National Service in Singapore

[Datsun366]

Why you all neber have kind word for 84 loader?

The spare.

[Datsun366]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:33 PM, Lala81 said:

I remember doing section training and carrying the dummy law tube behind me. Trying to do a flanking action. Running through the brush and suddenly jerked back and fell down on my bum like something from Charlie chaplin. The law tube strap had caught onto a low tree branch. 

One kind of pain. Ouch.

[Tianmo]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:27 PM, Datsun366 said:

He is not your unit RSM mah. 😆

Try lay one cable across your unit RSM path...between the mountains and across the valley for you...😁

Wah how many reserb Generals here? 🫡🤐

😉

Brigade RSM hor, he is like almost 天不怕, 地不怕 liao, he see captain and below he also address "Sir" because he has to only.

 

[Tianmo]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:33 PM, Lala81 said:

I remember doing section training and carrying the dummy law tube behind me. Trying to do a flanking action. Running through the brush and suddenly jerked back and fell down on my bum like something from Charlie chaplin. The law tube strap had caught onto a low tree branch. 

My unit CO made all of us crossed trained, so other than our own weapons, we were all crossed trained, and technically we can handle weapons up to company level.

So I can understand what you meant, the farking law tube is damn bloody irritating, but the Bangalore torpedo is worse in my opinion, damn farking long, always trap here hang there. Those shorter M203 gunners always KNN non stop moving through vegetations.

 

[Tianmo]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:44 PM, Lala81 said:

Heard some stories about 84mm gunners going up mount biang in Brunei is one of the worst missions. 

Yes, you are totally right.

Because up mount biang at one point nearer to the peak there was this area where we have to move like spiderman on all fours, anything drop is 1206. And the walk up biang is really not a walk in the park.

If you can survive exercises buaya, I think the trip to lancer is consider worth already. 

There was only one 84mm first gunner made it up all by himself with his gun ( OC gave him 7 off days when back in SG),  all the rest of the guns and canisters were  passed up. Guns and round reached before gunners arrived, same to the GPMG teams, all the guns and belts of bullets separated from gunners. 

I carried the big gun on the way down all the way till the chief controller (a commando LTC) caught me, and asked why am I with the 84mm, and can I fire it. I told him our 1st gunner is down, I am cross trained, and my unit SOP is always carry the weapon with the stronger fire power, so I took the 84mm with me. I can fire the gun if need to sir. He just looked at me, and I looked at him, he smile and didn't say anything. I got 3 off days from my PC.  

 

[Lala81]

On 9/14/2023 at 8:50 PM, Tianmo said:

Yes, you are totally right.

Because up mount biang at one point nearer to the peak there was this area where we have to move like spiderman on all fours, anything drop is 1206. And the walk up biang is really not a walk in the park.

If you can survive exercises buaya, I think the trip to lancer is consider worth already. 

There was only one 84mm first gunner made it up all by himself with his gun ( OC gave him 7 off days when back in SG),  all the rest of the guns and canisters were  passed up. Guns and round reached before gunners arrived, same to the GPMG teams, all the guns and belts of bullets separated from gunners. 

I carried the big gun on the way down all the way till the chief controller (a commando LTC) caught me, and asked why am I with the 84mm, and can I fire it. I told him our 1st gunner is down, I am cross trained, and my unit SOP is always carry the weapon with the stronger fire power, so I took the 84mm with me. I can fire the gun if need to sir. He just looked at me, and I looked at him, he smile and didn't say anything. I got 3 off days from my PC.  

 

Wah seh thinking soldier. 

[Tianmo]

On 9/14/2023 at 9:01 PM, Lala81 said:

Wah seh thinking soldier. 

Actually at that point, everyone was a little worried, because they worried he test me and I cannot fire the gun, and that the first gunner might get into trouble, then unit performance also discounted. We were doing very well at that point, the shining star unit.

Later my OC said luckily it was the 84mm, had it been the GPMG then problem liao. Because the 84mm first gunner still has his personal weapon, the M16 with him, and since I can fire the gun, it makes sense for me to carry it and move with the company, since it is the more powerful weapon. But if it was the GPMG then first gunner got no weapon. But then we can still argue that our SOP is pick up the more powerful weapon if the gunner is down. My section commander once ended up slinging his M16 and carried the M203, with one saw gunner carry the Bangalore torpedo. Damn funny my unit last time with the crazy CO, all kind of SOP.

 

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 1:23 PM, Mkl22 said:

oh yah forgot about the 120mm motar. i think it is towed or in M113.

during my time, for armour, it is inside the m113...

and talking of mortar, their calculation once screwed up, can be dangerous.

when we were in safincos doing m203 live firing at area dunno A or B live firing area, some distance away was target area of mortar live firing. at some point, some rounds landed closer to us than they should have, and our OC (who was v fat) reacted... first time saw him run, and he sprinted towards his rover, screamed loudly (later i learnt all exercise units can contact safti ops room on the signal sets - those days were pre-handphone) over the air, then after that shouted for whole company to run (from the open ground where we were queuing to do live firing) to the perimeter of the ex area where our tonners were parked inside the trees/vegetation... and mounted the tonners that then retreated further back...

1+ yr later when we were posted to armour, heard that it was our support OC who was in charge of that cock-up mortar live firing that caused us to (no-duff) evacuate... 🤦‍♂️

close call...

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 1:23 PM, 13177 said:

Think 120mm is coverted from 81mm. Both should be from infantry. 120mm is towed by a vehicle and then deployed on a ground to fire, not mounted on a vehicle.

for armour, it's mounted inside the m113 leh...

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 1:24 PM, Mkl22 said:

i see the poor trainees of SIW train for 84mm. pity them. carry lots of weight.

you should pity us when we were on course in SOCE.

Remember in the olden days inside the bunks got those old wooden chairs for us to sit; those were used in schools long long ago too... not the lightest or most filmsy type.

when we took out our bra after exercise, and hang the bra on the wooden chair, the whole chair will fall backwards to the floor hor. inside got put:
- dummy magazines (dunno 3 or 4)
- dummy grenade
- SOP box (got plier, measuring tape, cutter, etc.)
- water bottles filled with water
- ET stick + blade
- mine prodder
- M16 gun mount
- handheld signal set with headset (for appt holder)
- a roll of white tape
- bayonet

really a lot of weight... and we had to wear this (plus helmet) to do bridging and other exercises... 😅

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 1:59 PM, Tianmo said:

Yah, in most units, the 84mm teams are usually the big and fit ones. I think the 2nd gunner carry more load than the first gunner, but the gun weight stays constant throughout, and rounds get fired and load reduce through missions. 

I was almost a 84mm gunner, went through the weapon conversation and not selected because I could not run fast enough.

during one battalion live firing that involved flanking through some muddy area and mangrove swamp in Area D, i ever saw before one AI 84 gunner tried, struggled, and failed to climb up a low but steep slope in our route of advance. the rest of us carry small arms niah, already only just barely managed it by using our hands to grab tree trunks (by slinging the M16) to climb up... the 84 guy really lao bo bak sai, when he attempted it... needed so many people to help out 😅

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 2:32 PM, Beregond said:

Its more of a mini art then a mortar.

But during training. The crew suppose to be able to push it around and shift location using manual power😂😂.

During mission time.  They quite lepak  also. Tow to location. Then PC do calculation and simulation fire. That's it.

PC got really do meh?

our mortar platoon i think all the calculations done by TA and TANCO leh... 😄

dunno izzit becos of that can almost kena us 😅

[Windwaver]

On 9/14/2023 at 8:54 AM, Atrecord said:

3 days before i MR'ed, i went to khatib emart to wipe out all the $$ inside, bought many black socks - among other things - that saved me the need to buy working socks for the next 10 yr 😄

had i bought toilet paper at that time, might have lasted me a life time 

Would have turned yellow before you can use them all 

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 3:38 PM, Ender said:

Accident outside as civilian. literally rolled down a small hill. We were playing along a grass slope. Didn't know I got it then, felt normal. But next morning back hurts and couldn't get out of bed. 

When I had my 1st reservist at 35sce, I report sick the next day with my med documents and told them no way can do the ippt. They out of course me immediately and put me on med board which later officially down graded me.

alamak... army so siong/dangerous, also survived intact... then civilian tio'ed... 😅

got long-term damage or have to go op or not? that time still young, should be ok right?

[Atrecord]

On 9/14/2023 at 7:33 PM, Lala81 said:

I remember doing section training and carrying the dummy law tube behind me. Trying to do a flanking action. Running through the brush and suddenly jerked back and fell down on my bum like something from Charlie chaplin. The law tube strap had caught onto a low tree branch. 

was it day or night ex?

if night ex and during 7th mth like now... would your mind have gone wild thinking haywire in that instance? 

[Beregond]

On 9/14/2023 at 10:06 PM, Atrecord said:

PC got really do meh?

our mortar platoon i think all the calculations done by TA and TANCO leh... 😄

dunno izzit becos of that can almost kena us 😅

atec, pc must do i think?? 

i not sure also lol, wayang here and there only😂

[Windwaver]

On 9/14/2023 at 12:47 PM, Tianmo said:

Most of the emarts are run by STlog and some cwt the last I know, not by the camps. So yah many are  chabor cashiers but mostly lao chabor. For sale or not I never asked, but I never see any price tag.

 

Got ah lians also.

[Windwaver]

On 9/14/2023 at 1:52 PM, Tianmo said:

No lah.

120mm is Artillery lah, I think is 20 SA if I not wrong, 23 SA I think is the big Gun 155mm.  

I not very sure the unit, but dead sure 120mm is Artillery not infantry.

Yes, 120mm also is fire from ground, but no way you can ask the soldiers to manpack the barrels and base plate to walk missions. The 81mm gunners do walk with barrels and base plate hor, although they also have vehicle.

 

Self propelled.