nights till he came home one evening, bleeding and hurt. Naturally my husband discussed the matter with Mr. Leicester. He seemed horrified that such a thing could happen.
In the course of my husband’s investigations, someone gave a lead. The house master was suspect. It seemed that he had a very cosy relationship with some of the boys and resented anyone coming between him and them. Perhaps he was working towards being in charge of the Home? It was alleged that he had been the instigator of all the previous rebellions in the Home! We could hardly believe it, because he was always very courteous and obliging. CHQ was informed but nothing could be done without concrete proof.
Meantime we tried to shield our children from this mutiny. Soon they were being harassed by some of the boys when travelling to school with them. Captain Ruut PIUTUNEN, of the Children’s Home, very kindly invited Gladys and Stephen to play with her children sometimes. I was stressed enough because Poh Chin was a very difficult baby to care for. She was always crying and more often than not vomited after a feed. We felt that perhaps all the tension in KL and now in Ipoh must be the cause. Later on we discovered that her problem was cerebral-palsy.
The officers and children from both Homes supported Ipoh Corps in Kampong Simee in the Sunday evening meeting. The Corps Officer was Lt. LOO Pho Khuan. There were hardly any “outsiders” except for one faithful Salvationist family, Mr. Peter and Mrs Ruth WOON with their children, Susan and James. now citizens of Canada. Ruth is the sister of Andrew ONG of Balestier Corps.
Just about the same time, Captain Peter & Mrs. Grace CHANG (Korea Territory) on CHQ received farewell orders. He had been sent to our command as Training Principal. After two sessions there were no more cadets. They were also in charge of Central Corps. However Hong Kong had cadets but no Training Principal. So CHQ moved us back to Singapore - to Central Corps.
At the end of December, a little more than five months in Ipoh, I left for Singapore with our three children, to get the two older ones registered for school in January 1970. My husband accompanied us by the afternoon train to KL where we changed to the night one which left at 9.30 p.m. for Singapore. He then got on the 10 p.m. train, back to Ipoh. (Incidentally his fares were personal.)
Meanwhile my husband remained in the Ipoh Boys’ Home till Captain and Mrs. TAN Thean Seng and Lay Saik arrived from Kuching to take over the reins.
Monday, August 2, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE -23
23 – VISITORS to KL CORPS
With KL being halfway between Singapore and Penang we often had visitors, on Army business or furlough. The OC and Mrs. ENGEL (USA West) frequently dropped in when on their way to the north or when he attended National Council of Churches as leader of The Army. Official regular visitors were the General Secretary, Major Thelma WATSON (Australia South), the Public Relations Secretary, Brigadier Arthur SMITH (UK), the Finance Officer, Major KNACKE (Germany), and the Divisional Officer, Major Agnes MORGAN (New Zealand). Other guests were reinforcement Officers who passed through on their annual furlough up in Frasers Hill or the Cameron Highlands. Among them were Majors Elsie WILLIS (UK), Joyce MANTON (UK), Ruth NAUGLER (CANADA), Ivy WILSON (Wales), and Captains Cynthia WHITE (UK), Joan BAVIN. Ken & Betty SPIKIN, and Robert & Thelma WEBB. (all from Australia South)
Our only relatives who visited us were my sister, Pui Sim and brother-in-law, GOH Bin Lay with their older children – Elaine, Anne, Leonard and Catherine accompanied by their nanny, Ah Siong.
In 1968 Cadets LIM Teck Fung and his wife Grace plus Winnie ELISHA came on a campaign. The same year Major Morgan, the DO, was scheduled to stop at our home overnight on her way back to Singapore with Cadets LOO Pho Khuan and TAN Gaik Chooi (Penang Corps) after campaigning in Penang. The Major never made it, because 30 miles from KL a truck hit the car she was driving. We were informed of the accident by the police who found their way to our corps at 8 p.m. two hours after the mishap.
We had invited a Canadian missionary couple, Mr. & Mrs. ELLERGODT, to our home for dinner to renew acquaintance with the Major. Fortunately he had a car; he very kindly drove my husband to the hospital. The cadets escaped with minor cuts but Major Morgan was very seriously injured. The OC was informed and he came up from Singapore immediately, driven by the then Finance Officer, Captain Roy SMITH (UK). Our children slept but we hardly did. The Colonel kept on asking for cups of coffee. Early the next morning the three men officers went to the hospital but our comrade sister officer did not survive. After identifying the body, arrangements were made for a funeral in Singapore. The OC took my husband home with him to Sunset Way, even though he had the Captain at the wheel. He was really traumatised, just as much as our family.
As the Corps Officer my husband represented the Army in the National Council of Churches of Malaysia in Sarawak, Perak, and Penang and in Selangor, serving as chairman in the last two states mentioned. In KL he was very involved in the Grady Wilson campaign in 1968. In this way he made many contacts for The Army in the ecumenical circle. For the same reason I was persuaded to give the message in the Women’s World Day of Prayer held at the Catholic Cathedral in KL.
On 26th April 1969 our third child, Dora LIM Poh Chin, came after a prolonged delivery at the University Hospital in Petaling Jaya. I was not allowed to breastfeed her for the first two days because she was kept in an incubator for hyperventilation. I was not aware of the significance of her condition, even when she seemed to cry very much and often vomited after a feed. I took her back to the hospital for our post natal check ups, but her records were found missing! The doctor had to ask me information to fill in another set of records regarding the circumstances of her birth!
Captain and Mrs. Robert WEBB (in charge of Children’s Home in Singapore) called on us with their children, Geoffrey, Carolyn, Julie and Russell, on their way home from furlough in the Cameron Highlands. When Mrs. Thelma Webb carried Poh Chin, Julie was anxious, asking her mum if she knew what to do! That night Gladys and Stephen joined the Webb children sleeping on the floor in the lounge.
Less than three weeks after the birth of Poh Chin, on 13th May 1969, racial riots broke out in the KL because the opposition parties won a big number of seats in the general elections. As most of the residents in our estate were Chinese the men formed vigilante groups to fight off any invaders. However, my husband was exempted but told to stay indoors. Trouble soon spread to Penang and Singapore. Curfew was imposed. The government declared a state of Emergency throughout Malaysia. It was a nerve-wrecking time! In the midst of the turbulence, we received farewell orders - to Ipoh Boys Home. There was a crisis in the Home too! Letters were sent to the press instigated by a rebel member of the staff.
It was very stressful for my husband, trying to visit our people and shop for the family between curfews. He also had to pack our luggage into boxes, then wooden cases. The two older children helped by lowering baskets of small items I had sorted out, from upstairs to the air well downstairs. They had fun!
As part of our farewell the Home League ladies organised a “full-moon” party to celebrate Poh Chin’s first month! The appropriate response was for us to reciprocate by distributing a gift box with red rice cakes, roast pork, red coloured eggs and pickled ginger to each family. Mrs. Winnie Kwan very kindly helped us by shopping, boiling and dying the 100 eggs, as well as hosting the party in her spacious home. Somewhat reluctantly we left KL Corps on 4th July 1969.
With KL being halfway between Singapore and Penang we often had visitors, on Army business or furlough. The OC and Mrs. ENGEL (USA West) frequently dropped in when on their way to the north or when he attended National Council of Churches as leader of The Army. Official regular visitors were the General Secretary, Major Thelma WATSON (Australia South), the Public Relations Secretary, Brigadier Arthur SMITH (UK), the Finance Officer, Major KNACKE (Germany), and the Divisional Officer, Major Agnes MORGAN (New Zealand). Other guests were reinforcement Officers who passed through on their annual furlough up in Frasers Hill or the Cameron Highlands. Among them were Majors Elsie WILLIS (UK), Joyce MANTON (UK), Ruth NAUGLER (CANADA), Ivy WILSON (Wales), and Captains Cynthia WHITE (UK), Joan BAVIN. Ken & Betty SPIKIN, and Robert & Thelma WEBB. (all from Australia South)
Our only relatives who visited us were my sister, Pui Sim and brother-in-law, GOH Bin Lay with their older children – Elaine, Anne, Leonard and Catherine accompanied by their nanny, Ah Siong.
In 1968 Cadets LIM Teck Fung and his wife Grace plus Winnie ELISHA came on a campaign. The same year Major Morgan, the DO, was scheduled to stop at our home overnight on her way back to Singapore with Cadets LOO Pho Khuan and TAN Gaik Chooi (Penang Corps) after campaigning in Penang. The Major never made it, because 30 miles from KL a truck hit the car she was driving. We were informed of the accident by the police who found their way to our corps at 8 p.m. two hours after the mishap.
We had invited a Canadian missionary couple, Mr. & Mrs. ELLERGODT, to our home for dinner to renew acquaintance with the Major. Fortunately he had a car; he very kindly drove my husband to the hospital. The cadets escaped with minor cuts but Major Morgan was very seriously injured. The OC was informed and he came up from Singapore immediately, driven by the then Finance Officer, Captain Roy SMITH (UK). Our children slept but we hardly did. The Colonel kept on asking for cups of coffee. Early the next morning the three men officers went to the hospital but our comrade sister officer did not survive. After identifying the body, arrangements were made for a funeral in Singapore. The OC took my husband home with him to Sunset Way, even though he had the Captain at the wheel. He was really traumatised, just as much as our family.
As the Corps Officer my husband represented the Army in the National Council of Churches of Malaysia in Sarawak, Perak, and Penang and in Selangor, serving as chairman in the last two states mentioned. In KL he was very involved in the Grady Wilson campaign in 1968. In this way he made many contacts for The Army in the ecumenical circle. For the same reason I was persuaded to give the message in the Women’s World Day of Prayer held at the Catholic Cathedral in KL.
On 26th April 1969 our third child, Dora LIM Poh Chin, came after a prolonged delivery at the University Hospital in Petaling Jaya. I was not allowed to breastfeed her for the first two days because she was kept in an incubator for hyperventilation. I was not aware of the significance of her condition, even when she seemed to cry very much and often vomited after a feed. I took her back to the hospital for our post natal check ups, but her records were found missing! The doctor had to ask me information to fill in another set of records regarding the circumstances of her birth!
Captain and Mrs. Robert WEBB (in charge of Children’s Home in Singapore) called on us with their children, Geoffrey, Carolyn, Julie and Russell, on their way home from furlough in the Cameron Highlands. When Mrs. Thelma Webb carried Poh Chin, Julie was anxious, asking her mum if she knew what to do! That night Gladys and Stephen joined the Webb children sleeping on the floor in the lounge.
Less than three weeks after the birth of Poh Chin, on 13th May 1969, racial riots broke out in the KL because the opposition parties won a big number of seats in the general elections. As most of the residents in our estate were Chinese the men formed vigilante groups to fight off any invaders. However, my husband was exempted but told to stay indoors. Trouble soon spread to Penang and Singapore. Curfew was imposed. The government declared a state of Emergency throughout Malaysia. It was a nerve-wrecking time! In the midst of the turbulence, we received farewell orders - to Ipoh Boys Home. There was a crisis in the Home too! Letters were sent to the press instigated by a rebel member of the staff.
It was very stressful for my husband, trying to visit our people and shop for the family between curfews. He also had to pack our luggage into boxes, then wooden cases. The two older children helped by lowering baskets of small items I had sorted out, from upstairs to the air well downstairs. They had fun!
As part of our farewell the Home League ladies organised a “full-moon” party to celebrate Poh Chin’s first month! The appropriate response was for us to reciprocate by distributing a gift box with red rice cakes, roast pork, red coloured eggs and pickled ginger to each family. Mrs. Winnie Kwan very kindly helped us by shopping, boiling and dying the 100 eggs, as well as hosting the party in her spacious home. Somewhat reluctantly we left KL Corps on 4th July 1969.
THIS IS MY LIFE -22
22 – KL CORPS DEVELOPMENT
As we were in a new housing estate there was no wet market built yet. Every morning a few small trucks ladened with assorted produce would park along the sides of the road. We ladies did our shopping or “marketing” then. It took me a long time to come home with my grocery because I used to stop and chat with the ladies, inviting them to Home League. In the evenings, our family would walk round the estate, exploring our environment. We also stopped to chat with the people who seemed friendly, inviting them to the Sunday Worship.
My husband used to play his concertina every Sunday afternoon at the front door of the hall. This attracted the children to crowd round. They were then invited into the hall; and soon a Sunday school was started.
It was not easy to get adults to attend the Sunday meeting because they were either already church goers or of other faiths. The ladies seemed more keen in a weekday fellowship gathering. Thus a Home League meeting was held on every Tuesday afternoon. This was quite popular because all of us were new to the place and keen to make friends. Many of the ladies were also very interested to visit each other’s home to learn cooking various dishes. This I had to limit to once a month.
One very enthusiastic Home League member was Weenie KWAN. She brought more than five friends to become members; for this she was awarded the Home League President’s Badge! The Home League was certainly a good outreach programme to introduce people to The Army to find the Lord. The following year our corps won the Command Home League Banner of Progress!
In October, Lieutenant TAN Thean Seng was ordained, commissioned and appointed as the Assistant Corps Officer. He was very welcomed reinforcement, especially for door-to-door visitation all along the Old Klang Road and surrounding districts with pamphlets listing our meetings and activities. The two men officers did this most afternoons, walking in the heat of the sun as the corps did not own a vehicle, not even a bicycle!
Their hard work paid off as many contacts were made as a result. Another successful outreach was the weekly youth group held every Friday evening. Perhaps the draw card was our offer of free private tuition for the members.
Dr. David MUTTU of Reddy Clinic in Petaling Jaya had been one of the Army’s donors when the Public Relations Secretary on CHQ went collecting in the big towns and cities in Malaysia. He asked Brigadier Arthur SMITH from the UK Territory who was serving in this position at this time, what more he could do for The Army. The Brigadier informed him of our transfer to KL so he offered us free medical treatment. He continued doing so for all officers appointed to the corps till he passed away. He belonged to the Methodist Church but became good friends, bringing his children to the corps first Christmas party, and provided ice cream for all present.
One day my husband met on the bus an elderly Scottish gentleman by the name of John ROBERTSON. He had been a rubber planter for years and was now living as a retiree in a bungalow in our estate with his Thai wife, a very staunched Buddist. Though he did not attend our meetings often he became a good supporter, and sponsored my husband to join the British Council Library, and supported us on special occasions. However, through regular visitation Mrs. Nowan ROBERTSON joined the Home League, bringing another Thai lady, Mrs. GODDART. Long after Mr. Robertson passed away his wife remained a faithful Home League member and supporter.
My husband and I enrolled ourselves at a night class in Assunta School in Petaling Jaya to study Bahasa Kebangsaan – Malaysia’s National language, Malay. One night a week Lt. Tan stayed home to do his probationary lessons and also babysat for us at the same time, while we were out. One of our classmates was June LIM living in Petaling Jaya. We visited her and her mother; who became good friends of The Army, supporting our special events, though they remained Anglican Church members. Through their generosity the corps received an organ and a ceiling fan.
At the corps’ first anniversary celebrations meeting, our hall was filled to capacity. We had to borrow chairs from one of the boys whose father owned a coffee shop nearby. Friends and neighbours brought goodies for the fellowship tea which followed. Mrs. H. S LIM, donated one hundred home-made curry puffs. We were very thankful to God for the wonderful support given by everyone.
With KL being halfway between Singapore and Penang we often had visitors, on Army business or furlough. The OC also visited frequently when he attended National Council of Churches as leader of The Army.
As we were in a new housing estate there was no wet market built yet. Every morning a few small trucks ladened with assorted produce would park along the sides of the road. We ladies did our shopping or “marketing” then. It took me a long time to come home with my grocery because I used to stop and chat with the ladies, inviting them to Home League. In the evenings, our family would walk round the estate, exploring our environment. We also stopped to chat with the people who seemed friendly, inviting them to the Sunday Worship.
My husband used to play his concertina every Sunday afternoon at the front door of the hall. This attracted the children to crowd round. They were then invited into the hall; and soon a Sunday school was started.
It was not easy to get adults to attend the Sunday meeting because they were either already church goers or of other faiths. The ladies seemed more keen in a weekday fellowship gathering. Thus a Home League meeting was held on every Tuesday afternoon. This was quite popular because all of us were new to the place and keen to make friends. Many of the ladies were also very interested to visit each other’s home to learn cooking various dishes. This I had to limit to once a month.
One very enthusiastic Home League member was Weenie KWAN. She brought more than five friends to become members; for this she was awarded the Home League President’s Badge! The Home League was certainly a good outreach programme to introduce people to The Army to find the Lord. The following year our corps won the Command Home League Banner of Progress!
In October, Lieutenant TAN Thean Seng was ordained, commissioned and appointed as the Assistant Corps Officer. He was very welcomed reinforcement, especially for door-to-door visitation all along the Old Klang Road and surrounding districts with pamphlets listing our meetings and activities. The two men officers did this most afternoons, walking in the heat of the sun as the corps did not own a vehicle, not even a bicycle!
Their hard work paid off as many contacts were made as a result. Another successful outreach was the weekly youth group held every Friday evening. Perhaps the draw card was our offer of free private tuition for the members.
Dr. David MUTTU of Reddy Clinic in Petaling Jaya had been one of the Army’s donors when the Public Relations Secretary on CHQ went collecting in the big towns and cities in Malaysia. He asked Brigadier Arthur SMITH from the UK Territory who was serving in this position at this time, what more he could do for The Army. The Brigadier informed him of our transfer to KL so he offered us free medical treatment. He continued doing so for all officers appointed to the corps till he passed away. He belonged to the Methodist Church but became good friends, bringing his children to the corps first Christmas party, and provided ice cream for all present.
One day my husband met on the bus an elderly Scottish gentleman by the name of John ROBERTSON. He had been a rubber planter for years and was now living as a retiree in a bungalow in our estate with his Thai wife, a very staunched Buddist. Though he did not attend our meetings often he became a good supporter, and sponsored my husband to join the British Council Library, and supported us on special occasions. However, through regular visitation Mrs. Nowan ROBERTSON joined the Home League, bringing another Thai lady, Mrs. GODDART. Long after Mr. Robertson passed away his wife remained a faithful Home League member and supporter.
My husband and I enrolled ourselves at a night class in Assunta School in Petaling Jaya to study Bahasa Kebangsaan – Malaysia’s National language, Malay. One night a week Lt. Tan stayed home to do his probationary lessons and also babysat for us at the same time, while we were out. One of our classmates was June LIM living in Petaling Jaya. We visited her and her mother; who became good friends of The Army, supporting our special events, though they remained Anglican Church members. Through their generosity the corps received an organ and a ceiling fan.
At the corps’ first anniversary celebrations meeting, our hall was filled to capacity. We had to borrow chairs from one of the boys whose father owned a coffee shop nearby. Friends and neighbours brought goodies for the fellowship tea which followed. Mrs. H. S LIM, donated one hundred home-made curry puffs. We were very thankful to God for the wonderful support given by everyone.
With KL being halfway between Singapore and Penang we often had visitors, on Army business or furlough. The OC also visited frequently when he attended National Council of Churches as leader of The Army.
THIS IS MY LIFE -21
21 – HAPPY FAMILY IN KUALA LUMPUR
I went to England for the Centenary Congress on a Malaysian passport but not long after my return to Penang, Singapore seceded from the union and I became a Singaporean again!
Whilst we were stationed at the Penang Boys’ Home, my husband was told to scout around Kuala Lumpur to find a suitable place to start an Army Corps in the Capital of Malaysia. He used to travel by night train, walked all over the city during the next day, and returned by another night train. He did this a few times, till he discovered a new housing estate, off Old Klang Road, called United Garden. It was between the capital and Petaling Jaya. Not far from the main road were three rows of shop houses. The end units of each row were separated by a narrow lane. He identified the last unit of the first row along Jalan Pertama for Kuala Lumpur Corps.
The General Secretary, Colonel Thelma WATSON arranged to meet my husband in Kuala Lumpur to sign a two-year lease with the owner. Brigadier B. TJEERTES, officer in charge of the Lee Kuo Chuan Home for the Elderly at 500 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore raised the money for the rent at $380.00 ringgit per month for that period.
Our stay in the Boys’ Home was about one and a half years only when the family was on the move again. The Officer Commanding Lt-Colonel George ENGEL, was very keen to get the corps started. Almost immediately he and Mrs. Lt. Colonel Florence Engel came one day in August 1966 to officiate the opening. Beside our family, there were only three other people - Brothers Neo Ah How and Chau Chin Lye, originally from Penang, and Jimmy Lim from Singapore, all were working in the city.
The front of the shop house served as our hall. Backing the road and pavement were 30 wooden upright chairs, arranged in 5 rows. Facing the congregation was a Mercy Seat donated by the Ipoh Boys’ Home under the charge of Captain Ken and Mrs. Betty SPIKiN. There was no elevated platform, only a lectern and three chairs behind the Mercy Seat at the back of the hall.
The back portion of the building downstairs had two small rooms on the left. The space on the right was opened to the sky so we had a little garden of pot plants. At the far end was a toilet; a back door led out to the back lane. We had planned to start a kindergarten in the corps, but our premises did not
meet the criteria. This project was shelved till The Army moved to the present location, Overseas Union Garden.
Our home was upstairs with two front bedrooms, and a sitting room at the top of the staircase. A doorway from the lounge led to a narrow corridor running to the back of the building. On the left side of this passage were a bathroom, the kitchen, and a small room we used as the dining area. The right side of the corridor opened to the sky, corresponding to the space downstairs behind the hall. Right at the back was another small room with a a toilet and a bathroom. However there was no back stairs to exit the building.
Poh Ai attended a Government Primary School with English as the medium of instruction and Bahasa Kebangsaan as the second language. A private pick-up taxi came for her each morning and brought her home, to and from Old Klang Road. Stephen started attending a kindergarten not far from home, always walked there by himself. They were good children, stayed home and played on their own when we were out on business. They also helped after meals, she did the washing up and he did the drying of the crockery and cutlery.
A former resident of the Ipoh Children’s Home was working in Kuala Lumpur. She had kept in touch with Captain Moira WRIGHT who was at one time looking after her. Judy was getting married at the registry because Ken HAMMOND from UK was not attending any church and she thought there was no Army corps in KL. The Captain quickly introduced us to her and we lost no time in visiting them. Within a few weeks of the opening of the corps, my husband conducted the first Army Wedding in the shop house hall! We brought down a small red carpet from our quarters which served as the pulpit! Everyone loves a wedding. This was no exception. Curious neighbours crowded outside the hall to watch.
A reception was held at the Cricket Club in the city. Major Agnes MORGAN (the first corps officer I served under) the then Divisional Officer, happened to be passing through KL corps, helped to keep an eye on our children. She was asked if they were her grandchildren; after a slight hesitation she answered in the affirmative!
I went to England for the Centenary Congress on a Malaysian passport but not long after my return to Penang, Singapore seceded from the union and I became a Singaporean again!
Whilst we were stationed at the Penang Boys’ Home, my husband was told to scout around Kuala Lumpur to find a suitable place to start an Army Corps in the Capital of Malaysia. He used to travel by night train, walked all over the city during the next day, and returned by another night train. He did this a few times, till he discovered a new housing estate, off Old Klang Road, called United Garden. It was between the capital and Petaling Jaya. Not far from the main road were three rows of shop houses. The end units of each row were separated by a narrow lane. He identified the last unit of the first row along Jalan Pertama for Kuala Lumpur Corps.
The General Secretary, Colonel Thelma WATSON arranged to meet my husband in Kuala Lumpur to sign a two-year lease with the owner. Brigadier B. TJEERTES, officer in charge of the Lee Kuo Chuan Home for the Elderly at 500 Upper Bukit Timah Road, Singapore raised the money for the rent at $380.00 ringgit per month for that period.
Our stay in the Boys’ Home was about one and a half years only when the family was on the move again. The Officer Commanding Lt-Colonel George ENGEL, was very keen to get the corps started. Almost immediately he and Mrs. Lt. Colonel Florence Engel came one day in August 1966 to officiate the opening. Beside our family, there were only three other people - Brothers Neo Ah How and Chau Chin Lye, originally from Penang, and Jimmy Lim from Singapore, all were working in the city.
The front of the shop house served as our hall. Backing the road and pavement were 30 wooden upright chairs, arranged in 5 rows. Facing the congregation was a Mercy Seat donated by the Ipoh Boys’ Home under the charge of Captain Ken and Mrs. Betty SPIKiN. There was no elevated platform, only a lectern and three chairs behind the Mercy Seat at the back of the hall.
The back portion of the building downstairs had two small rooms on the left. The space on the right was opened to the sky so we had a little garden of pot plants. At the far end was a toilet; a back door led out to the back lane. We had planned to start a kindergarten in the corps, but our premises did not
meet the criteria. This project was shelved till The Army moved to the present location, Overseas Union Garden.
Our home was upstairs with two front bedrooms, and a sitting room at the top of the staircase. A doorway from the lounge led to a narrow corridor running to the back of the building. On the left side of this passage were a bathroom, the kitchen, and a small room we used as the dining area. The right side of the corridor opened to the sky, corresponding to the space downstairs behind the hall. Right at the back was another small room with a a toilet and a bathroom. However there was no back stairs to exit the building.
Poh Ai attended a Government Primary School with English as the medium of instruction and Bahasa Kebangsaan as the second language. A private pick-up taxi came for her each morning and brought her home, to and from Old Klang Road. Stephen started attending a kindergarten not far from home, always walked there by himself. They were good children, stayed home and played on their own when we were out on business. They also helped after meals, she did the washing up and he did the drying of the crockery and cutlery.
A former resident of the Ipoh Children’s Home was working in Kuala Lumpur. She had kept in touch with Captain Moira WRIGHT who was at one time looking after her. Judy was getting married at the registry because Ken HAMMOND from UK was not attending any church and she thought there was no Army corps in KL. The Captain quickly introduced us to her and we lost no time in visiting them. Within a few weeks of the opening of the corps, my husband conducted the first Army Wedding in the shop house hall! We brought down a small red carpet from our quarters which served as the pulpit! Everyone loves a wedding. This was no exception. Curious neighbours crowded outside the hall to watch.
A reception was held at the Cricket Club in the city. Major Agnes MORGAN (the first corps officer I served under) the then Divisional Officer, happened to be passing through KL corps, helped to keep an eye on our children. She was asked if they were her grandchildren; after a slight hesitation she answered in the affirmative!
Friday, June 25, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 20
20 – THE SALVATION ARMY CENTENARY IN LONDON
Prior to all the changes we had in Kuching I received news that Captain Goh Siong Kheng and I were chosen to represent the Singapore and Malaya Command at the Centenary Congress in London in June 1965. Therefore, not long after our arrival to Penang Boys’ Home I left by Quantas Airways, stopping briefly at Bangkok and Rome. My husband managed very well looking after 50 boys beside our own two children. Gladys Poh Ai was five years old and Stephen Thean Hock was three. I asked our kids what they would like me to bring home for them. Our daughter requested a check book and our son some ice-cream!
Captain Goh had gone on ahead because she also attended the International College for Officers to which my husband had been two years earlier. Most of the overseas delegates to the congress stayed at the International Training College at Denmark Hill. I was in a cadet’s room. a small cubicle, in House 8. It was really cold, especially at night. My teeth literally chatted! The Williamson sisters from New Zealand gave me a hot water bottle, but I was too scared to use it in case it burst on me! An innocent abroad indeed!
Major Cecil Watts came to the college and took me to Sutton where he was stationed with Mrs. Watts. They gave me a rose in a red vase which I treasured for years. Major & Mrs. Arthur Hall, former corps officers of Singapore Central and Divisional Officer, had invited Captain Goh and myself to visit their corps in Sunderland Milfield to take part in their corps meetings on the one free Sunday we had before the centennial celebrations. They sent us two train tickets but for some personal reasons she did not go. So a Captain Miller from Kinston, Jamaica who was another delegate to the ICO, went with me by British Rail.
It was all very exciting to attend such a big event. A fellow Shepherd from Indonesia, Captain Ong Beng Chiang (later named Lilian Adiwinoto and rose to be a Commissioner) asked me to take care of another officer, Captain Roos Mundung who later became Mrs. Commissioner Tondi. We were both scheduled to give our testimony at the Youth Rally in Wembley. Another of my duties was to read the Bible in the Sunday Evening Salvation Meeting in the Royal Albert Hall when General Frederick Coutts’ message was based on the story of blind Bartimeus recorded in Mark’s Gospel.
To catch the P & O boat back to the Far East and beyond, Captain Goh and I were among fifty or so Salvationists, who travelled on the Himalaya.
We left before the end of the celebrations, but we had our own meetings on board! Everyday of the three week journey we had some form of meeting. The majority of the group were from Australia and New Zealand. A Kiwi Divisional Commander, Lt-Colonel and Mrs. Fred Searle took charge, acting as chaplains on board.
When the ship stopped at Bombay Captain Goh and I met up with Major Joseph & Mrs. Florence Jordon formerly stationed in the Ipoh Boys’ Home, now running the Red Shield Hostel. Captain Douglas & Mrs. Jean Kiff who had served in Singapore and then Malaya in various appointments in bygone years, invited Captain Goh and myself to their quarters for a meal. He was now the Financial Secretary. The whole contingent was taken around a few Army centres.
Captain Goh and I disembarked at Penang. By then there were still more than 30 Salvationists travelling further. I was immediately involved in the plans my husband and the Penang Corps Officer, Brigadier Ivy Wilson, had arranged. There was a home-cooked lunch and a visit to the island’s tourist spots, ending at the Boys’ Home. Colonel Searle asked what he could do for a project to help us. The Home had no refrigerator. On his return to New Zealand he made an appeal among his people. The second donor offered to buy one outright. Such generosity!
Prior to all the changes we had in Kuching I received news that Captain Goh Siong Kheng and I were chosen to represent the Singapore and Malaya Command at the Centenary Congress in London in June 1965. Therefore, not long after our arrival to Penang Boys’ Home I left by Quantas Airways, stopping briefly at Bangkok and Rome. My husband managed very well looking after 50 boys beside our own two children. Gladys Poh Ai was five years old and Stephen Thean Hock was three. I asked our kids what they would like me to bring home for them. Our daughter requested a check book and our son some ice-cream!
Captain Goh had gone on ahead because she also attended the International College for Officers to which my husband had been two years earlier. Most of the overseas delegates to the congress stayed at the International Training College at Denmark Hill. I was in a cadet’s room. a small cubicle, in House 8. It was really cold, especially at night. My teeth literally chatted! The Williamson sisters from New Zealand gave me a hot water bottle, but I was too scared to use it in case it burst on me! An innocent abroad indeed!
Major Cecil Watts came to the college and took me to Sutton where he was stationed with Mrs. Watts. They gave me a rose in a red vase which I treasured for years. Major & Mrs. Arthur Hall, former corps officers of Singapore Central and Divisional Officer, had invited Captain Goh and myself to visit their corps in Sunderland Milfield to take part in their corps meetings on the one free Sunday we had before the centennial celebrations. They sent us two train tickets but for some personal reasons she did not go. So a Captain Miller from Kinston, Jamaica who was another delegate to the ICO, went with me by British Rail.
It was all very exciting to attend such a big event. A fellow Shepherd from Indonesia, Captain Ong Beng Chiang (later named Lilian Adiwinoto and rose to be a Commissioner) asked me to take care of another officer, Captain Roos Mundung who later became Mrs. Commissioner Tondi. We were both scheduled to give our testimony at the Youth Rally in Wembley. Another of my duties was to read the Bible in the Sunday Evening Salvation Meeting in the Royal Albert Hall when General Frederick Coutts’ message was based on the story of blind Bartimeus recorded in Mark’s Gospel.
To catch the P & O boat back to the Far East and beyond, Captain Goh and I were among fifty or so Salvationists, who travelled on the Himalaya.
We left before the end of the celebrations, but we had our own meetings on board! Everyday of the three week journey we had some form of meeting. The majority of the group were from Australia and New Zealand. A Kiwi Divisional Commander, Lt-Colonel and Mrs. Fred Searle took charge, acting as chaplains on board.
When the ship stopped at Bombay Captain Goh and I met up with Major Joseph & Mrs. Florence Jordon formerly stationed in the Ipoh Boys’ Home, now running the Red Shield Hostel. Captain Douglas & Mrs. Jean Kiff who had served in Singapore and then Malaya in various appointments in bygone years, invited Captain Goh and myself to their quarters for a meal. He was now the Financial Secretary. The whole contingent was taken around a few Army centres.
Captain Goh and I disembarked at Penang. By then there were still more than 30 Salvationists travelling further. I was immediately involved in the plans my husband and the Penang Corps Officer, Brigadier Ivy Wilson, had arranged. There was a home-cooked lunch and a visit to the island’s tourist spots, ending at the Boys’ Home. Colonel Searle asked what he could do for a project to help us. The Home had no refrigerator. On his return to New Zealand he made an appeal among his people. The second donor offered to buy one outright. Such generosity!
THIS IS MY LIFE - 19
19 – HAPPY FAMILY IN PENANG BOYS’ HOME
In 1965 The Army built a small two-storey house as quarters for the officers in charge of the Penang Boys’ Home in Sungai Pinang Road. It was situated on the left side of the driveway from the front gate into the compound of the Home. The office was a room on the right and the door on the left led to our lounge and dining area. Behind was the kitchen beside which was a flight of stairs to the second level. There were three bedrooms upstairs.
There were about 50 boys of ages six to late teens in the Home. Madam Low Ah Kew was a live-in cook who also did the big laundry. A former resident, Meng Cheong, worked as a general helper and driver. He was really good, with a great sense of ownership of the place. The Home ran a chicken farm as a means of income. One of my husband’s duties was to deliver eggs and poultry!
In conjunction with the Home was a primary school for over-aged children. About half of our boys were able to attend the government schools, but quite a number had to stay in. In addition to these boys residing in our Home, some children from elsewhere were also enrolled with us. To cut costs, Brother (now Lt-Colonel) Tan Thean Seng taught primary one and two; I took 3 and 4, while a Mrs. Lee was the teacher for 5 and 6.
Gladys started attending the Methodist Kindergarten in Logan Road. Initially I felt as if I had lost my daughter! I kept on wondering how she was getting along. It is not easy to let go of one’s child, especially for the first time. I guess she must have felt a little lost at first but she soon got over it. Children do adjust better than adults. Stephen seemed happy enough to play by himself at home, as long as he had his toy cars.
Major Ivy Wilson was the Corps Officer of Penang Corps. My husband supported the corps by taking responsibility for the band and songster brigade. I sang with the treble section. She used to direct the traffic with her right hand whilst carrying Stephen in her left arm as the corps band marched to and from the Open-air meeting every Sunday evening.
Home League Secretary was my position in the corps. Every week my husband would alight me and our children at the corps on his delivery round. Then he would pick us up later, and also give lifts to some of the ladies, like the mothers of Lt-Colonels Tan and Loo, Madam Ah Chee and Sundari on the way home.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Preston, a young Scot and his Penang-born wife, Wee Si Lin, with their little daughter, had moved to Ipoh where he found a job. She had also been a Home League member in Penang. One day Major Wilson decided to visit the family in Ipoh. She drove an old car, taking Stephen and me for a day’s outing. On the way we stopped by a shady spot where we had a picnic lunch which I had prepared. We also stopped by the Ipoh Boys’ Home to see Captain and Mrs. Ken Spikin and their family, Karen and Brenda.
A few months later Esther JOHN was appointed as the Assistant Corps Officer to Penang Corps. At the end of her training as a cadet in New Zealand she was commissioned in January 1966. After some time a young man called Stephen Rengasamy started attending the corps. He became a soldier, went into the Training College in Singapore and they got married.
In 1965 The Army built a small two-storey house as quarters for the officers in charge of the Penang Boys’ Home in Sungai Pinang Road. It was situated on the left side of the driveway from the front gate into the compound of the Home. The office was a room on the right and the door on the left led to our lounge and dining area. Behind was the kitchen beside which was a flight of stairs to the second level. There were three bedrooms upstairs.
There were about 50 boys of ages six to late teens in the Home. Madam Low Ah Kew was a live-in cook who also did the big laundry. A former resident, Meng Cheong, worked as a general helper and driver. He was really good, with a great sense of ownership of the place. The Home ran a chicken farm as a means of income. One of my husband’s duties was to deliver eggs and poultry!
In conjunction with the Home was a primary school for over-aged children. About half of our boys were able to attend the government schools, but quite a number had to stay in. In addition to these boys residing in our Home, some children from elsewhere were also enrolled with us. To cut costs, Brother (now Lt-Colonel) Tan Thean Seng taught primary one and two; I took 3 and 4, while a Mrs. Lee was the teacher for 5 and 6.
Gladys started attending the Methodist Kindergarten in Logan Road. Initially I felt as if I had lost my daughter! I kept on wondering how she was getting along. It is not easy to let go of one’s child, especially for the first time. I guess she must have felt a little lost at first but she soon got over it. Children do adjust better than adults. Stephen seemed happy enough to play by himself at home, as long as he had his toy cars.
Major Ivy Wilson was the Corps Officer of Penang Corps. My husband supported the corps by taking responsibility for the band and songster brigade. I sang with the treble section. She used to direct the traffic with her right hand whilst carrying Stephen in her left arm as the corps band marched to and from the Open-air meeting every Sunday evening.
Home League Secretary was my position in the corps. Every week my husband would alight me and our children at the corps on his delivery round. Then he would pick us up later, and also give lifts to some of the ladies, like the mothers of Lt-Colonels Tan and Loo, Madam Ah Chee and Sundari on the way home.
Mr. and Mrs. Bob Preston, a young Scot and his Penang-born wife, Wee Si Lin, with their little daughter, had moved to Ipoh where he found a job. She had also been a Home League member in Penang. One day Major Wilson decided to visit the family in Ipoh. She drove an old car, taking Stephen and me for a day’s outing. On the way we stopped by a shady spot where we had a picnic lunch which I had prepared. We also stopped by the Ipoh Boys’ Home to see Captain and Mrs. Ken Spikin and their family, Karen and Brenda.
A few months later Esther JOHN was appointed as the Assistant Corps Officer to Penang Corps. At the end of her training as a cadet in New Zealand she was commissioned in January 1966. After some time a young man called Stephen Rengasamy started attending the corps. He became a soldier, went into the Training College in Singapore and they got married.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE- 18
18 – HAPPY FAMILY IN KUCHING BOYS’ HOME
Towards the latter part of 1964 we were asked to hold on at the Kuching Boys’ Home in addition to our responsibilities at the corps, while Captain and Mrs. Webb went for their homeland furlough in Australia at the end of their five-year term. Captain Janos Wasagam would stay at the corps quarters as the assistant.
The Webb family had just moved into their new quarters, built by the government for the superintendant. They were in there only for a few months. We moved into this brand new two storey building adjacent to the Home in the same compound. Originally the ground floor was a void deck, not walled up and partitioned into offices as it stands today.
During the week from Monday to Friday I went to the kindergarten with our two children. Captain Wasagam would have the place all opened to receive the kindergarten children. She also helped me at Home League and visitation of the corps comrades and friends. Once a week we even cycled to night class to study the National language – Bahasa Melayu.
We had about 50 boys in our care, ranging from preschoolers to teenagers. A housemaster, Wong Ah Nyian, and his wife, Chor Fah, the cook were the only lived-in staff members. Two young women came in daily to help take care of the little boys. In the evenings I would “open clinic” to give first-aid. Very often it would be only mosquito bites, a cut or two, at worse a boil.
Most of the boys went to school in the morning; others learnt a trade in the carpentry workshop, or helped in the vegetable garden and fish pond to supplement the kitchen requirements. My husband helped the bigger boys with their school homework in the evenings.
A couple of months later, a telegram came to say Captain and Mrs. Webb would not be returning to the Kuching Boy’s Home but at the end of their homeland furlough would be proceeding to the Singapore Children’s Home. We were to relinquish our corps duties, but stay on at the Boy’s Home full time. Major Vataya and Captain Piutunen were appointed to the corps.
We supported the corps as soldiers, my husband was the bandmaster and I was busy with the Home League. Between us we also translated for the corps officers.
One day a lady resident from the section for the elderly in the Children’s Home, also a soldier of the corps was promoted to glory. My husband conducted the funeral. A couple of our boys made a wreath from some wild flowers. She had no relatives; we with the older boys and a few elderly ladies from the Home were the mourners.
Before we could unpack our last box of our luggage, we were told to leave Kuching for Penang, this time to the Boy’s Home there. Captain Will and Mrs. Marjorie Davies with their daughters, Maureen and Jillian, were returning home to the England at the end of their term. A Dutch lady officer, Major Scherpenisse, serving on CHQ in Singapore was appointed pro-tem to Kuching Boys’ Home to await the arrival of Captain Keith and Mrs. Doreen Sharp from the UK with Paul and Estelle their two children. So we left Kuching on the Rajah Brook to Singapore then off to Penang by train.
There were a couple of young English National Servicemen who would visit the Home when off duty. They loved to play and have their meals with the boys. They must have been were lonely and missed their home and family! They always ended the day in our home for supper before going off to their barracks. Very often they seemed reluctant to leave. One of them used to stay till midnight, well past my bedtime! We did not realise what this meant to them till they made contact and told us in recent years.
Towards the latter part of 1964 we were asked to hold on at the Kuching Boys’ Home in addition to our responsibilities at the corps, while Captain and Mrs. Webb went for their homeland furlough in Australia at the end of their five-year term. Captain Janos Wasagam would stay at the corps quarters as the assistant.
The Webb family had just moved into their new quarters, built by the government for the superintendant. They were in there only for a few months. We moved into this brand new two storey building adjacent to the Home in the same compound. Originally the ground floor was a void deck, not walled up and partitioned into offices as it stands today.
During the week from Monday to Friday I went to the kindergarten with our two children. Captain Wasagam would have the place all opened to receive the kindergarten children. She also helped me at Home League and visitation of the corps comrades and friends. Once a week we even cycled to night class to study the National language – Bahasa Melayu.
We had about 50 boys in our care, ranging from preschoolers to teenagers. A housemaster, Wong Ah Nyian, and his wife, Chor Fah, the cook were the only lived-in staff members. Two young women came in daily to help take care of the little boys. In the evenings I would “open clinic” to give first-aid. Very often it would be only mosquito bites, a cut or two, at worse a boil.
Most of the boys went to school in the morning; others learnt a trade in the carpentry workshop, or helped in the vegetable garden and fish pond to supplement the kitchen requirements. My husband helped the bigger boys with their school homework in the evenings.
A couple of months later, a telegram came to say Captain and Mrs. Webb would not be returning to the Kuching Boy’s Home but at the end of their homeland furlough would be proceeding to the Singapore Children’s Home. We were to relinquish our corps duties, but stay on at the Boy’s Home full time. Major Vataya and Captain Piutunen were appointed to the corps.
We supported the corps as soldiers, my husband was the bandmaster and I was busy with the Home League. Between us we also translated for the corps officers.
One day a lady resident from the section for the elderly in the Children’s Home, also a soldier of the corps was promoted to glory. My husband conducted the funeral. A couple of our boys made a wreath from some wild flowers. She had no relatives; we with the older boys and a few elderly ladies from the Home were the mourners.
Before we could unpack our last box of our luggage, we were told to leave Kuching for Penang, this time to the Boy’s Home there. Captain Will and Mrs. Marjorie Davies with their daughters, Maureen and Jillian, were returning home to the England at the end of their term. A Dutch lady officer, Major Scherpenisse, serving on CHQ in Singapore was appointed pro-tem to Kuching Boys’ Home to await the arrival of Captain Keith and Mrs. Doreen Sharp from the UK with Paul and Estelle their two children. So we left Kuching on the Rajah Brook to Singapore then off to Penang by train.
There were a couple of young English National Servicemen who would visit the Home when off duty. They loved to play and have their meals with the boys. They must have been were lonely and missed their home and family! They always ended the day in our home for supper before going off to their barracks. Very often they seemed reluctant to leave. One of them used to stay till midnight, well past my bedtime! We did not realise what this meant to them till they made contact and told us in recent years.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE- 17
17 – HAPPY FAMILY IN KUCHING CORPS
I had farewelled from Kuching Corps in mid 1957. Later the same year the corps moved to its present premises – a purpose-built complex. The main entrance opened into a lobby with toilets on the right. The hall was a spacious area with a middle isle and heavy wooden pews on both sides. The platform was of concrete with steps at each end. Both sides of the dais also had doors leading into the Y.P. Hall which was used during the week as a kindergarten for forty children.
The officers’ quarters was another building behind, separated by a fence. The front door opened into the sitting room. To the right were two bedrooms with a bathroom in between. To the left was our dining area leading into the kitchen with a door out into the backyard.
Every Sunday began with a Directory class at 9 a.m. attended mainly by the boys who walked from the Boys’ Home. The Holiness Meeting was at 10 a.m. supported by the officers and children of both Homes. Sunday school was at 3 p.m. with children coming from the surrounding area. Open-air meeting was at 5p.m. after which we marched back to the hall for the evening Salvation Meeting at 6 p.m. It was a Chinese speaking corps, but we sang in English as well. My husband and I took turns to lead or give the message. The speaker would also give a summary of the sermon in English for the non-Chinese members in the congregation.
The corps had a very busy corps programme for the week. Between my husband and I we taught the children of the kindergarten. As Poh Ai was nearly two years old then she enjoyed being in the kindergarten. Thean Hock remained in his cot by the front window of the children’s room. From there he could hear and see us in the class. He was a very good and contented baby and we could pop in and out easily.
Monday afternoon was our free time if there were no official business or meetings. Being in charge of the Scouts and Guides, my husband attended the meetings for Boy Scout leaders (Akela), and I went to those for Girl Guide leaders (Brown Owls). I also took courses to qualify as a Guide leader. These usually took place on a Monday afternoon and evening.
When possible our family would spend Monday afternoon with Captain and Mrs. Webb and their children - Geoffrey and Carolyn - at the Museum garden. While the adults chatted, the children enjoyed themselves playing together. Before returning to our respective homes, a special treat was a Chinese meal at Fook Hoi, a coffee shop situated opposite the General Post Office. With kids on tow, both families travelled by bus. On their own, the men would cycle everywhere. Alternatively we would visit each others’ home for the afternoon and evening, to celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries.
Home League was held on a Tuesday afternoon, with Mrs. Captain Thelma Webb serving as Treasurer. Junior and Senior Soldiers’ meetings were held on Wednesday night. These were supported by the officers and the boys of the Home. On a Thursday afternoon Major Willis kindly arranged for the Girls Home van to transport our family to the Girls’ Home. I would hold our weekly Brownie and Guide meetings while my husband visited the residents of the Home with our children. After dinner with the Home officers, there were the spiritual meetings for the Junior and Senior Soldiers. By the end of the day we were more than grateful for a ride home. The Youth Group, Torchbearers, met on Friday evening; and the cubs and scouts had their meetings on Saturday afternoon. Visitation had to be done some time in this busy schedule.
The officers of each centre took turns to hold the fort while the rest went for the Anniversary celebrations in Singapore. When it was our turn to stay behind, we would then take our annual furlough that year somewhere in Sarawak. On one occasion we went to Santubong, a fishing village. The journey would take more than three hours by motor boat, depending on the tide. Poh Ai was three and Thean Hock was only one year old! We were told to bring as much as possible because there were hardly any shops there. Our accommodation was one of a few wooden bungalows on a hill with bare essentials. We put two arm chairs together as a bed for each of the children. However, they loved playing in the water and we enjoyed fresh fish everyday.
One weekend the Webb family came to visit us, but could only travel with the tide, so they arrived about 2 a.m. The two loaves of bread they brought were as welcomed as they were! What a wonderful day we all had together! We were young and adventurous then!
A year later, in mid March 1963, on the weekend after Thean Hock had his first birthday; Daddy had to leave for the International College for Officers in London. He left on a Saturday for Singapore, then boarded the ship Orcades. Arrangements were made for Ee Hong, a sixteen year old girl living nearby, to stay with me during the few months he was away. In those days the P & O boats took about three weeks to London from Singapore. My beloved was very good, writing me EVERYDAY, just as he did when were we were courting!
I had farewelled from Kuching Corps in mid 1957. Later the same year the corps moved to its present premises – a purpose-built complex. The main entrance opened into a lobby with toilets on the right. The hall was a spacious area with a middle isle and heavy wooden pews on both sides. The platform was of concrete with steps at each end. Both sides of the dais also had doors leading into the Y.P. Hall which was used during the week as a kindergarten for forty children.
The officers’ quarters was another building behind, separated by a fence. The front door opened into the sitting room. To the right were two bedrooms with a bathroom in between. To the left was our dining area leading into the kitchen with a door out into the backyard.
Every Sunday began with a Directory class at 9 a.m. attended mainly by the boys who walked from the Boys’ Home. The Holiness Meeting was at 10 a.m. supported by the officers and children of both Homes. Sunday school was at 3 p.m. with children coming from the surrounding area. Open-air meeting was at 5p.m. after which we marched back to the hall for the evening Salvation Meeting at 6 p.m. It was a Chinese speaking corps, but we sang in English as well. My husband and I took turns to lead or give the message. The speaker would also give a summary of the sermon in English for the non-Chinese members in the congregation.
The corps had a very busy corps programme for the week. Between my husband and I we taught the children of the kindergarten. As Poh Ai was nearly two years old then she enjoyed being in the kindergarten. Thean Hock remained in his cot by the front window of the children’s room. From there he could hear and see us in the class. He was a very good and contented baby and we could pop in and out easily.
Monday afternoon was our free time if there were no official business or meetings. Being in charge of the Scouts and Guides, my husband attended the meetings for Boy Scout leaders (Akela), and I went to those for Girl Guide leaders (Brown Owls). I also took courses to qualify as a Guide leader. These usually took place on a Monday afternoon and evening.
When possible our family would spend Monday afternoon with Captain and Mrs. Webb and their children - Geoffrey and Carolyn - at the Museum garden. While the adults chatted, the children enjoyed themselves playing together. Before returning to our respective homes, a special treat was a Chinese meal at Fook Hoi, a coffee shop situated opposite the General Post Office. With kids on tow, both families travelled by bus. On their own, the men would cycle everywhere. Alternatively we would visit each others’ home for the afternoon and evening, to celebrate birthdays and wedding anniversaries.
Home League was held on a Tuesday afternoon, with Mrs. Captain Thelma Webb serving as Treasurer. Junior and Senior Soldiers’ meetings were held on Wednesday night. These were supported by the officers and the boys of the Home. On a Thursday afternoon Major Willis kindly arranged for the Girls Home van to transport our family to the Girls’ Home. I would hold our weekly Brownie and Guide meetings while my husband visited the residents of the Home with our children. After dinner with the Home officers, there were the spiritual meetings for the Junior and Senior Soldiers. By the end of the day we were more than grateful for a ride home. The Youth Group, Torchbearers, met on Friday evening; and the cubs and scouts had their meetings on Saturday afternoon. Visitation had to be done some time in this busy schedule.
The officers of each centre took turns to hold the fort while the rest went for the Anniversary celebrations in Singapore. When it was our turn to stay behind, we would then take our annual furlough that year somewhere in Sarawak. On one occasion we went to Santubong, a fishing village. The journey would take more than three hours by motor boat, depending on the tide. Poh Ai was three and Thean Hock was only one year old! We were told to bring as much as possible because there were hardly any shops there. Our accommodation was one of a few wooden bungalows on a hill with bare essentials. We put two arm chairs together as a bed for each of the children. However, they loved playing in the water and we enjoyed fresh fish everyday.
One weekend the Webb family came to visit us, but could only travel with the tide, so they arrived about 2 a.m. The two loaves of bread they brought were as welcomed as they were! What a wonderful day we all had together! We were young and adventurous then!
A year later, in mid March 1963, on the weekend after Thean Hock had his first birthday; Daddy had to leave for the International College for Officers in London. He left on a Saturday for Singapore, then boarded the ship Orcades. Arrangements were made for Ee Hong, a sixteen year old girl living nearby, to stay with me during the few months he was away. In those days the P & O boats took about three weeks to London from Singapore. My beloved was very good, writing me EVERYDAY, just as he did when were we were courting!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 16
16 – ON THE MOVE – TO KUCHING
We were sorry to leave Penang but I was also excited to return to the town of my first appointment in Kuching. We farewelled on a Sunday morning, travelled in the evening by ferry to Butterworth to board the night train to Kuala Lumpur. With two young children we had much hand luggage. The comrades meant well, bringing little gifts even at the last minute! One European couple muttered, “Why do people not learn to travel light?” They did not realise that we understood English. I could not help blurting out that we were moving house. She then joked, “Where is the house?” I had to laugh.
We boarded the night train with Daddy sharing a top bunk with Poh Ai and I with Thean Hock directly below. The next morning we checked into the Kuala Lumpur station hotel to clean ourselves, wash the nappies and other soiled clothing, but generally to rest ourselves, especially the children. In the evening we boarded another night train leaving Kuala Lumpur at 9 p.m. On arrival we were disappointed that the new PR officer was not at the Tanjong Pagar station to meet us. Daddy rang CHQ and the General Secretary; Major Thelma Watson came, very annoyed that Brigadier Rudolf Geus, a Dutchman, had decided to take the day off to celebrate his birthday!
In those days we had to find our own accommodation when in our own home town. It was Tuesday but we had to wait till Saturday afternoon to continue the next leg of our journey. I always asked my uncle and aunt Ho to stay with them at Dhoby Ghaut. On hind sight, perhaps I was thoughtless, not considering the inconvenience we caused them, now that I had a family. Lord, forgive us. Sorry Ku Cheong and Ku Ma.
After a few days in transit, Lieut. Colonel Watson decided that she herself would drive us to at Clifford Pier to catch a launch for the outer shores. To board the Bentong, we had to walk up a swinging ladder along a side of the cargo boat, the older child in one arm of Daddy and the baby in mine! Poh Ai was very excited to be on a boat, but soon proved to be a poor sailor, and fell seasick. Fortunately the baby was no trouble. More than 36 hours later, we arrived, but the tide was too low for any boat to go up the river to Kuching, so we stopped at Pending and were met by Brigadier Elsie Willis, Captains Bob Webb and Janos Wasagam.
I well remember it was May 1st, a public holiday, when we arrived in Kuching. It was also the first day of the Annual Appeal for The Army in Sarawak. Kuching was divided into three areas for collecting, one each for the three centres namely – the Girls’ Home, the Boys’ Home and Kuching Corps. While Daddy unpacked our luggage and the baby was asleep, I went collecting along the row of shops in Sekama Road, with Poh Ai in the pram. There was method in my madness. I introduced myself as a new officer of the corps up the road, and then asked for a donation. Most shops would give in kind, like a couple of tins of sardines or milk, instead of cash. These canned good would be quite heavy, so the pram came in handy!
At the end of the Appeal month, The Army held its Annual Open Day. One of the stalls would have the collected goods put on sale, and the proceeds shared among the three centres. The Homes would also have other stalls selling things made by their children. During the year the older girls did sewing and embroidery, while the boys did carpentry. Their volunteers also set up other booths with goods for sale. It was always a great event in the town.
Three weeks after our arrival to Kuching, CHQ sent my husband to Sibu town as The Army’s representative to an inter-church conference in regard to Sarawak joining Malaya, Singapore and Sabah to form Malaysia. In the early days of British rule in Borneo the SPG (Society for the Promotion of the Gospel) or Anglican Church was allocated the first division of Sarawak with Kuching as its headquarters; the Methodist Church had its stronghold in Sibu in the second division; and the Borneo Evangelical Mission was given British North Borneo (Sabah). When the British government invited The Salvation Army to start social services in Kuching in 1950 The Army took its stand as a Christian denomination. Perhaps for that reason we were included among the participating churches in that 1962 historic gathering. This became the beginning of the National Council of Churches in East Malaysia.
We not only had a good working relationship among the officers, but there was also an amicable spirit among the churches. Praise the Lord!
We were sorry to leave Penang but I was also excited to return to the town of my first appointment in Kuching. We farewelled on a Sunday morning, travelled in the evening by ferry to Butterworth to board the night train to Kuala Lumpur. With two young children we had much hand luggage. The comrades meant well, bringing little gifts even at the last minute! One European couple muttered, “Why do people not learn to travel light?” They did not realise that we understood English. I could not help blurting out that we were moving house. She then joked, “Where is the house?” I had to laugh.
We boarded the night train with Daddy sharing a top bunk with Poh Ai and I with Thean Hock directly below. The next morning we checked into the Kuala Lumpur station hotel to clean ourselves, wash the nappies and other soiled clothing, but generally to rest ourselves, especially the children. In the evening we boarded another night train leaving Kuala Lumpur at 9 p.m. On arrival we were disappointed that the new PR officer was not at the Tanjong Pagar station to meet us. Daddy rang CHQ and the General Secretary; Major Thelma Watson came, very annoyed that Brigadier Rudolf Geus, a Dutchman, had decided to take the day off to celebrate his birthday!
In those days we had to find our own accommodation when in our own home town. It was Tuesday but we had to wait till Saturday afternoon to continue the next leg of our journey. I always asked my uncle and aunt Ho to stay with them at Dhoby Ghaut. On hind sight, perhaps I was thoughtless, not considering the inconvenience we caused them, now that I had a family. Lord, forgive us. Sorry Ku Cheong and Ku Ma.
After a few days in transit, Lieut. Colonel Watson decided that she herself would drive us to at Clifford Pier to catch a launch for the outer shores. To board the Bentong, we had to walk up a swinging ladder along a side of the cargo boat, the older child in one arm of Daddy and the baby in mine! Poh Ai was very excited to be on a boat, but soon proved to be a poor sailor, and fell seasick. Fortunately the baby was no trouble. More than 36 hours later, we arrived, but the tide was too low for any boat to go up the river to Kuching, so we stopped at Pending and were met by Brigadier Elsie Willis, Captains Bob Webb and Janos Wasagam.
I well remember it was May 1st, a public holiday, when we arrived in Kuching. It was also the first day of the Annual Appeal for The Army in Sarawak. Kuching was divided into three areas for collecting, one each for the three centres namely – the Girls’ Home, the Boys’ Home and Kuching Corps. While Daddy unpacked our luggage and the baby was asleep, I went collecting along the row of shops in Sekama Road, with Poh Ai in the pram. There was method in my madness. I introduced myself as a new officer of the corps up the road, and then asked for a donation. Most shops would give in kind, like a couple of tins of sardines or milk, instead of cash. These canned good would be quite heavy, so the pram came in handy!
At the end of the Appeal month, The Army held its Annual Open Day. One of the stalls would have the collected goods put on sale, and the proceeds shared among the three centres. The Homes would also have other stalls selling things made by their children. During the year the older girls did sewing and embroidery, while the boys did carpentry. Their volunteers also set up other booths with goods for sale. It was always a great event in the town.
Three weeks after our arrival to Kuching, CHQ sent my husband to Sibu town as The Army’s representative to an inter-church conference in regard to Sarawak joining Malaya, Singapore and Sabah to form Malaysia. In the early days of British rule in Borneo the SPG (Society for the Promotion of the Gospel) or Anglican Church was allocated the first division of Sarawak with Kuching as its headquarters; the Methodist Church had its stronghold in Sibu in the second division; and the Borneo Evangelical Mission was given British North Borneo (Sabah). When the British government invited The Salvation Army to start social services in Kuching in 1950 The Army took its stand as a Christian denomination. Perhaps for that reason we were included among the participating churches in that 1962 historic gathering. This became the beginning of the National Council of Churches in East Malaysia.
We not only had a good working relationship among the officers, but there was also an amicable spirit among the churches. Praise the Lord!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 15
15 – FAMILY PRIDE and JOY
We were happily serving the Lord in a joint ministry as husband and wife. Soon we had to learn to make adjustments as the day of the arrival of our firstborn drew near.
After some enquiries we decided that I would have my baby delivered in the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Burma Road because its charges were comparable to the government hospitals. The management was also kind enough to waive the doctor’s delivery fees for ministers of the Gospel.
One Friday afternoon I took the Girl Guides out on a hike. That evening I felt some contractions and checked into the hospital. Our first child did not come till Sunday, 8th May 1960, which happened to be Mother’s Day. My first choice of a name for her had been Grace, but there were so many girls with that name in The Army. My husband was reading the biography of Gladys Aylward, the Little Woman who did a great work in China. So we decided on naming her Gladys LIM Poh Ai (Precious Love in Chinese).
We did not employ the traditional ‘confinement nanny’ – someone to tend to the needs of the new mother and baby. My husband knew how to cook the kind of food needed because he had seen his mother preparing such dishes when his sister gave birth. He made sure that the Corps work such as pastoral visitation of eighteen hours a week and the various activities were not neglected. By the help of God, he managed this, though he also had the oversight of the Boys’ Home while the officers were away on their annual furlough.
Everyone in the corps rejoiced with us. When the Sunday school children first saw Poh Ai they exclaimed “She looks just like a Chinese baby!”
Some time later Lt. Peter Chang passed through Penang travelling from the International Training College in London where he had been trained, and returning home to Korea remarked: “She looks like a Korean baby!” Years later Captain and Mrs. Peter Chang was the Training Principal we met his family – his wife Grace, son John and baby daughter Miriam. We also remarked, “She looks just like a Chinese baby!”
With no elders to guide us, we went by the book – Baby books. She was usually very contented. By the end of three weeks, after the last feed at 10 p.m. she slept right through the night till 6 a.m. Two weeks later, my husband left us to attend the Command’s Anniversary celebrations in Singapore. In his absence I did the Sunday’s meetings with the help of the comrades. The Lord was good and all went well. In fact, when I took her to the baby clinic for a post natal check-up I was persuaded to enter her for a Baby Show organised by the Methodist church in their annual carnival.
As it was a Saturday, we attended the fair, but I had to leave her with Daddy in the afternoon when I returned to the corps for my meetings with the brownies and guides. By the end of our meetings Daddy rushed home for me to return to the show to receive the award. Our baby won first prize in the competition!
A few months after Poh Ai’s first birthday we were informed that CHQ was sending Daddy to London for the spring session of the International College for Officers the following year. He requested to be excused because it was just confirmed that our second baby was due then. Some of our colleague officers chided him for turning down the offer, but CHQ was kind enough to defer his trip for a year.
However, about a month to the due birth date CHQ wanted to farewell us but the same doctor who had delivered Poh Ai, Dr. Odelhyde, advised against it. So it was decided that we would move six weeks after the birth of our second child.
By this time, new officers were appointed to the Boys Home - Captain and Mrs. William Davies. When it was time to check into the hospital the Captain drove us all there. We had to take Poh Ai with us because there was no one else in our home. She slept through it all, oblivious to the world!
Early the next morning our son was born – on 7th March 1962 at 8 a.m. We named him Stephen LIM Thean Hock (Heaven’s Blessing in Chinese.) As he did the first time round, Daddy was the “confinement nanny” again. He was extremely busy as we were under farewell orders. This time he had to pack for a family with two young children. I could not help much because I was trying to cope with two babies, not one. I thought my little girl of twenty two months old was quite grown up till baby brother came! At that time a High Council was being called to elect a new general. She asked if she could be a general too. We told her she could not as she was still feeding on a baby bottle. She did not really understand, but decided to give it up then!
Penang Corps will always have a special place in our hearts because we had very happy term of 2 and a half years service in an almost perfect setting.
We were happily serving the Lord in a joint ministry as husband and wife. Soon we had to learn to make adjustments as the day of the arrival of our firstborn drew near.
After some enquiries we decided that I would have my baby delivered in the Seventh Day Adventist Hospital in Burma Road because its charges were comparable to the government hospitals. The management was also kind enough to waive the doctor’s delivery fees for ministers of the Gospel.
One Friday afternoon I took the Girl Guides out on a hike. That evening I felt some contractions and checked into the hospital. Our first child did not come till Sunday, 8th May 1960, which happened to be Mother’s Day. My first choice of a name for her had been Grace, but there were so many girls with that name in The Army. My husband was reading the biography of Gladys Aylward, the Little Woman who did a great work in China. So we decided on naming her Gladys LIM Poh Ai (Precious Love in Chinese).
We did not employ the traditional ‘confinement nanny’ – someone to tend to the needs of the new mother and baby. My husband knew how to cook the kind of food needed because he had seen his mother preparing such dishes when his sister gave birth. He made sure that the Corps work such as pastoral visitation of eighteen hours a week and the various activities were not neglected. By the help of God, he managed this, though he also had the oversight of the Boys’ Home while the officers were away on their annual furlough.
Everyone in the corps rejoiced with us. When the Sunday school children first saw Poh Ai they exclaimed “She looks just like a Chinese baby!”
Some time later Lt. Peter Chang passed through Penang travelling from the International Training College in London where he had been trained, and returning home to Korea remarked: “She looks like a Korean baby!” Years later Captain and Mrs. Peter Chang was the Training Principal we met his family – his wife Grace, son John and baby daughter Miriam. We also remarked, “She looks just like a Chinese baby!”
With no elders to guide us, we went by the book – Baby books. She was usually very contented. By the end of three weeks, after the last feed at 10 p.m. she slept right through the night till 6 a.m. Two weeks later, my husband left us to attend the Command’s Anniversary celebrations in Singapore. In his absence I did the Sunday’s meetings with the help of the comrades. The Lord was good and all went well. In fact, when I took her to the baby clinic for a post natal check-up I was persuaded to enter her for a Baby Show organised by the Methodist church in their annual carnival.
As it was a Saturday, we attended the fair, but I had to leave her with Daddy in the afternoon when I returned to the corps for my meetings with the brownies and guides. By the end of our meetings Daddy rushed home for me to return to the show to receive the award. Our baby won first prize in the competition!
A few months after Poh Ai’s first birthday we were informed that CHQ was sending Daddy to London for the spring session of the International College for Officers the following year. He requested to be excused because it was just confirmed that our second baby was due then. Some of our colleague officers chided him for turning down the offer, but CHQ was kind enough to defer his trip for a year.
However, about a month to the due birth date CHQ wanted to farewell us but the same doctor who had delivered Poh Ai, Dr. Odelhyde, advised against it. So it was decided that we would move six weeks after the birth of our second child.
By this time, new officers were appointed to the Boys Home - Captain and Mrs. William Davies. When it was time to check into the hospital the Captain drove us all there. We had to take Poh Ai with us because there was no one else in our home. She slept through it all, oblivious to the world!
Early the next morning our son was born – on 7th March 1962 at 8 a.m. We named him Stephen LIM Thean Hock (Heaven’s Blessing in Chinese.) As he did the first time round, Daddy was the “confinement nanny” again. He was extremely busy as we were under farewell orders. This time he had to pack for a family with two young children. I could not help much because I was trying to cope with two babies, not one. I thought my little girl of twenty two months old was quite grown up till baby brother came! At that time a High Council was being called to elect a new general. She asked if she could be a general too. We told her she could not as she was still feeding on a baby bottle. She did not really understand, but decided to give it up then!
Penang Corps will always have a special place in our hearts because we had very happy term of 2 and a half years service in an almost perfect setting.
Friday, May 7, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 14
14 - PEARL OF THE ORIENT
My husband and I were very excited to be appointed to Penang Corps. The island had been one of those which claimed to be the Pearl of the Orient.
On my first visit I was enchanted by the scenery. Perhaps it was also the first time I ever left Singapore to visit Malaya as one of the two women cadets of the Shepherds Session who were sent to Penang for a campaign whilst in training. My husband had not been there before and I tried to describe it to him.
The Army hall and quarters were the first purpose-built premises in the Command. Located in a lovely residential area, not far from the prison, with its superintendant living nearby we felt very secured. The building was a compound house in the shape of the letter L upside down. From the main gate a left turn on a driveway would lead to the front of the hall. However, straight from the road on same driveway would lead to the quarters. Take a left turn and ahead was the garage, but on the right was the front door to the sitting room. From the garage there were two side doors, the right one opened to the balcony into the quarters, while the other led to a little office behind the corps hall.
We left Singapore by the night train and changed to the day express at Kuala Lumpur the next morning. I was then sick with nausea and we wondered what the matter was with me. We disembarked at Butterworth on the mainland, caught a ferry to the island and met by Major Roy Page, the Manager of the Penang Boys’ Home. It was a relief to arrive at our destination to unpack our luggage. My husband found the place as idyllic as I had discovered. We thought we were in paradise, at least the annex to heaven!
After a good night’s rest I was sick again the next morning! I was very miserable, so went to see a doctor. The nurse thought I looked too well to need consultation and I was too shy to say I wanted a pregnancy test! The doctor confirmed that a baby was on the way. We were very happy indeed.
The Sunday schedule of Penang Corps began with Directory Class at 9 a.m. attended mainly by the boys from the Home; Holiness Meeting at 10 a.m. Sunday School at 3 p.m.; open air meeting at 5 p.m. followed by the march to the hall for the Salvation Meeting at 6 p.m. We were greatly supported by Major and Mrs. Roy and Connie Page, the Home Officers and the boys from the Home; Corps Sergeant Major (CSM)Geoffrey Oakley, stationed at the Royal Australian Air Force base with his wife Norma and two sons, Graham and Warren; Corps Treasurer Robert Khoo, Corps Pianist Neo Ah Howe, and others including Mr. & Mrs. Mathews, Anna, Lucy and Sunny. Joseph was a pre war Salvationist; though he did not understand much English he was faithful in attending the Sunday morning meeting bringing flowere for the hall. He was gardener to the residents of some lovely bungalows on the island. There was a small band and a songster brigade with Mrs. Page as the Songster Leader. Almost the whole Sunday School was made up of Tamil children living with their parents in the prison staff quarters nearby.
We had a good friend in Major James Tait, Red Shield officer for the Australian troops stationed in Malaya. He would always arrange to be at the meetings on Sunday and ever willing and ready to conduct a meeting when requested.
During the week my programme included a Home League meeting with about a dozen ladies; for my husband it was a Religious Knowledge class at the school attached to the Boys’ Home during school hours; and in the evening he held Corps Cadet Class in the corps. On a Saturday afternoon, he would cycle off to the home of Brother Michael at Bayam Lepas and the Mathews family at Glugor for the outpost Sunday School and adult meeting while I had meetings with the Sunbeans (Brownies) and Life Saving Guards (Girl Guides). Loo Lay Saik (now Lt-Colonel Mrs. Tan) first joined Penang Corps through this section. Saturday evening was pub-booming (selling the War Cry in the bars or coffee shops and restaurants.)
Generally we travelled together by bus because the corps owned one bicycle only. It was very useful, like when my husband visited the outposts, carrying his concertina behind, or when I went to the market.
Another aspect of our ministry was to offer hospitality to Army personnel en route to their destinations when their ships docked. At first we were just as interested as the visitors to enjoy the tourist spots such as Penang Hill, Botanic Gardens and the Snake Temple etc. Towards the end of our three year term, I found it tiring, (with two young children) time consuming and expensive too, especially when some visitors would bring their newfound friends among their fellow travellers. In those days only the stipulated number of people advised by CHQ and officially listed cost of their meals only could be legitimately charged. However, we did get good cooperation from some Home officers, who took their turn to entertain those known to them.
Two months after our arrival in Penang, my sister Pui Sim announced her marriage to GOH Bin Lay on 19th January 1960. We dared not ask permission for both of us to be away from duty. Besides, we could hardly afford the fares. So only I attended the wedding.
My husband and I were very excited to be appointed to Penang Corps. The island had been one of those which claimed to be the Pearl of the Orient.
On my first visit I was enchanted by the scenery. Perhaps it was also the first time I ever left Singapore to visit Malaya as one of the two women cadets of the Shepherds Session who were sent to Penang for a campaign whilst in training. My husband had not been there before and I tried to describe it to him.
The Army hall and quarters were the first purpose-built premises in the Command. Located in a lovely residential area, not far from the prison, with its superintendant living nearby we felt very secured. The building was a compound house in the shape of the letter L upside down. From the main gate a left turn on a driveway would lead to the front of the hall. However, straight from the road on same driveway would lead to the quarters. Take a left turn and ahead was the garage, but on the right was the front door to the sitting room. From the garage there were two side doors, the right one opened to the balcony into the quarters, while the other led to a little office behind the corps hall.
We left Singapore by the night train and changed to the day express at Kuala Lumpur the next morning. I was then sick with nausea and we wondered what the matter was with me. We disembarked at Butterworth on the mainland, caught a ferry to the island and met by Major Roy Page, the Manager of the Penang Boys’ Home. It was a relief to arrive at our destination to unpack our luggage. My husband found the place as idyllic as I had discovered. We thought we were in paradise, at least the annex to heaven!
After a good night’s rest I was sick again the next morning! I was very miserable, so went to see a doctor. The nurse thought I looked too well to need consultation and I was too shy to say I wanted a pregnancy test! The doctor confirmed that a baby was on the way. We were very happy indeed.
The Sunday schedule of Penang Corps began with Directory Class at 9 a.m. attended mainly by the boys from the Home; Holiness Meeting at 10 a.m. Sunday School at 3 p.m.; open air meeting at 5 p.m. followed by the march to the hall for the Salvation Meeting at 6 p.m. We were greatly supported by Major and Mrs. Roy and Connie Page, the Home Officers and the boys from the Home; Corps Sergeant Major (CSM)Geoffrey Oakley, stationed at the Royal Australian Air Force base with his wife Norma and two sons, Graham and Warren; Corps Treasurer Robert Khoo, Corps Pianist Neo Ah Howe, and others including Mr. & Mrs. Mathews, Anna, Lucy and Sunny. Joseph was a pre war Salvationist; though he did not understand much English he was faithful in attending the Sunday morning meeting bringing flowere for the hall. He was gardener to the residents of some lovely bungalows on the island. There was a small band and a songster brigade with Mrs. Page as the Songster Leader. Almost the whole Sunday School was made up of Tamil children living with their parents in the prison staff quarters nearby.
We had a good friend in Major James Tait, Red Shield officer for the Australian troops stationed in Malaya. He would always arrange to be at the meetings on Sunday and ever willing and ready to conduct a meeting when requested.
During the week my programme included a Home League meeting with about a dozen ladies; for my husband it was a Religious Knowledge class at the school attached to the Boys’ Home during school hours; and in the evening he held Corps Cadet Class in the corps. On a Saturday afternoon, he would cycle off to the home of Brother Michael at Bayam Lepas and the Mathews family at Glugor for the outpost Sunday School and adult meeting while I had meetings with the Sunbeans (Brownies) and Life Saving Guards (Girl Guides). Loo Lay Saik (now Lt-Colonel Mrs. Tan) first joined Penang Corps through this section. Saturday evening was pub-booming (selling the War Cry in the bars or coffee shops and restaurants.)
Generally we travelled together by bus because the corps owned one bicycle only. It was very useful, like when my husband visited the outposts, carrying his concertina behind, or when I went to the market.
Another aspect of our ministry was to offer hospitality to Army personnel en route to their destinations when their ships docked. At first we were just as interested as the visitors to enjoy the tourist spots such as Penang Hill, Botanic Gardens and the Snake Temple etc. Towards the end of our three year term, I found it tiring, (with two young children) time consuming and expensive too, especially when some visitors would bring their newfound friends among their fellow travellers. In those days only the stipulated number of people advised by CHQ and officially listed cost of their meals only could be legitimately charged. However, we did get good cooperation from some Home officers, who took their turn to entertain those known to them.
Two months after our arrival in Penang, my sister Pui Sim announced her marriage to GOH Bin Lay on 19th January 1960. We dared not ask permission for both of us to be away from duty. Besides, we could hardly afford the fares. So only I attended the wedding.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 13
13 - SERVING GOD IN UNITED MINISTRY
My husband and I returned from our honeymoon to a warm welcome at Balestier Corps. I had met most of the corps comrades during our training days. The hall was a wooden building with an attap(thatched) roof at 48 Martaban Road, off Balestier Road. We had no running water nor electricity.
Corps Treasurer Mrs. Ong Kay Siang was the undisputed senior member of Balestier Corps. She and her own family lived upstairs of a shophouse along Balestier Road at 325-A. She was a midwife but at that time, was working in a government Family Planning clinic. Mr. and Mrs. Ong had four children – Ruth, Janet, Ellen and Andrew. She also had the care of an invalid mother-in-law. Living in another room was one of Mrs. Ong’s sisters, Mrs. Norman Lim. She and her husband had six offsprings, namely James, Beatrice, Johnny, Phillip, Grace and Charles. In spite of the big population in her home, Mrs. Ong always kept an open house to all the corps folk!
As there were no cadets in training, CHQ allocated us part of the Training College as our quarters. Our bedroom was the one I had shared with Cadet Chan Chin Chai four years before! We had the use of the sitting cum dining room area. My kitchen was the space at the bottom of the back stairs with a hotplate for a stove. I shared a common sink for washing up with the few single lady officers and employees on CHQ. Likewise we shared a common laundry, bathroom and toilet for ladies. Similarly my husband had to share the public facilities for men. However, we were comfortable enough, and were blissfully happy serving the Lord in united ministry.
As to be expected, there were minor adjustments to be made. Initially, I did not recognise myself when addressed as Mrs. Lim, especially in Balestier Corps because there were a number of other women also known as such! Among the Chinese people all over the world, “Lim” is one of the most common surnames, like “Tan” and “Lee” etc.
Living above CHQ, it was quite convenient for us to be called upon in any emergency. One day CHQ decided that I would work three mornings a week, as translator for Brigadier Thelma Watson, the Social Secretary. Many of her clients who came for help were non English-speaking. For my service our corps was given an additional grant. This certainly helped with our corps budget towards self support. My husband’s predecessor was Major Ivy Wilson, a single lady officer. Now that he was married more income was needed! However, I was cheaper than if he had a single for an assistant!
A married woman officer was and still is paid 60% of her husband’s allowance. In those days she did not even receive nor sign for it, but the amount was added and given to her husband. The first time my husband received his allowance as a married man, he felt so rich! On the other hand, I felt as if I lost my job, with no income of my own! It was not till 40 years later, that the ruling changed. Now the allowance of a married couple is divided equally and each spouse sign for half!
I used to be the envy of everyone working on CHQ when my beloved brought me a cup of coffee mid morning. He knew that I did not enjoy the lukewarm cup of tea served by Enche Harun who was the cleaner on CHQ!
Most afternoons after lunch, my husband and I would travel to the Balestier area by bus no. 1, boarding at the stop right in front of CHQ. It would have begun its journey from Kepple Harbour and would terminate at Moulmein Green, right outside the Middleton Hospital which is now the Skin and Communicable Disease Centre. It was a short walk to Towner Road where the corps operated a kindergarten. Mrs. Irene Lim, the mother of Mrs. Emelie Wee, now of Changi Corps, was a government primary school teacher, and in charge of the morning session. Miss Lai Sui Hong, Home League Treasurer of Balestier Corps, took charge of the afternoon session.
Part of the income from the kindergarten went towards the corps budget and the rest to the corps building fund.
Most of the corps folk lived within the vicinity of the corps. After our scheduled time at the kindergarten to conduct the singing or Joy Hour, we did our corps visitation. The weekly activities included Home League, Corps Cadet class, singing and band practices and Torchbearer Youth Group. Usually we did not return home till late at night as public transportation was not as efficient then.
All too soon our term of service in Balestier Corps came to an end. Farewell orders came in November 1959. Three weeks later we were on our way to Penang Corps!
My husband and I returned from our honeymoon to a warm welcome at Balestier Corps. I had met most of the corps comrades during our training days. The hall was a wooden building with an attap(thatched) roof at 48 Martaban Road, off Balestier Road. We had no running water nor electricity.
Corps Treasurer Mrs. Ong Kay Siang was the undisputed senior member of Balestier Corps. She and her own family lived upstairs of a shophouse along Balestier Road at 325-A. She was a midwife but at that time, was working in a government Family Planning clinic. Mr. and Mrs. Ong had four children – Ruth, Janet, Ellen and Andrew. She also had the care of an invalid mother-in-law. Living in another room was one of Mrs. Ong’s sisters, Mrs. Norman Lim. She and her husband had six offsprings, namely James, Beatrice, Johnny, Phillip, Grace and Charles. In spite of the big population in her home, Mrs. Ong always kept an open house to all the corps folk!
As there were no cadets in training, CHQ allocated us part of the Training College as our quarters. Our bedroom was the one I had shared with Cadet Chan Chin Chai four years before! We had the use of the sitting cum dining room area. My kitchen was the space at the bottom of the back stairs with a hotplate for a stove. I shared a common sink for washing up with the few single lady officers and employees on CHQ. Likewise we shared a common laundry, bathroom and toilet for ladies. Similarly my husband had to share the public facilities for men. However, we were comfortable enough, and were blissfully happy serving the Lord in united ministry.
As to be expected, there were minor adjustments to be made. Initially, I did not recognise myself when addressed as Mrs. Lim, especially in Balestier Corps because there were a number of other women also known as such! Among the Chinese people all over the world, “Lim” is one of the most common surnames, like “Tan” and “Lee” etc.
Living above CHQ, it was quite convenient for us to be called upon in any emergency. One day CHQ decided that I would work three mornings a week, as translator for Brigadier Thelma Watson, the Social Secretary. Many of her clients who came for help were non English-speaking. For my service our corps was given an additional grant. This certainly helped with our corps budget towards self support. My husband’s predecessor was Major Ivy Wilson, a single lady officer. Now that he was married more income was needed! However, I was cheaper than if he had a single for an assistant!
A married woman officer was and still is paid 60% of her husband’s allowance. In those days she did not even receive nor sign for it, but the amount was added and given to her husband. The first time my husband received his allowance as a married man, he felt so rich! On the other hand, I felt as if I lost my job, with no income of my own! It was not till 40 years later, that the ruling changed. Now the allowance of a married couple is divided equally and each spouse sign for half!
I used to be the envy of everyone working on CHQ when my beloved brought me a cup of coffee mid morning. He knew that I did not enjoy the lukewarm cup of tea served by Enche Harun who was the cleaner on CHQ!
Most afternoons after lunch, my husband and I would travel to the Balestier area by bus no. 1, boarding at the stop right in front of CHQ. It would have begun its journey from Kepple Harbour and would terminate at Moulmein Green, right outside the Middleton Hospital which is now the Skin and Communicable Disease Centre. It was a short walk to Towner Road where the corps operated a kindergarten. Mrs. Irene Lim, the mother of Mrs. Emelie Wee, now of Changi Corps, was a government primary school teacher, and in charge of the morning session. Miss Lai Sui Hong, Home League Treasurer of Balestier Corps, took charge of the afternoon session.
Part of the income from the kindergarten went towards the corps budget and the rest to the corps building fund.
Most of the corps folk lived within the vicinity of the corps. After our scheduled time at the kindergarten to conduct the singing or Joy Hour, we did our corps visitation. The weekly activities included Home League, Corps Cadet class, singing and band practices and Torchbearer Youth Group. Usually we did not return home till late at night as public transportation was not as efficient then.
All too soon our term of service in Balestier Corps came to an end. Farewell orders came in November 1959. Three weeks later we were on our way to Penang Corps!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 12
12 - THE FIRST NATIONAL OFFICERS ARMY WEDDING
In 1957 Lieut. Colonel John and Mrs. Helena Blake, from Australia Southern Territory, and serving in the Pakistan Territory, were appointed here as the Command leaders. With the commissioning of the Faithful Session in July 1957, we now had a whole bunch of Lieutenants. We were joined by Lt. and Mrs. Ken and Betty Spikin from Australia and Lt. Moira Wright from New Zealand.
We planned our wedding to coincide with the Command Anniversary the following year. We felt that this would help the officers stationed outside Singapore with travelling arrangements. Fortunately permission was granted, so I was farewelled from Malacca at the end of May 1958 and stayed with Chim Ku Ma at Dhoby Ghaut a few days before the event. Lieutenant and Mrs. Ken and Betty Spikin, in charge of Singapore Children’s Home, very kindly arranged a “kitchen shower” for us among the officers. This was all new to us, but their thoughtful gesture was much appreciated. Our guests came with articles for kitchen use, like a rolling pin, a spatula etc. Later on we found there was also a combined gift of a clock from all the officers in the command! It was all right because we were ignorant of its significance among the Chinese who are superstitious!
Our wedding took place on 7th June 1958, the Saturday morning of the anniversary weekend. We still have a copy of the order of service conducted by Lt-Colonel John Blake, the OC, and Major Arthur Hall, the CO of Central Corps. Lt. Ken Spikin was the flagbearer, Lt-Colonel Bertha Grey, the Social Secretary prayed; Captain Norina Staples read the Bible; and Lieut. Ruth and her sister Janet of Balestier Corps, sang a duet. Captain Tan Eng Soon was the Bestman while my sister Pui Sim and Lt. Chan Chin Chai were my bridesmaids. Ku Cheong, Mr. Ho Pak Khuan “gave me away in marriage.”
Most of the wedding guests came from the Balestier and Singapore Central Corps. However, a few of the boys from the Youth Group, led by Ng Kim Loh, cycled from Malacca, staying overnight at a police station on the way. It took them more than one day to make the journey!
We were married in uniform of course. I also wore an SA tricoloured sash over the white uniform dress. We needed to hire a car, so my request was for a red car, and decorated with white ribbons. My beloved could not find a car with that colour, as almost all cars were black in those days. Major Hall very kind loaned us his personal dark green car which he had bought with a legacy from his father. So I had pink ribbons, but they were almost white by the afternoon, being in the hot sun! The driver was Enche Aziz from CHQ.
Immediately after the wedding service a reception was held in the front garden of a Home for missionaries at Cairnhill Road. The English people who ran this place did a very good job when they catered for the wedding of Lt. and Mrs. Douglas and Jean Kiff the year before . They were just as kind and good in doing the same favour for us. It was an English garden buffet tea party, serving finger-food like sandwiches, cakes etc. There was a carpet in the middle of the lawn for our three-tiered wedding cake on a small table. The top tier was a real cake, but the other two were dummies. When we cut into the bottom cake, a trap door opened, and inside were slices of fruit cake wrapped in silver foil, ready for distribution to the guests. It was made to order from a shop in Orchard Road, costing $75.00 which was half my monthly income! We did not have much ready cash, so my beloved and I took turns to draw from our post office savings accounts for the various expenses leading up to the wedding.
We did not have a dinner, not even for our relatives. I arranged for my sister to send my father and our overseas friends a piece of the wedding cake for each family, packed in a special box. Years later, I heard from our stepmother that Father was very pleased, although he never quite forgave me for disobeying him when he forbad me to answer God’s call to officership.
That evening we travelled by train to Kuala Lumpur on the first leg of our honeymoon, staying at a Chinese hotel. The next morning we went out to buy a newspaper and were recognised by the vendor who showed us a photo of ourselves in the Sunday Times! This happened, due to the initiative of our PR Officer, Major Stanley Gordon. We made news because it was the first Salvation Army wedding of national officers in this command, though we were number 9 in the wedding register.
On our return from furlough (in this case our honeymoon) I joined my husband in united service at Balestier Corps.
In 1957 Lieut. Colonel John and Mrs. Helena Blake, from Australia Southern Territory, and serving in the Pakistan Territory, were appointed here as the Command leaders. With the commissioning of the Faithful Session in July 1957, we now had a whole bunch of Lieutenants. We were joined by Lt. and Mrs. Ken and Betty Spikin from Australia and Lt. Moira Wright from New Zealand.
We planned our wedding to coincide with the Command Anniversary the following year. We felt that this would help the officers stationed outside Singapore with travelling arrangements. Fortunately permission was granted, so I was farewelled from Malacca at the end of May 1958 and stayed with Chim Ku Ma at Dhoby Ghaut a few days before the event. Lieutenant and Mrs. Ken and Betty Spikin, in charge of Singapore Children’s Home, very kindly arranged a “kitchen shower” for us among the officers. This was all new to us, but their thoughtful gesture was much appreciated. Our guests came with articles for kitchen use, like a rolling pin, a spatula etc. Later on we found there was also a combined gift of a clock from all the officers in the command! It was all right because we were ignorant of its significance among the Chinese who are superstitious!
Our wedding took place on 7th June 1958, the Saturday morning of the anniversary weekend. We still have a copy of the order of service conducted by Lt-Colonel John Blake, the OC, and Major Arthur Hall, the CO of Central Corps. Lt. Ken Spikin was the flagbearer, Lt-Colonel Bertha Grey, the Social Secretary prayed; Captain Norina Staples read the Bible; and Lieut. Ruth and her sister Janet of Balestier Corps, sang a duet. Captain Tan Eng Soon was the Bestman while my sister Pui Sim and Lt. Chan Chin Chai were my bridesmaids. Ku Cheong, Mr. Ho Pak Khuan “gave me away in marriage.”
Most of the wedding guests came from the Balestier and Singapore Central Corps. However, a few of the boys from the Youth Group, led by Ng Kim Loh, cycled from Malacca, staying overnight at a police station on the way. It took them more than one day to make the journey!
We were married in uniform of course. I also wore an SA tricoloured sash over the white uniform dress. We needed to hire a car, so my request was for a red car, and decorated with white ribbons. My beloved could not find a car with that colour, as almost all cars were black in those days. Major Hall very kind loaned us his personal dark green car which he had bought with a legacy from his father. So I had pink ribbons, but they were almost white by the afternoon, being in the hot sun! The driver was Enche Aziz from CHQ.
Immediately after the wedding service a reception was held in the front garden of a Home for missionaries at Cairnhill Road. The English people who ran this place did a very good job when they catered for the wedding of Lt. and Mrs. Douglas and Jean Kiff the year before . They were just as kind and good in doing the same favour for us. It was an English garden buffet tea party, serving finger-food like sandwiches, cakes etc. There was a carpet in the middle of the lawn for our three-tiered wedding cake on a small table. The top tier was a real cake, but the other two were dummies. When we cut into the bottom cake, a trap door opened, and inside were slices of fruit cake wrapped in silver foil, ready for distribution to the guests. It was made to order from a shop in Orchard Road, costing $75.00 which was half my monthly income! We did not have much ready cash, so my beloved and I took turns to draw from our post office savings accounts for the various expenses leading up to the wedding.
We did not have a dinner, not even for our relatives. I arranged for my sister to send my father and our overseas friends a piece of the wedding cake for each family, packed in a special box. Years later, I heard from our stepmother that Father was very pleased, although he never quite forgave me for disobeying him when he forbad me to answer God’s call to officership.
That evening we travelled by train to Kuala Lumpur on the first leg of our honeymoon, staying at a Chinese hotel. The next morning we went out to buy a newspaper and were recognised by the vendor who showed us a photo of ourselves in the Sunday Times! This happened, due to the initiative of our PR Officer, Major Stanley Gordon. We made news because it was the first Salvation Army wedding of national officers in this command, though we were number 9 in the wedding register.
On our return from furlough (in this case our honeymoon) I joined my husband in united service at Balestier Corps.
Monday, March 29, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 11
11. MY SECOND APPOINTMENT
After the Command Anniversary celebrations of 1956 I had my furlough in Malacca, staying with Mr. & Mrs. Tan Khia Fatt, while he was the branch manager of AIA there. They were soldiers of the corps and were very kind to Lt. Lim, their corps officer whom she referred to as her “younger brother.” Unfortunately Mrs. Tan Soo Lan is now suffering from Dementia, living with her son and his family in Bedok.
On 27th July 1957 Lt. Lim and I became engaged. In August 1957 the cadets of the Faithful Session were commissioned and one of them, Lt. Goh Siong Kheng, was appointed to Kuching Corps; I was then moved to Malacca Corps while Lt. Lim went to Balestier his home corps in Singapore.
Not long after my arrival into my second appointment I had my 21st birthday. Captain Staples bought a lovely cake but there were only two of us to eat it! I remember cutting it but forget what else happened. However, I still have my cards among the rest of the special ones received on the various significant occasions in my life!
Captain Staples and I followed the same busy schedule as our predecessor, Lt. Lim. There was Sunday morning Holiness Meeting at 10; Sunday school at 3 p.m.; Open-air meeting at 5 and Sunday evening Salvation Meeting at 7. Monday morning was always spent recording statistics and writing reports to CHQ. During the week, there were the usual meetings like Home League on Tuesday afternoon, Holiness Meeting on Thursday night, and classes for the Corps Cadets and tuition for the schoolchildren, Torchbearer youth group meeting on Friday evening and English meeting on Saturday. During the weekdays there was always the 18 hours per week visitation to be done. We travelled everywhere by bicycle, even for carolling with the youth almost every night in December before 25th.
We also had 2 lists of donors from whom we collected – one for Annual Appeal and the other monthly for the corps. One of our regular corps donors was Mrs. C.Y Chang, who was a sister of the well-known Mr. C. K. Tang of Singapore. Her husband, Mr. Chang, was a Methodist lay preacher and a great friend to the corps officers of Malacca. He used to help us at least once a week with the local dialect and in turn we assisted him in English. He was also always willing to conduct the meetings whenever the officers were out of town.
I
While I was stationed in Malacca, I was allowed to visit Singapore once in 6 weeks. I would leave Malacca by a Sing Liang bus on Wednesday morning. It was a journey of six hours, crossing two ferries, at Muar and Batu Pahat. At the end of the journey, my beloved would meet me at the bus station at Beach Road, Singapore about 5 p.m. to take me to the home of Chim Ku Ma and Ku Cheong at 41 Dhoby Ghuat. Lt. Lim and I would spend Wednesday evening strolling along Princess Elizabeth Walk, but he was careful to take me back by 9.30 p.m. because he himself wanted to be home by 10 p.m. Thursday was spent shopping for what I needed but mostly it was only look see, look see. Sometimes it was to visit his parents and other relatives. He always had my long-sleeved uniform ironed and white shoes cleaned ready for the United Thursday Night Holiness Meeting. We never missed attending this meeting. On Friday morning I had to catch the first bus back to Malacca.
After the Command Anniversary celebrations of 1956 I had my furlough in Malacca, staying with Mr. & Mrs. Tan Khia Fatt, while he was the branch manager of AIA there. They were soldiers of the corps and were very kind to Lt. Lim, their corps officer whom she referred to as her “younger brother.” Unfortunately Mrs. Tan Soo Lan is now suffering from Dementia, living with her son and his family in Bedok.
On 27th July 1957 Lt. Lim and I became engaged. In August 1957 the cadets of the Faithful Session were commissioned and one of them, Lt. Goh Siong Kheng, was appointed to Kuching Corps; I was then moved to Malacca Corps while Lt. Lim went to Balestier his home corps in Singapore.
Not long after my arrival into my second appointment I had my 21st birthday. Captain Staples bought a lovely cake but there were only two of us to eat it! I remember cutting it but forget what else happened. However, I still have my cards among the rest of the special ones received on the various significant occasions in my life!
Captain Staples and I followed the same busy schedule as our predecessor, Lt. Lim. There was Sunday morning Holiness Meeting at 10; Sunday school at 3 p.m.; Open-air meeting at 5 and Sunday evening Salvation Meeting at 7. Monday morning was always spent recording statistics and writing reports to CHQ. During the week, there were the usual meetings like Home League on Tuesday afternoon, Holiness Meeting on Thursday night, and classes for the Corps Cadets and tuition for the schoolchildren, Torchbearer youth group meeting on Friday evening and English meeting on Saturday. During the weekdays there was always the 18 hours per week visitation to be done. We travelled everywhere by bicycle, even for carolling with the youth almost every night in December before 25th.
We also had 2 lists of donors from whom we collected – one for Annual Appeal and the other monthly for the corps. One of our regular corps donors was Mrs. C.Y Chang, who was a sister of the well-known Mr. C. K. Tang of Singapore. Her husband, Mr. Chang, was a Methodist lay preacher and a great friend to the corps officers of Malacca. He used to help us at least once a week with the local dialect and in turn we assisted him in English. He was also always willing to conduct the meetings whenever the officers were out of town.
I
While I was stationed in Malacca, I was allowed to visit Singapore once in 6 weeks. I would leave Malacca by a Sing Liang bus on Wednesday morning. It was a journey of six hours, crossing two ferries, at Muar and Batu Pahat. At the end of the journey, my beloved would meet me at the bus station at Beach Road, Singapore about 5 p.m. to take me to the home of Chim Ku Ma and Ku Cheong at 41 Dhoby Ghuat. Lt. Lim and I would spend Wednesday evening strolling along Princess Elizabeth Walk, but he was careful to take me back by 9.30 p.m. because he himself wanted to be home by 10 p.m. Thursday was spent shopping for what I needed but mostly it was only look see, look see. Sometimes it was to visit his parents and other relatives. He always had my long-sleeved uniform ironed and white shoes cleaned ready for the United Thursday Night Holiness Meeting. We never missed attending this meeting. On Friday morning I had to catch the first bus back to Malacca.
Friday, March 19, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE -10
10. OC Played CUPID
As a corps cadet I had a pen pal in New Zealand, Corps Cadet Dorothy Rusher. When I was commissioned to Kuching, my Commanding Officer was Major Agnes Morgan, a New Zealander. She often wrote home with news about her work in Kuching. The editor of the New Zealand War was Major Leslie Rusher, Dorothy’s father. One day he made an appeal for a concertina for me. Soon I received a second-hand one! Earlier the same year, Lt. Lim also accepted an old concertina from a couple of Salvationists who had been to the International Youth Congress in 1950. Our OC, Colonel Harvey was a wizard with that instrument. On one of his visits to Melaka he gave him a short lesson after which Lt. Lim practised, playing it almost all day and night!
As I was having furlough after the Command Anniversary meetings he suggested that Lt. should also have his furlough at the same time. He also persuaded him to give me a lesson or two because he became quite good at it. The Colonel even made available a place for us to meet – in his own office, after 5 p.m. We did not feel comfortable being shut in the OC’s office, so we sat outside on the steps leading up to the lawn which in later years became a carpark. On our next lesson, I was impressed that the young man was thoughtful enough to bring some old newspapers as mats for us to sit!
The other officers teased us no end! Everyone thought the OC was playing cupid. Perhaps he was! In any case he readily gave us permission to correspond officially the following year, although we four lieutenants had kept in touch with each other from time to time.
After a period of correspondence we became engaged on 27th July 1957. Traditionally the Teochew way of announcing an engagement was to distribute peanut and sesame brittles wrapped in red paper. This his mother did, visiting their relatives and friends with the sweets.
The custom among the Cantonese was by visiting with boxes of cupcakes. We bought about a dozen boxes for our few relatives (ku mas) and their friends, giving a box to each family.
As a corps cadet I had a pen pal in New Zealand, Corps Cadet Dorothy Rusher. When I was commissioned to Kuching, my Commanding Officer was Major Agnes Morgan, a New Zealander. She often wrote home with news about her work in Kuching. The editor of the New Zealand War was Major Leslie Rusher, Dorothy’s father. One day he made an appeal for a concertina for me. Soon I received a second-hand one! Earlier the same year, Lt. Lim also accepted an old concertina from a couple of Salvationists who had been to the International Youth Congress in 1950. Our OC, Colonel Harvey was a wizard with that instrument. On one of his visits to Melaka he gave him a short lesson after which Lt. Lim practised, playing it almost all day and night!
As I was having furlough after the Command Anniversary meetings he suggested that Lt. should also have his furlough at the same time. He also persuaded him to give me a lesson or two because he became quite good at it. The Colonel even made available a place for us to meet – in his own office, after 5 p.m. We did not feel comfortable being shut in the OC’s office, so we sat outside on the steps leading up to the lawn which in later years became a carpark. On our next lesson, I was impressed that the young man was thoughtful enough to bring some old newspapers as mats for us to sit!
The other officers teased us no end! Everyone thought the OC was playing cupid. Perhaps he was! In any case he readily gave us permission to correspond officially the following year, although we four lieutenants had kept in touch with each other from time to time.
After a period of correspondence we became engaged on 27th July 1957. Traditionally the Teochew way of announcing an engagement was to distribute peanut and sesame brittles wrapped in red paper. This his mother did, visiting their relatives and friends with the sweets.
The custom among the Cantonese was by visiting with boxes of cupcakes. We bought about a dozen boxes for our few relatives (ku mas) and their friends, giving a box to each family.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 9
9 - CHINESE NEW YEAR
When I was growing up in the 50s in The Army Children’s Home in Singapore, those of us who had relatives could go home for Chinese New Year. My sister and I went back to Ku Ma wherever she was working, but we usually stayed with the Chow family. (Mrs. Chow was Pui Sim’s godmother whose family moved to Kuala Lumpur during the war.) They were very kind to us, always bought us each a pair of shoes every New Year. We were also taken out visiting and received angpows (red packets with money, often coins in those days) from their relatives and friends!
When Mother was alive, my sister and I always gave all our angpows to her for recycling because she had to reciprocate. When Ku Ma became our guardian we did the same.
This festival is sometimes called the Lunar New Year which is more accurate. It is referred to as Chinese New Year in Singapore because it is celebrated by the majority of people who are Han Chinese. In China it is called the Spring festival observed by the other oriental races like the Japanese and Koreans too.
I signed my candidate papers in August and sat for my Senior Cambridge exams in December 1953. I should be looking for a job to help out with the family budget. However, The Army’s Training College opened in January the next year. Soon it was Chinese New Year and the college was closed for the usual two days.
Being brought up by missionary officers in charge of the Children’s Home I was not familiar with my obligations as a young adult during the Lunar New Year. The Lord was good in that the first cook in the college, Madam Poon Wai Ying, was a mature woman who advised me what to do. As I was going to my Ku Ma I should buy something for the reunion dinner. I had no money, having spent what I had on getting my outfit for college. However, I had a little plain gold ring. She pawned it for $6.00 and bought some Chinese sausages and mandarin oranges for me to take home. (By the way, I did not have the means to redeem my ring.) It was the only Chinese New Year I was able to stay with Ku Ma, because she had rented a room to stay with my sister. By the time the next Lunar New Year came round I was commissioned to Kuching in Sarawak. It was a pity she did not live long enough for us to show some appreciation for all she did for us in the 12 years she was our guardian.
In October 1954 I was commissioned to Kuching, Sarawak which together with Sabah and Singapore joined Malaya to form Malaysia in l965. So for the first 14 years of my officership Chinese New Year was celebrated in Malaysia very much like in Singapore.
In January 1983 my husband and I were appointed to Hong Kong where the Lunar New Year was celebrated on a bigger scale, with dinners, dinners and more dinners in restaurants, grand displays of lion dances and fireworks. The children enjoyed two weeks school holidays. Our appointment lasted more than 7 and a half years, before we received another to the Philippines for 3 years, followed by 4 in London.
In the Philippines, this festival was not marked as a public holiday. Neither was it in England. In Manila we had only one fellow reinforcement officer, Captain Edwards, whom we invited to share our reunion dinner. I should say “end of the year” dinner. After she returned to the States we had Captain Gillian Downer from UK to join us in service. She too was our guest for one end of the year meal. In London we had other Chinese friends who were serving away from home or visiting during that time of the year, to celebrate our end of the year meal. There were also times when we introduced this custom to some English friends by having them home for a steamboat meal.
One year Major Mrs. Blundell who had served in Hong Kong in bygone years, invited me to speak in a Home League meeting about the observance of the Chinese New Year. I spoke about the various customs of Singapore and Hong Kong in the observance of this festival. For the firing of crackers I had some balloons blown up and tied into a bunch. At the appropriate moment I pricked them one by one with a pin to burst them, making a terrible noise. At the end of the meeting each attendee received an angpow of chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil! It was the year of the Pig, and one very clever lady had baked little buns in the shape of piglets with a delicious meal cooked by the Home League ladies. It was fun! However one lady told me it was a different Home League Meeting!!
When I was growing up in the 50s in The Army Children’s Home in Singapore, those of us who had relatives could go home for Chinese New Year. My sister and I went back to Ku Ma wherever she was working, but we usually stayed with the Chow family. (Mrs. Chow was Pui Sim’s godmother whose family moved to Kuala Lumpur during the war.) They were very kind to us, always bought us each a pair of shoes every New Year. We were also taken out visiting and received angpows (red packets with money, often coins in those days) from their relatives and friends!
When Mother was alive, my sister and I always gave all our angpows to her for recycling because she had to reciprocate. When Ku Ma became our guardian we did the same.
This festival is sometimes called the Lunar New Year which is more accurate. It is referred to as Chinese New Year in Singapore because it is celebrated by the majority of people who are Han Chinese. In China it is called the Spring festival observed by the other oriental races like the Japanese and Koreans too.
I signed my candidate papers in August and sat for my Senior Cambridge exams in December 1953. I should be looking for a job to help out with the family budget. However, The Army’s Training College opened in January the next year. Soon it was Chinese New Year and the college was closed for the usual two days.
Being brought up by missionary officers in charge of the Children’s Home I was not familiar with my obligations as a young adult during the Lunar New Year. The Lord was good in that the first cook in the college, Madam Poon Wai Ying, was a mature woman who advised me what to do. As I was going to my Ku Ma I should buy something for the reunion dinner. I had no money, having spent what I had on getting my outfit for college. However, I had a little plain gold ring. She pawned it for $6.00 and bought some Chinese sausages and mandarin oranges for me to take home. (By the way, I did not have the means to redeem my ring.) It was the only Chinese New Year I was able to stay with Ku Ma, because she had rented a room to stay with my sister. By the time the next Lunar New Year came round I was commissioned to Kuching in Sarawak. It was a pity she did not live long enough for us to show some appreciation for all she did for us in the 12 years she was our guardian.
In October 1954 I was commissioned to Kuching, Sarawak which together with Sabah and Singapore joined Malaya to form Malaysia in l965. So for the first 14 years of my officership Chinese New Year was celebrated in Malaysia very much like in Singapore.
In January 1983 my husband and I were appointed to Hong Kong where the Lunar New Year was celebrated on a bigger scale, with dinners, dinners and more dinners in restaurants, grand displays of lion dances and fireworks. The children enjoyed two weeks school holidays. Our appointment lasted more than 7 and a half years, before we received another to the Philippines for 3 years, followed by 4 in London.
In the Philippines, this festival was not marked as a public holiday. Neither was it in England. In Manila we had only one fellow reinforcement officer, Captain Edwards, whom we invited to share our reunion dinner. I should say “end of the year” dinner. After she returned to the States we had Captain Gillian Downer from UK to join us in service. She too was our guest for one end of the year meal. In London we had other Chinese friends who were serving away from home or visiting during that time of the year, to celebrate our end of the year meal. There were also times when we introduced this custom to some English friends by having them home for a steamboat meal.
One year Major Mrs. Blundell who had served in Hong Kong in bygone years, invited me to speak in a Home League meeting about the observance of the Chinese New Year. I spoke about the various customs of Singapore and Hong Kong in the observance of this festival. For the firing of crackers I had some balloons blown up and tied into a bunch. At the appropriate moment I pricked them one by one with a pin to burst them, making a terrible noise. At the end of the meeting each attendee received an angpow of chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil! It was the year of the Pig, and one very clever lady had baked little buns in the shape of piglets with a delicious meal cooked by the Home League ladies. It was fun! However one lady told me it was a different Home League Meeting!!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 8
8. THE HOME CALL of KU MA
During the 1950s life was simply and rather routine compared to these days. As corps officers we were busy enough though. The highlight of the year was the anniversary of The Army’s beginnings in the Singapore and Malaya Command, usually celebrated the last weekend in May. As there were only the Children’s Home and Corps in Kuching then, the officers of each centre attended the Anniversary every other year, while the others held the fort.
After the celebrations, we would take our annual furlough which was only two weeks for lieutenants and three weeks for captains onwards, including travelling time! Our means of travelling to and from Kuching was by weekend boat; this would take more than two weeks! It seemed that Lieutenant Chan and I would not be able to have our annual leave in Singapore then, because our time away would exceed a fortnight! However, Colonel Harvey was very kind. He allowed us to travel one way by plane! Unheard of! The other officers thought we were thoroughly spoilt! Imagine how excited Lt. Chan and I were!
Ku Ma, my aunt, was envious of me travelling by air! She had never been out of Singapore from the day she first arrived in Singapore in a cargo boat from China, some twenty years earlier. I promised that I would save enough to buy her a plane ticket to visit me in Kuching.
However, this was not to be because before the end of the year she passed away.
Ku Ma had started to attend Sunday worship at the Chinese YMCA. During my two weeks of furlough, each Sunday I went with her to a Cantonese service. (There was no Chinese ministry in The Army then.)
We had no idea that she was suffering from kidney problems. Even when she was sick in Kwong Wai Siew Hospital, she asked to keep it from me. The time came when she was transferred to Sago Lane, no church or pastor would minister to her because my aunt was not baptized. The Army came to the rescue; Major Tan Eng Soon visited her. (He was the father of Christina Ng and grandfather of Sharon, Kathryn and Benjamin of Central Corps) A telegram was sent me in Kuching but was not received till three days later! A second one arrived informing me of her Home call. Somehow, I arrived at the Singapore airport, whisked straight to the Bidadari Cemetery to an Army funeral with a band on duty! This was all possible, thanks to the mercy of God and the efficiency of the PR officer, Major Stan Gordon.
My sister finished her Senior Cambridge Exams on 10th and the Lord took Ku Ma Home on 15th December 1955. This was exactly two years after I went to The Army Training College. At first I had a sense of regret for not acceding to her request to postpone my training till Pui Sim finished her crucial exams, to enable us to share some family life together. However, I have a clear conscience because I had made my decision based on the Word of our Lord – that Jesus should have precedence in all things. (Matt 10: 37) In any case, I believe the Lord took my Ku Ma to a mansion in glory, better than any palace on earth! (She was living with my sister in a little room at the back of the basement of a big house in Cairnhill Circle where I stayed them while on furlough.)
When Ku Ma passed away my sister was 17 years old, and had to wait till the following year to enter the Teachers Training College. She spent those few months with me in Kuching. Major Willis, Superintendent of the Kuching Children’s Home was very kind, giving her a temporary job in the section for a few elderly ladies. On her return to Singapore, Pui Sim boarded with Chim Ku Ma, one of Father’s cousins and married to Ho Pak Khuan.
In recent years when the government needed more land to build homes for the living, there was a big exhumation at Bidadari Cemetery. My husband and I accepted the government’s offer of a niche at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium for Ku Ma, located at:-
FONG HENG
Blk. Level A – 03
Room 08, #134
During the 1950s life was simply and rather routine compared to these days. As corps officers we were busy enough though. The highlight of the year was the anniversary of The Army’s beginnings in the Singapore and Malaya Command, usually celebrated the last weekend in May. As there were only the Children’s Home and Corps in Kuching then, the officers of each centre attended the Anniversary every other year, while the others held the fort.
After the celebrations, we would take our annual furlough which was only two weeks for lieutenants and three weeks for captains onwards, including travelling time! Our means of travelling to and from Kuching was by weekend boat; this would take more than two weeks! It seemed that Lieutenant Chan and I would not be able to have our annual leave in Singapore then, because our time away would exceed a fortnight! However, Colonel Harvey was very kind. He allowed us to travel one way by plane! Unheard of! The other officers thought we were thoroughly spoilt! Imagine how excited Lt. Chan and I were!
Ku Ma, my aunt, was envious of me travelling by air! She had never been out of Singapore from the day she first arrived in Singapore in a cargo boat from China, some twenty years earlier. I promised that I would save enough to buy her a plane ticket to visit me in Kuching.
However, this was not to be because before the end of the year she passed away.
Ku Ma had started to attend Sunday worship at the Chinese YMCA. During my two weeks of furlough, each Sunday I went with her to a Cantonese service. (There was no Chinese ministry in The Army then.)
We had no idea that she was suffering from kidney problems. Even when she was sick in Kwong Wai Siew Hospital, she asked to keep it from me. The time came when she was transferred to Sago Lane, no church or pastor would minister to her because my aunt was not baptized. The Army came to the rescue; Major Tan Eng Soon visited her. (He was the father of Christina Ng and grandfather of Sharon, Kathryn and Benjamin of Central Corps) A telegram was sent me in Kuching but was not received till three days later! A second one arrived informing me of her Home call. Somehow, I arrived at the Singapore airport, whisked straight to the Bidadari Cemetery to an Army funeral with a band on duty! This was all possible, thanks to the mercy of God and the efficiency of the PR officer, Major Stan Gordon.
My sister finished her Senior Cambridge Exams on 10th and the Lord took Ku Ma Home on 15th December 1955. This was exactly two years after I went to The Army Training College. At first I had a sense of regret for not acceding to her request to postpone my training till Pui Sim finished her crucial exams, to enable us to share some family life together. However, I have a clear conscience because I had made my decision based on the Word of our Lord – that Jesus should have precedence in all things. (Matt 10: 37) In any case, I believe the Lord took my Ku Ma to a mansion in glory, better than any palace on earth! (She was living with my sister in a little room at the back of the basement of a big house in Cairnhill Circle where I stayed them while on furlough.)
When Ku Ma passed away my sister was 17 years old, and had to wait till the following year to enter the Teachers Training College. She spent those few months with me in Kuching. Major Willis, Superintendent of the Kuching Children’s Home was very kind, giving her a temporary job in the section for a few elderly ladies. On her return to Singapore, Pui Sim boarded with Chim Ku Ma, one of Father’s cousins and married to Ho Pak Khuan.
In recent years when the government needed more land to build homes for the living, there was a big exhumation at Bidadari Cemetery. My husband and I accepted the government’s offer of a niche at Choa Chu Kang Columbarium for Ku Ma, located at:-
FONG HENG
Blk. Level A – 03
Room 08, #134
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 7
7 - MY FIRST APPOINTMENT
Lieutenant Chan and I travelled to our first appointments in Kuching on a cargo boat. The Officer Commanding drove us to Clifford Pier from where we boarded a launch which took us to the outer shores. We climbed up a plank suspended by ropes to board the Bentong. Then the OC went back to Clifford Pier. Lt-Colonel Harvey was a very kind and fatherly Officer Commanding indeed!
Lieutenant Chan and I were poor sailors; we soon became seasick! It took us 36 hours crossing the South China Sea before arriving at Pending where the boat berthed. Major Elsie Willis the matron of the Kuching Children’s Home, met us. She had been the very first Salvation Army officer who was in charge of the Singapore Children’s Home before the war. Now I came under her wings again!
In 1950 The Army was invited by the governor, Sir Anthony Abel, to open a Home for children in Kuching when Sarawak was under British administration like Singapore. The pioneer was Major Willis. Permission was granted for a Corps to be started as well and Captain Agnes Morgan was appointed the first Corps Officer of Kuching. Lieutenant Chan and I were the first national officers to be appointed to Sarawak.
Prior to our commissioning, Captain Morgan had an accident as she cycled home after a Sunday night meeting. She had to be hospitalised with a fractured neck. So my first duty was to visit, read the Bible and prayed with my Corps Officer! After her discharge from the hospital she had to continue wearing a plastic collar for sometime. I learnt how to comb her hair made two plaits and wound them up and round her head forming a hair band. Captain suggested that I also do my hair the same way or in a bun! It would save money, instead of spending $10.00 on a perm. The first time I had my hair permed was on the instruction of the Training Principal because I looked too much like a schoolgirl! I guess it would have been very practical and helpful to accept my Captain’s advice!
I received my very first pay packet as a brand new Lieutenant with a gross allowance of S$150.00 per month. I requested Headquarters in Singapore to deduct part of my allowance for my sister to collect each month. In his concern for me the OC thought $20.00 was a fair amount. In those days every officer had to contribute $5.00 monthly to the pension fund. So, from the grant for Kuching Corps I received $125.00 each month. Then my first obligation was my tithe, $15.00 followed by housekeeping. It was reckoned that half of our total allowance would be required for this item. Captain and I shelled out $70.00 each, and took turns to keep the monthly accounts, covering expenses like food, electricity, gas, newspapers and other household necessities. Social officers stationed in a Home, paid $2.00 per month for the use of the Home refrigerator. Captain had a small one given by her sister from New Zealand. I felt likewise I should pay her $2.00 for my use of it.
I learnt from Captain to write home once a week which meant I needed to budget for postage, especially at Christmas time! She was a good teacher on thrift too. Absolutely nothing was ever wasted; every paper clip, pin, or rubber band was recycled. Through careful budgeting I saved up enough to buy a Bible concordance at $15.00 on my first visit to Singapore for the Command Anniversary! By the time I left Kuching, after almost three years in that town, I also had bought a second-hand Singer Sewing machine costing $100.00, paid for by installments! (By the way this is still in use!)
The corps hall was located above a wooden attap hut. In bygone years the building had been a private Chinese school. Now the ground floor was a motor mechanic shop; partitioned behind was a room where a very elderly teacher and his wife lived. A narrow staircase led up to our corps hall with a couple of wooden tables and several long benches. Before my departure from Singapore I was teased - I might fall through the floor boards because I weighed only 38 kg, or I could shake the building down should I put on too much weight! It was true that the whole place swayed when the children ran across the hall!
Our corps quarters was a rented unit of a row of flats in Ban Hock Road, next to a Hindu temple. The front portion was our sitting cum dining room. Half the back was our kitchen, bathroom and toilet, while the other half was an open courtyard. The whole of upstairs was only half the length of the building, partitioned into two bedrooms; Captain had the front room, and I had the back one which looked down to the courtyard.
Right behind was a big house in which lived the Chan family. I learnt to ride the bike, going up and down the driveway. A few years later, the government acquired the stately home for The Army to run a Boys’ Home, which is still there, though some extensions have been made. In 1965 the building in front of the Home was erected by the government as quarters for the superintendant.
In the 50’s most people travelled about on bicycles. Cars were few and far between. At first I went around by bus. There were no fixed times, routes nor bus stops to board. We simply told the driver our destination and he would drop us off as and when he got there! This was incentive enough for me to learn to ride my bike soonest possible!
Like many towns in Malaya and Singapore then, even now, majority of the population were Chinese, with Hokkien widely used. In the Kuching corps district many were fisherfolk, whose dialect was Hingwha. My own dialect is Cantonese so I had to learn Hokkien, especially Biblical terms. Usually Captain spoke in Mandarin and I translated into Hokkien, though we did our preparation in English!
The corps programme was a busy one. Sunday morning began with a prayer meeting at 8.00 am. at our quarters. After breakfast we cycled to the corps about a mile away, for the Holiness Meeting at 10.00 am. Then it was back to the quarters for a cold lunch –usually a can of luncheon meat or corned beef, mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables, all prepared the day before. After a short rest it was back to the corps, for the Sunday school at 3.00 p.m. The evening Salvation Meeting at 6.00 p.m. was preceded by an open-air meeting at 5.00 pm. As the corps was new we had no local officers except for Major Willis who acted as Corps Secretary. As the corps assistant officer, I did most of the housework like cleaning, cooking and washing up. However, Captain would not let me do her personal laundry.
Monday morning was spent in doing the corps books, like filling in the statistics. Captain would write her report and answer CHQ mail etc. on her personal typewriter. Monday afternoon was our free time, but I had my monthly probationary, then advanced lessons to do and sent to CHQ to be marked.
At first the corps folk thought I was kid and asked why I was not going to school! I was often mistakened as one of the girls in the Home. Three weeks after my arrival to the corps I had my 18th birthday. I was still addressed as Ah Moi when out in the streets! Perhaps if I had added to my weight of 85 lbs. and height of 5ft., it would have helped!
Every Tuesday afternoon a Home League Meeting was held at the corps hall as an outreach programme for women. Wednesday was spent visiting the corps folk in their homes, but there was a weekly Junior and a Senior Soldiers’ Meeting at the corps. It was easier for Captain and I to cycle to the Children’s Home which was some distance from town than for a crowd to be transported to the corps. So, every Thursday afternoon was spent at the Home where we conducted the activities of a Brownie Pack and a Girl Guide Company. After our evening meal with the Home officers we also conducted the Junior and Senior meetings before cycling home. The programmes of the Brownies and Girl Guides were repeated every Friday at the corps hall. Saturday afternoon was Joy Hour with the children before cleaning the hall ready for Sunday morning Worship and Sunday School in the afternoon, an open-air meeting prior to the Sunday Night Meeting.
MY CO, Captain Morgan was a great fan of the Baden Powell Movement - Girl Guides and Brownies, Boy Scouts and Cubs. Growing up, I had been a Sunbeam and Life-Saving Guard (the The Army’s counterpart.) Being the Assistant Corps Officer I was involved with all the YP Corps activities even though some of them were not my cup of tea! I had never camped overnight before, not under a tent. I now had to help run a camp where we had to set up canvas tents, make our own tables and seats from bamboo sticks and ropes, cook over an open fire and draw water from a stream. One of the first essential duties was to build a fence around a small area for bathroom and toilet which was a hole dug in the ground. One of the tests for the girls was a three mile walk, and to boil water for a cup of tea midway on the trip. This was done on our last day of camp. I was really glad when it was all over!
In August 1957 I farewelled from Kuching to Melacca Corps; and Lt. Goh Siong Kheng from the FAITHFUL Session of cadets was commissioned to Kuching Corps.
Thus ended my three happy years in my first appointment!
Lieutenant Chan and I travelled to our first appointments in Kuching on a cargo boat. The Officer Commanding drove us to Clifford Pier from where we boarded a launch which took us to the outer shores. We climbed up a plank suspended by ropes to board the Bentong. Then the OC went back to Clifford Pier. Lt-Colonel Harvey was a very kind and fatherly Officer Commanding indeed!
Lieutenant Chan and I were poor sailors; we soon became seasick! It took us 36 hours crossing the South China Sea before arriving at Pending where the boat berthed. Major Elsie Willis the matron of the Kuching Children’s Home, met us. She had been the very first Salvation Army officer who was in charge of the Singapore Children’s Home before the war. Now I came under her wings again!
In 1950 The Army was invited by the governor, Sir Anthony Abel, to open a Home for children in Kuching when Sarawak was under British administration like Singapore. The pioneer was Major Willis. Permission was granted for a Corps to be started as well and Captain Agnes Morgan was appointed the first Corps Officer of Kuching. Lieutenant Chan and I were the first national officers to be appointed to Sarawak.
Prior to our commissioning, Captain Morgan had an accident as she cycled home after a Sunday night meeting. She had to be hospitalised with a fractured neck. So my first duty was to visit, read the Bible and prayed with my Corps Officer! After her discharge from the hospital she had to continue wearing a plastic collar for sometime. I learnt how to comb her hair made two plaits and wound them up and round her head forming a hair band. Captain suggested that I also do my hair the same way or in a bun! It would save money, instead of spending $10.00 on a perm. The first time I had my hair permed was on the instruction of the Training Principal because I looked too much like a schoolgirl! I guess it would have been very practical and helpful to accept my Captain’s advice!
I received my very first pay packet as a brand new Lieutenant with a gross allowance of S$150.00 per month. I requested Headquarters in Singapore to deduct part of my allowance for my sister to collect each month. In his concern for me the OC thought $20.00 was a fair amount. In those days every officer had to contribute $5.00 monthly to the pension fund. So, from the grant for Kuching Corps I received $125.00 each month. Then my first obligation was my tithe, $15.00 followed by housekeeping. It was reckoned that half of our total allowance would be required for this item. Captain and I shelled out $70.00 each, and took turns to keep the monthly accounts, covering expenses like food, electricity, gas, newspapers and other household necessities. Social officers stationed in a Home, paid $2.00 per month for the use of the Home refrigerator. Captain had a small one given by her sister from New Zealand. I felt likewise I should pay her $2.00 for my use of it.
I learnt from Captain to write home once a week which meant I needed to budget for postage, especially at Christmas time! She was a good teacher on thrift too. Absolutely nothing was ever wasted; every paper clip, pin, or rubber band was recycled. Through careful budgeting I saved up enough to buy a Bible concordance at $15.00 on my first visit to Singapore for the Command Anniversary! By the time I left Kuching, after almost three years in that town, I also had bought a second-hand Singer Sewing machine costing $100.00, paid for by installments! (By the way this is still in use!)
The corps hall was located above a wooden attap hut. In bygone years the building had been a private Chinese school. Now the ground floor was a motor mechanic shop; partitioned behind was a room where a very elderly teacher and his wife lived. A narrow staircase led up to our corps hall with a couple of wooden tables and several long benches. Before my departure from Singapore I was teased - I might fall through the floor boards because I weighed only 38 kg, or I could shake the building down should I put on too much weight! It was true that the whole place swayed when the children ran across the hall!
Our corps quarters was a rented unit of a row of flats in Ban Hock Road, next to a Hindu temple. The front portion was our sitting cum dining room. Half the back was our kitchen, bathroom and toilet, while the other half was an open courtyard. The whole of upstairs was only half the length of the building, partitioned into two bedrooms; Captain had the front room, and I had the back one which looked down to the courtyard.
Right behind was a big house in which lived the Chan family. I learnt to ride the bike, going up and down the driveway. A few years later, the government acquired the stately home for The Army to run a Boys’ Home, which is still there, though some extensions have been made. In 1965 the building in front of the Home was erected by the government as quarters for the superintendant.
In the 50’s most people travelled about on bicycles. Cars were few and far between. At first I went around by bus. There were no fixed times, routes nor bus stops to board. We simply told the driver our destination and he would drop us off as and when he got there! This was incentive enough for me to learn to ride my bike soonest possible!
Like many towns in Malaya and Singapore then, even now, majority of the population were Chinese, with Hokkien widely used. In the Kuching corps district many were fisherfolk, whose dialect was Hingwha. My own dialect is Cantonese so I had to learn Hokkien, especially Biblical terms. Usually Captain spoke in Mandarin and I translated into Hokkien, though we did our preparation in English!
The corps programme was a busy one. Sunday morning began with a prayer meeting at 8.00 am. at our quarters. After breakfast we cycled to the corps about a mile away, for the Holiness Meeting at 10.00 am. Then it was back to the quarters for a cold lunch –usually a can of luncheon meat or corned beef, mashed potatoes and boiled vegetables, all prepared the day before. After a short rest it was back to the corps, for the Sunday school at 3.00 p.m. The evening Salvation Meeting at 6.00 p.m. was preceded by an open-air meeting at 5.00 pm. As the corps was new we had no local officers except for Major Willis who acted as Corps Secretary. As the corps assistant officer, I did most of the housework like cleaning, cooking and washing up. However, Captain would not let me do her personal laundry.
Monday morning was spent in doing the corps books, like filling in the statistics. Captain would write her report and answer CHQ mail etc. on her personal typewriter. Monday afternoon was our free time, but I had my monthly probationary, then advanced lessons to do and sent to CHQ to be marked.
At first the corps folk thought I was kid and asked why I was not going to school! I was often mistakened as one of the girls in the Home. Three weeks after my arrival to the corps I had my 18th birthday. I was still addressed as Ah Moi when out in the streets! Perhaps if I had added to my weight of 85 lbs. and height of 5ft., it would have helped!
Every Tuesday afternoon a Home League Meeting was held at the corps hall as an outreach programme for women. Wednesday was spent visiting the corps folk in their homes, but there was a weekly Junior and a Senior Soldiers’ Meeting at the corps. It was easier for Captain and I to cycle to the Children’s Home which was some distance from town than for a crowd to be transported to the corps. So, every Thursday afternoon was spent at the Home where we conducted the activities of a Brownie Pack and a Girl Guide Company. After our evening meal with the Home officers we also conducted the Junior and Senior meetings before cycling home. The programmes of the Brownies and Girl Guides were repeated every Friday at the corps hall. Saturday afternoon was Joy Hour with the children before cleaning the hall ready for Sunday morning Worship and Sunday School in the afternoon, an open-air meeting prior to the Sunday Night Meeting.
MY CO, Captain Morgan was a great fan of the Baden Powell Movement - Girl Guides and Brownies, Boy Scouts and Cubs. Growing up, I had been a Sunbeam and Life-Saving Guard (the The Army’s counterpart.) Being the Assistant Corps Officer I was involved with all the YP Corps activities even though some of them were not my cup of tea! I had never camped overnight before, not under a tent. I now had to help run a camp where we had to set up canvas tents, make our own tables and seats from bamboo sticks and ropes, cook over an open fire and draw water from a stream. One of the first essential duties was to build a fence around a small area for bathroom and toilet which was a hole dug in the ground. One of the tests for the girls was a three mile walk, and to boil water for a cup of tea midway on the trip. This was done on our last day of camp. I was really glad when it was all over!
In August 1957 I farewelled from Kuching to Melacca Corps; and Lt. Goh Siong Kheng from the FAITHFUL Session of cadets was commissioned to Kuching Corps.
Thus ended my three happy years in my first appointment!
Friday, March 5, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 6
6 - TRAINING DAYS
In January 1954 the doors of the Training College reopened. It was located on the second floor of the extension or annex to the main building called Temple House of Tan Nyok Nee, at 207 Clemenceau Avenue. Before the war the Army had bought it for its Headquarters at $50,000 from the Anglican Church.
There were 4 cadets in the SHEPHERDS’ Session – the first after World War Two. My session mates were Cadets CHAN Chin Chai from Ipoh, LIM Ah Ang and TEO Poh Leng from Balestier. I entered training from Central. Cadet Chan Chin and I shared a room while the two boys shared another. The two bedrooms were separated by the Lecture hall. Outside the girls’ room was a space which served as our living area. A set of 4 rattan armchairs and a small round table, a small glass-door cabinet with 4 shelves of books as the library formed our lounge. Half of the area was our dining room with a heavy rectangular table, 6 upright chairs and a sideboard.
The then General Secretary, Major Will Price was appointed as the Training Officer but had to return to the UK at short notice. The Officer Commanding, Lt-Colonel Frederick, took over. Mrs. Lt-Colonel Mabel Harvey was acting Command Finance Officer, taught us Army Procedure and book-keeping. Captain Arthur Hall, Central Corps Officer took us in Bible and Army Doctrines and Mrs. Captain Vera Hall was our Home Officer. The Public Relation and Property Officer, Major Stanley Gordon, taught us music and singing. Lt. Jean Milton, the OC’s private secretary, gave us Field Training. The other officers filled in as required.
We did the cleaning and washing, and often the cooking too. For some reason or another there were a few changes of cooks during the nine months of our in-training! It was not the fault of us cadets! I suspected there was not enough money. The cooks used to ask me to help them write out their daily accounts. (most could not read nor write English.) The cook would be given $5.00 each morning for everything for the day - bread, margarine, jam, tea, sugar and milk for breakfast. Rice, meat or fish, vegetables, oil, salt for lunch and dinner, soap and other household essentials. We cadets had breakfast by ourselves, but a different officer joined us for lunch or dinner. There was no mid morning coffee, nor mid afternoon teatime. Sometimes the OC would give a treat of ice-cream when out visiting with us. The officers thought he spoilt us cadets!!
Once a week, the CO of Central would take us cadets out for an open-air meeting to invite the people to the meetings. Every Wednesday night we Cadets conducted a meeting at Central Corps, each one taking a turn to give the sermon. On every Thursday night there was a united Holiness Meeting, usually conducted by the OC or GS.
There was no corps officer at Balestier; the OC took us brigading on a Friday afternoon. The building was a very basic attap hut with no running water nor electricity. The hall was used as a kindergarten during the week. At the back of the hall was a small space partitioned off as a utility room. The first thing we cadets did each week was to empty the potties, stack up the little chairs, sweep the floor, and arrange the place ready for a meeting. Then we would hold a short open-air meeting nearby, invite the people to the corps‘s weekly activities, visit door-to-door, round up the children in the area, and proceed to the hall for a Y.P. Meeting.
Week night activities for us cadets included songster and band practices at Central Corps. Torchbearers, and a united Youth Group held on Friday evenings. House cleaning was done on Saturday mornings. Our free time was Saturday after lunch, but we had to be back in the evening for a united open-air meeting at the esplanade.
On Sundays we were assigned to Central or Balestier Corps, involving in its activities – Prayer and Holiness Meetings in the morning, Sunday School, open-air and Salvation Meetings in the afternoon and evening. A new outpost had just been started at Kolam Ayer, in the Kallang area. We cadets took turns to have afternoon tea at the OC’s quarters, and helped in the Sunday School held in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Sevanathan.
This was the beginning of the Tamil Corps, now called Eratchippu.
We were out three weeks for our Field Campaigns. The boys went to Malacca Corps and the girls to Penang Corps. It was the first trip out of the country for most of us. Another time we went for our Social Training. The boys went to Ipoh Boys’ Home and the girls to the Nursery Home in Singapore.
Once there was a request from a lady in England. Her son was doing his national service here. He fell in love with an Erasian girl and they decided to get married at the registry, without any fuss. Perhaps they were short of money. However, the mother appealed to The Army for help. One afternoon the OC conducted the wedding. We cadets and the staff on CHQ formed the congregation. Yours truly was assigned as bridesmaid! (This was part of our training?)
Three weeks prior to our Commissioning, Lieutenants Douglas Kiff and Jean Milton got married. The bride invited us two girl cadets to be her bridesmaids and the men cadets as ushers.
All too soon it was our Commissioning – 24-25 October 1964.
Probationary-Lieutenant LIM Ah Ang as CO to Malacca Corps.
Probationary-Lieutenant TEO Poh Leng as Assistant to Singapore Boys’ Home
Probationary-Lieutenant CHAN Chin Chye as Assistant to Kuching Girls’ Home
Probationary-Lieutenant FONG Pui Chan Assistant CO to Kuching Corps
In January 1954 the doors of the Training College reopened. It was located on the second floor of the extension or annex to the main building called Temple House of Tan Nyok Nee, at 207 Clemenceau Avenue. Before the war the Army had bought it for its Headquarters at $50,000 from the Anglican Church.
There were 4 cadets in the SHEPHERDS’ Session – the first after World War Two. My session mates were Cadets CHAN Chin Chai from Ipoh, LIM Ah Ang and TEO Poh Leng from Balestier. I entered training from Central. Cadet Chan Chin and I shared a room while the two boys shared another. The two bedrooms were separated by the Lecture hall. Outside the girls’ room was a space which served as our living area. A set of 4 rattan armchairs and a small round table, a small glass-door cabinet with 4 shelves of books as the library formed our lounge. Half of the area was our dining room with a heavy rectangular table, 6 upright chairs and a sideboard.
The then General Secretary, Major Will Price was appointed as the Training Officer but had to return to the UK at short notice. The Officer Commanding, Lt-Colonel Frederick, took over. Mrs. Lt-Colonel Mabel Harvey was acting Command Finance Officer, taught us Army Procedure and book-keeping. Captain Arthur Hall, Central Corps Officer took us in Bible and Army Doctrines and Mrs. Captain Vera Hall was our Home Officer. The Public Relation and Property Officer, Major Stanley Gordon, taught us music and singing. Lt. Jean Milton, the OC’s private secretary, gave us Field Training. The other officers filled in as required.
We did the cleaning and washing, and often the cooking too. For some reason or another there were a few changes of cooks during the nine months of our in-training! It was not the fault of us cadets! I suspected there was not enough money. The cooks used to ask me to help them write out their daily accounts. (most could not read nor write English.) The cook would be given $5.00 each morning for everything for the day - bread, margarine, jam, tea, sugar and milk for breakfast. Rice, meat or fish, vegetables, oil, salt for lunch and dinner, soap and other household essentials. We cadets had breakfast by ourselves, but a different officer joined us for lunch or dinner. There was no mid morning coffee, nor mid afternoon teatime. Sometimes the OC would give a treat of ice-cream when out visiting with us. The officers thought he spoilt us cadets!!
Once a week, the CO of Central would take us cadets out for an open-air meeting to invite the people to the meetings. Every Wednesday night we Cadets conducted a meeting at Central Corps, each one taking a turn to give the sermon. On every Thursday night there was a united Holiness Meeting, usually conducted by the OC or GS.
There was no corps officer at Balestier; the OC took us brigading on a Friday afternoon. The building was a very basic attap hut with no running water nor electricity. The hall was used as a kindergarten during the week. At the back of the hall was a small space partitioned off as a utility room. The first thing we cadets did each week was to empty the potties, stack up the little chairs, sweep the floor, and arrange the place ready for a meeting. Then we would hold a short open-air meeting nearby, invite the people to the corps‘s weekly activities, visit door-to-door, round up the children in the area, and proceed to the hall for a Y.P. Meeting.
Week night activities for us cadets included songster and band practices at Central Corps. Torchbearers, and a united Youth Group held on Friday evenings. House cleaning was done on Saturday mornings. Our free time was Saturday after lunch, but we had to be back in the evening for a united open-air meeting at the esplanade.
On Sundays we were assigned to Central or Balestier Corps, involving in its activities – Prayer and Holiness Meetings in the morning, Sunday School, open-air and Salvation Meetings in the afternoon and evening. A new outpost had just been started at Kolam Ayer, in the Kallang area. We cadets took turns to have afternoon tea at the OC’s quarters, and helped in the Sunday School held in the home of Mr. & Mrs. Sevanathan.
This was the beginning of the Tamil Corps, now called Eratchippu.
We were out three weeks for our Field Campaigns. The boys went to Malacca Corps and the girls to Penang Corps. It was the first trip out of the country for most of us. Another time we went for our Social Training. The boys went to Ipoh Boys’ Home and the girls to the Nursery Home in Singapore.
Once there was a request from a lady in England. Her son was doing his national service here. He fell in love with an Erasian girl and they decided to get married at the registry, without any fuss. Perhaps they were short of money. However, the mother appealed to The Army for help. One afternoon the OC conducted the wedding. We cadets and the staff on CHQ formed the congregation. Yours truly was assigned as bridesmaid! (This was part of our training?)
Three weeks prior to our Commissioning, Lieutenants Douglas Kiff and Jean Milton got married. The bride invited us two girl cadets to be her bridesmaids and the men cadets as ushers.
All too soon it was our Commissioning – 24-25 October 1964.
Probationary-Lieutenant LIM Ah Ang as CO to Malacca Corps.
Probationary-Lieutenant TEO Poh Leng as Assistant to Singapore Boys’ Home
Probationary-Lieutenant CHAN Chin Chye as Assistant to Kuching Girls’ Home
Probationary-Lieutenant FONG Pui Chan Assistant CO to Kuching Corps
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
THIS IS MY LIFE - 5
5- MY CALL TO OFFICERSHIP
We came from a traditional Chinese family. My parents and relatives were not particularly religious, but every evening my mother used to light a joss stick and taught me to pray to the god of heaven to make me be a good girl and also to bless our family.
Growing up in an Army Home, I came to faith while at a young age. I asked Ku Ma for permission. to become a Christian. She was pragmatic, reckoning that as I was staying in a Christian Home, we should do as we were taught. So I became a junior soldier, singing company member, corps cadet, company guard (Sunday school teacher) etc.
In those days The Army used to hold Youth councils annually. To maximise public holidays, special meetings were held on those days. I well remember attending my first Youth Councils in 1949. I was very excited to be eligible until it was disclosed that a new OC decided to conduct the event on the second day of Chinese New Year! New Year eve was the only time in the year when we residents from the Homes were allowed to stay out for the night. Understandably, my aunt was not happy for me to return to the Army for the special meetings. Not being able to visit our elders, we children also missed out on receiving angpows! (This would never happen today!) However, we young people obediently did as we were told. It was in the closing meeting that day when I felt the call to officership in the Army. On hindsight, I reckon God allowed all this to take place. Unbeknown to each other a young man also heard and responded to the call. Today he is my husband of more than 51 years!
Initially I resisted because I knew that my aunt would oppose. I myself was also reluctant. Finally, I responded and became a Junior Candidate at 13 years of age. Then during my final year in school, in 1953, The Army made preparations to reopen the Training College the following year. I was sent my first Candidate papers.
I had put off the day when I would have to inform Ku Ma of my decision to serve God full time in The Army. She was always telling me about her dream of setting up home with my sister and me as soon as I finish school and able to get a job. She felt that we were very deprived as orphans. She used to tell us of her family being served by “mui-chai” or maids. I would tell her that I was learning some domestic skills which would be enough.
Then she would go on to say that she would have a challenge to find me a suitable husband because I had dragon boat-sized feet, unlike her small and once-bound ones. Only a poor workman would marry a girl with such great big feet! I presumed the same fate would await my sister too!
When I did tell my aunt that I was going into full-time service in The Salvation Army, she was most upset and strongly objected. Her contact with Army officers had only been with single women. She must have thought I was going to be a nun! As a compromise, she suggested I could do so after her death. She had looked forward to me finishing school and setting up home with her. Quoting the 5th commandment to obey one’s parents, she challenged my faith. She scolded, and then coaxed me to give up the idea and even found a pastor to see me. She then proposed that I postpone this matter for 2 years, until my younger sister finish her schooling. At first I thought that was a fair deal, but my Corps Cadet Guardian warned that the delay might be a temptation to thwart God’s will. In desperation, she contacted my father in Hong Kong. He sent money for Ku Ma and my sister to join him and his new family in Hong Kong. They threatened to abandon and disown me! Ku Ma would not disrupt my sister’s education, but she took her out of the Home, to live with her. She must have had a great struggle to see Pui Sim through her last two years in school without a regular income. Similar to the elderly today, she could only work part-time, as and when needed, like being employed as a confinement nanny - caring for a new mother and her baby for the first month after birth.
Meantime I signed my Candidate’s papers in September 1953; sat for my senior Cambridge exams in December; and entered training in January 1954. Later on in the year, from the college I went back to school to receive my GCE and school leaving certificates.
To be fair to my aunt, I must say Ku Ma was not such a terror. Her bark was worse than her bite! She did receive me when I visited her during our free time from training. Most importantly she came to my commissioning and ordination on 25th October 1954. This was more than 55 years ago!
We came from a traditional Chinese family. My parents and relatives were not particularly religious, but every evening my mother used to light a joss stick and taught me to pray to the god of heaven to make me be a good girl and also to bless our family.
Growing up in an Army Home, I came to faith while at a young age. I asked Ku Ma for permission. to become a Christian. She was pragmatic, reckoning that as I was staying in a Christian Home, we should do as we were taught. So I became a junior soldier, singing company member, corps cadet, company guard (Sunday school teacher) etc.
In those days The Army used to hold Youth councils annually. To maximise public holidays, special meetings were held on those days. I well remember attending my first Youth Councils in 1949. I was very excited to be eligible until it was disclosed that a new OC decided to conduct the event on the second day of Chinese New Year! New Year eve was the only time in the year when we residents from the Homes were allowed to stay out for the night. Understandably, my aunt was not happy for me to return to the Army for the special meetings. Not being able to visit our elders, we children also missed out on receiving angpows! (This would never happen today!) However, we young people obediently did as we were told. It was in the closing meeting that day when I felt the call to officership in the Army. On hindsight, I reckon God allowed all this to take place. Unbeknown to each other a young man also heard and responded to the call. Today he is my husband of more than 51 years!
Initially I resisted because I knew that my aunt would oppose. I myself was also reluctant. Finally, I responded and became a Junior Candidate at 13 years of age. Then during my final year in school, in 1953, The Army made preparations to reopen the Training College the following year. I was sent my first Candidate papers.
I had put off the day when I would have to inform Ku Ma of my decision to serve God full time in The Army. She was always telling me about her dream of setting up home with my sister and me as soon as I finish school and able to get a job. She felt that we were very deprived as orphans. She used to tell us of her family being served by “mui-chai” or maids. I would tell her that I was learning some domestic skills which would be enough.
Then she would go on to say that she would have a challenge to find me a suitable husband because I had dragon boat-sized feet, unlike her small and once-bound ones. Only a poor workman would marry a girl with such great big feet! I presumed the same fate would await my sister too!
When I did tell my aunt that I was going into full-time service in The Salvation Army, she was most upset and strongly objected. Her contact with Army officers had only been with single women. She must have thought I was going to be a nun! As a compromise, she suggested I could do so after her death. She had looked forward to me finishing school and setting up home with her. Quoting the 5th commandment to obey one’s parents, she challenged my faith. She scolded, and then coaxed me to give up the idea and even found a pastor to see me. She then proposed that I postpone this matter for 2 years, until my younger sister finish her schooling. At first I thought that was a fair deal, but my Corps Cadet Guardian warned that the delay might be a temptation to thwart God’s will. In desperation, she contacted my father in Hong Kong. He sent money for Ku Ma and my sister to join him and his new family in Hong Kong. They threatened to abandon and disown me! Ku Ma would not disrupt my sister’s education, but she took her out of the Home, to live with her. She must have had a great struggle to see Pui Sim through her last two years in school without a regular income. Similar to the elderly today, she could only work part-time, as and when needed, like being employed as a confinement nanny - caring for a new mother and her baby for the first month after birth.
Meantime I signed my Candidate’s papers in September 1953; sat for my senior Cambridge exams in December; and entered training in January 1954. Later on in the year, from the college I went back to school to receive my GCE and school leaving certificates.
To be fair to my aunt, I must say Ku Ma was not such a terror. Her bark was worse than her bite! She did receive me when I visited her during our free time from training. Most importantly she came to my commissioning and ordination on 25th October 1954. This was more than 55 years ago!
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