1951-11-24 — Page 11

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THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1951.

They Joined The Army To See --- Hongkong

By Major K. C. HARVEY, RAC

PRESS RELATIONS OFFICER. BRITISH FORCES, HONGKONG)

step on rhythm when

On

CORDING to a time- 30. early it 1948. the Great sters is laid on drill,

passing-out parades, high standard of efficiency and worn recruiting Hongkong Chinese Train- us the raw recruit hus little idea

he turnout ís achieved. These gan, one should join ing Unit came into exist arrives at the Unit, but although parades are always taken by a The British Army and ence. New terms of service this is depressing at first for the senice British Army officer and see the world.

That's all for the Postwar Hongkong instructors, progress is excep- are attended by British officers very well, if you are a Bri- Other Kanks,

and families. Locally humally good in the later stages

A miltary band in attendance, and prizes are fish subject living un the Enlisteİ

of traming, and by the time the Personnel (LEP).

scerails are ready for their warded for the best recruits United Kingdom; but if you were drawn up, with a view passing-mit parade, the standard

Before

pruceeding to various happen to be a Chinese do to obtaining men mainly for is ex remely high.

Units, on graduation, a farewell micilet on the island of administrative duties in Recruits are given the usual supper is given.

Hongkong, it's a question of joining the Army bo ses Hongkong Only, this Tone, through military eyes

various Corps.

or

SERVE THREE YEARS WITH COLOURS

PONDITIONS of

are

very

The Chinese have supple- mcute the British Army in Hongkong for more than

to those & century and they're

1ish troops. likely to continue to do, Ranks indefinitely. They like the listed British Army and we like them.

Before World War there were the following or ganisations which attracted

weapon Deaning instruction and mony

become excellent abuts with the rife The same physi cul training as for British Other Rarks is opened nut, with not- mia] andanince and physical

service fitues 1045 similar One period per day given governing Bri- English instruction; some re- a Jair amount ai Chinese Others know

English when they arrive at the definitely en unit, others have no knowledge the British whatsoever bul all are keen there to Irarn Vamous teris and

are carried Bri examinatious

Aut

le inter Army. Unc fare.

subject

are.

ورد

tish Military Law. There during each course.

The brack rooms are of a

with fre And scrubbing

is the same recruiting pro- very high standard, cedure, medical standards, quent polishing H considerable number of only, being slightly

modi to enhance a basic cleanliness Chinese rank and file: hed to meet local require-

meticulously maintained. The Hongkong (Volun- ments.

Bongwong Olber Ranks British subjects, well at games, particularly at tecr) Defence - founded only, are eligible for accept- basketball a favourite recrea-

over one hundred years ago, ance and recently describes! in

Soldier, the British Army's Recruits

Picture Post.

serve

years with the

that s

Honal sport with the British Army. The Hongkong Chinese Training Unit holds the Inter-

three Regiment Championship of Bri- Colours. tish teams in the Colons. Their The 40 Company, Royal then are given the option, football as fairly good-certain- Engineers. Formed before providing they have done ly good enough for them to hold the turn of the century, it well. of extending their their own in 3 League, with Bri- employed Chinese rank and service for a further period file.

of three years,

A unit of Royal Artillery. primarily for coustul de fence, and employing a per centage of Chinese Other food Ranks.

SAW SERVICE IN BURMA

tish teams,

more. MAHJONG IN

SPARE TIME

in

The Chinese staff at Lyemun includes

languages teachers, interprete, es And vlerks.

All British officers and NCO; we xpected to have the know- ledige of Cantonese OWN RECORDS OFFICE

LSO Lycmun is the Over- ♫seas Record Office, Hongkong, which deals with all records of Chinese Other Ranks. in the same way as Records Ofßees

the United Kingdon vá. minister the records of British roops. This Hongkong Office Is also responsible for recruiting Documentation and the main- lenance of the Unit's circulat- Ang library

En

Hongkong Other Ranks who graduate after their basic train- ing at Lyerun are sorry leave, although they settle in well with their new Unite posting.

They

give excellent service and are loyalijo their superiors. They

are, in fact, an int- portant part of the British Army ir Hongkong--and they have the great advantage of having KELN their own island home through: wide-open military eyes.

the Army

according to qualifica- THEY play a good game of tablu

tennis and

They joined athletics they achieve high standard of saw-Hongkong. skilt and cumpetitiveness.

Chinese Other Ranks receive a lower standard of pay, which Varle

the fact that. flons, bu!

their is equivalent to Ahe Brit ration compensates con- siderably, and the local Hong-

kong Recruit 15. invariably

The Unit has a well-equipped library of British and Chinese

far better off than his civilien books, and a reading room. 11 counterpart; he feeds abundan- also has its own NAAFI Cinema THE Hongkong Chinese ly on rke, supplemented by shows and other pastimes are

Regiment, which came

local delicacies, th_vieeps available, including the tradi into being at the time of un bunks

well-ventilated barrack rooms. tional Mahjong a popular,

identical with those buit the Japanese threat to the used by British Other Rurks.

but oisy game. Recruits are uiso tarugert Colony.

the officially- approved British Army

game, 'Tombola, numbers being called in English and Cantonese.

STRESS LAID

After the fall of Hong- ON DRILL kong, many men of these

and

1. After attestation, new recruits draw clothing and equip ment from the Quartermaster's Store. 2. Bren Gan Instruc- tion proceeds on a pleasant site overlooking Lyeman Gap. 3. Barrack-room inspection. 1. Queueing up for chew. Note large helpings. 5. Pay Tarade, a universally popular aspect of Service life. 6. Physical training ensures fitness.

tures: Army PRO).

LAST OF GOLDEN HORDES'

HAVE NOWHERE TO SETTLE

By MENNO DUERKSEN

(Pic-

The DISTAFF and the STAFF of LIFE

MANY years ago the DISTAFF was the

name given to a stick about 3 feet long used to hold the wool or flax while spinning by hand. in laters years the word DISTAFF has been used to signify work done by the female branch of the family

So, it can be seen that we rely very greatly upon the womenfolk to supply us with the essentials of a healthy life and

the wise woman knows how valuable is the STAFF # LIFE in sustaining family health

and for EXTRA energy and fitness get ENRICHED BREAD, Tall L.C. Bread is ENRICHEDĮ

Lane Crawford's

LANE. CRAWFORD LTD.)

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39th ANNIVERSARY

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THE BETTER THE GIFTS !

Frankfurt. simost complete independence ganisation, the Kalmucks THE fortunes of the last within the Russian nation.

tried

to keep the tradition of horse-

gathering

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS

11

points of

Tdescendants of the once When, in 1917, they stubborn, marship alive by was thus into units found their way into HE lives in barracks at Lyemun,

Hoverlooking

At Lyemun, each course lasts mighty "golden hordes" of Bolshevik rulers of the Kremlin, their camps and teaching their the interior of China and

The famous about four and a half months, Genghis Khan sank to The Hongkong Other

a they were rent into exile in the children the Ünver Joined the British Army clothed

Rank, and some 200 recruits will soon new low here as the last Balkans. Those who remained horsemanship. Aid Group.

These volun- sitoflar scale to his British co-

tnd equipped On

a be going to various Corps of the attempt to find a home for in the Soviet Union disappeared

British Army. Hongkong Other 700 refugee Kalmucka fail- teers, many of whom are lerpart, is Justifiably proud of Ranks, on qualification, can still serving, were sent

to his form, and his standard of choose their job from the fol- ed. India.

turo-out high. He is where they were

very lowing: drafted into units of

amenable to discipline and rare- the

ly gets into trouble. Gloucestershire and Border Regiments, to fight the vemun Gap, ocean gateway to

into Siberia.

Many of the 700-odd Kal- mucks bowed to the pressure of Then the tide of war caught 20th century progress and leart- up with the Kalmucks once ed trades offered in (RO schools. Royal Artillery:

After preliminary approval, more. Fearing Soviet revenge Some of them gained the equi- Searchlight the government of Paraguay has for their defiance of the valent of university education. operation and maintenance.

rejected plans for establishing Bolsheviks in 1917, those in Japanese, alongside British mes from the

No one knew exactly what to a Kalmuck farming settlement Europe fled before the advancing some

Royal Engineers: Bomb Dis-

in that country. Mechanical

Red Army to join the vast army do with these centre of the posal; Crane and

proud Mongols, troops. Later they were town. All recruits do their De Equipment Operators.

of refugees of World War II in since most mations refused to formed into the Hongkong pot training at Lyemun,

These intrepid Asiatic cavalry-

Germany.

consider their applications for Volunteer Company and this is very similar to the basic spatch Riders, Wireless Opera-war

Royal Signals: Linesmen, De-men, who last galloped off tu

immigration, despite their proven Here, in camps operated by anti-Communism, because they served in Burma.

to fight training undertaken by British tots, Transport Drivers, Fitters. Bolsheviks in the 1917 revolu

the Russian the International Refugee recruits at Primary Training

Royal Army Service Corps: tion, have been more or less

Hongkong,

and

seven

and

the

In 1947, owing to & Centres in the United Kingdom. Drivers, Fitters, Water Trans-displaced persons" since shortage of manpower in

Except for a few British off- port (in various types of water collapse of the great Mongolian the Colony's garrison (due cers and sergeants, the perma- craft), Firemen, Bakers, Mule Empire in the 14th century. to World War II) it was ment staff at Lyemun is Handlers, Clerits. decided to recruit local Chinese. Some of the recruits Royal Army Medical Corps:/ Hongkong-born British Bub- train them, others have Chinese

have British platoon sergeants to Nursing Orderlies, Ward Boys.

Reval Army Ordnance Corps: jects to fill the gap. And sergeants.

Checkers and Storemen.

For the past 300 years they have lived in Russia, where their natural talent for horse breeding and farming won them'

Gevarto

Gevaert

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Ideal Paper

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Obtainable from all leading photo stores

Sole Agents! HONGKONG KANTON EXPORT CO.

Or were Asiatics.

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