Cameron Highlands' Fort Brooke and Mr Jim Smith

More correspondence, this time with one of Roy's buddy, Mr Jim Smith of the Royal Army Veterinary Corp, West Yorks Regiment. He was looking for Roy and stumbled upon my post about Roy Follows and Cameron Highlands' Fort Brooke. At first he thought I was Mr Roy himself but realized it was just me. We had some email exchanges and well it look intriguing. So here's the exchanges and hopefully it would give you some insight about jungle bashing during the Emergency Period.

Cheers!
Jan.

Hi Roy,

Re Fort. I was one of the original West Yorks Regt that bashed its way in and set up the first fort in the Camerons. We were based in Brinchang and I was the Leading Scout with patrol dog Powder on detachment from the Vet Corp. Can I help you with the history? Jim Smith
United Kingdom
7/Apr/2009

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Hi Jan

Thanks for replying. I thought I was contacting Roy Follows. Do you have his email address? If so can you let me have it or email him and give him mine in order that we can discuss old times?

Regards Jim

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Dear Jim,

Greetings! Haha, I thought it strange at first, but of course it is a case of mistaken identity. Here's Roy's email address.

I have taken the liberty to CC your message.

And yes, if you have interesting history to tell, do tell and let whole world know via this web!

I have finished reading Roy's Jungle Beat book a few months ago, and it was an intriguing read. Real tough life, not only was there danger with fighting, it was also about dealing with the jungle, the weather, and even some ghostly episodes too (there are still stories of people getting lost because of spiritual encounters)!

I'm sure you have some interesting tales to relate.

Take care!
Cheers!
Jan.

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Hi Jan,

Thanks for your help and Roy has been in touch. I have a couple of stories to tell and will communicate when able. Where are you in the Camerons? Are you near the Golf Course? Please let me know

Regards Jim
8/04/09

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Greetings, Jim!

Glad you managed to contact Roy.

Actually I'm residing in Petaling Jaya, a city next to Kuala Lumpur in the lowlands. I started the Cameron Highlands (CH) web site because it was one of my favourite holiday travel destinations. And the website proved to be very popular for holiday goers planning their vacation trip there. It is a 3 hours drive from where I stay, so I only make a trip with my family about once a year for a break. During that time I will jot down notes for inclusion into the web site. So any information that is related to Cameron Highlands will be incorporated. So likewise your jungle bashing experience during the emergency period in Malaya would also be an interesting historical significance for the area around the highlands.

I think CH has some very colourful history like Jim Thompson and his mysterious disappearance, Roy and yourself for your important role in routing out the communist. It was tumultuous times; and you all survived your service to relate your tale. So would you be coming out with a book memoir just like Roy Follows and F. Spencer Chapman DSO author of "The Jungle is Neutral"? :)

Cheers and have a good day!
Jan.

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Hi Jan,

Thanks for your greetings. I am writing a book but not on Jungle Bashing, more on my life story for the kids and grandchildren, after all we have lived through some historical times. I enjoyed my stay in the Camerons from the local people to the Aboriginals in the deep jungle.

En route I also shared my basha with Iban and Dyak headhunters, Gurkhas, Fijeans, SAS, Malay Police and Scots. I was almost tempted to stay in the CH as I met a local crop grower in Brinchang who had a dog breeding kennels and wanted me to take charge. I've often wondered how it would have worked out? Next time your'e having a beer raise your glass to all those who helped out.

Jim
9/04/09

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Dear Jim,

Cheers to you and those who fought in the emergency war!

Were there really Iban and Dayaks coming over from East Malaysia to fight in the Peninsular/West Malaysia? Never heard of dog breeding kennels in CH though there are many dog lovers in Malaysia. I think many pedigrees are imported. CH is now a tourist attraction and vegetable/farming community.

Good for getaways and for relief from the hot humid temperatures of the tropics.

And all the best to your book writing!

Cheers!
Jan.

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Hi Jan,

The Royal Army Veterinary Corp, of which I was a lower ranked NCO, well the lowest rank of acting unpaid Lance Corporal actually, trained Horses and Dogs for the British Forces. Wherever dogs or horses were used in reasonable numbers a Vet Corp guy would be posted to that Unit to take care of animal welfare. When on attachment to another Unit you become an Erk and are billeted in, what is known in the Army, as the Erk's Quarters.

In Brinchang the Erk's were housed in a six bedded tent. On my arrival in my tent there were four Dyak Trackers. When not out on Ops they spent their spare time tattooing one another and their work from head to toe was brilliant. I was often invited to be tattooed but declined. They were head hunters and were expected to take a head home with them at the end of their service but the Government promised them a gun. Round their neck they carried a roll of canvas. I thought this was a decoration of some sort but one evening I was invited to join them in a ceremony of some sort. They were sitting on a bed with a bowl of water in between them. One of them took their necklace off and shook the contents into the bowl which was then swished around. Items were then taken out of the water and moved over their body. Interested in what they were doing I joined them on the bed. The water in the bowl was quite dirty but as the water went round I swore I saw an eye come to the surface followed by an ear and then a toe.

When one of these items was passed to me I found it was a finger. It would seem that it was their practice to cut off body bits of their kills and carry them round their neck in a bag. When smeared over their body this transferred that bodies powers to theirs. This story is best told over dinner.

Regards
Jim.
11/4/2009

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Posted on 11-Dec-2008

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