Konfrontasi Remembered: The Tawau Allouettes
Posted on
November 1, 2018by
hafizuddinsulaiman
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has been maintaining its presence in Tawau since the first bullet being fired during Konfrontasi with Indonesia almost immediately after the formation of Federation of Malaysia in September 16, 1963.
In July 1964, the first battalion, Royal Malay Regiment (1RAMD) was deployed to Sabah as part of the troop deployment rotation to replace the 8th battalion, Royal Malay Regiment (8RMAD) which has been in deployment since hostilities first began.
1RAMD maintain a tactical headquarter (
Markas Taktikal – MARTEK) at Sandakan Airfield while the battalion headquarter together with the reserve company were based at Kampung Jawa Camp in Tawau.
Another reserve company was tasked for border protection and anti-piracy operation in Pulau Indra Sabak while another company was deployed to Kinabatangan with one of its platoon being tasked to protect the men of the 7th Field Squadron, Royal Australian Engineers building an airfield there in a place called Kuamut.
Two other companies in the battalion were deployed to Lahad Datu as well as Pulau Sebatik, one of the hot spots during the conflict which saw gun fire and artillery shelling exchanges between the Malaysian and Indonesian troops.
To support the 1RAMD company at Pulau Sebatik, two Aerospatialle SA.316B Allouette III helicopters from Labuan’s No 5 Skn were deployed out of Tawau. Being the only utility transport helicopter in service with the RMAF, the Allouette does not only provide air mobility and resupply to the troops but also conduct reconnaissance around 1RAMD’s area of responsibilities.
During one reconnaissance operation conducted on January 22, 1965, an Allouette piloted by Flight Lieutenant Mohamed Ngah Said (later Lt Jen (U) and Chief of the Air Force) crashed into a logging camp in Pegagau, about nine miles from Tawau. On-board were the Commander of 5th Infantry Brigade, Brig Jen Tunku Ahmad ibni Tunku Besar Burhanuddin, Datu H George, Lt Kol Abdul Jamil Ahmad, the Commanding Officer of 1RAMD, Mr Anthony Lamb from Public Works Department as well as a seconded British Army officer, Major Keith Milner who is staff officer at 5 Bgd Inf.
Brig Jen Tunku Ahmad, a member of Royal Family from Negri Sembilan was previously the commandant of Brunei Malay Regiment (on secondment). He was a veteran of the Malayan Emergency. Following the crash and recuperation from his injuries, he was later assigned to 1st Infantry Brigade before being promoted as Major General in command of the 5th Infantry Division.
All occupant suffers various degrees of injuries but Major Milner succumb to his injuries while on MEDEVAC flight to the Hospital.
While 1RAMD was relieved by the fifth battalion, Royal Malay Regiment (5RAMD) in February 1965, the RMAF’s Tawau Detachment stayed there until today, 53 years later.