Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip - Day 7

7th Sept 1997 Flashback

Wake up at 7.45am and feel lethargic. Kept forenoon watch from 8am to 12pm. Discuss with LKY on the shore leave and also that 50% of the crew need to stay back for the open house. During watch-keeping, everyone seem afraid to make piping because a mistake would result in extra 2 hours of watch-keeping. Also all the QMs were briefed by buffer on the QM duties. Also ask XO whether the requirement for 50% of the crew to stay back is necessary. The answer is likely yes. Got to change the arrangement of the duty. I will try to think of a good way. Actually this page is written on the 8th Sept as yesterday night, I was too tired and sleepy. Sign off, Weizhong.

Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip - Day 6

6th Sept 1997 Flashback

Kept watch from 4am to 8am. Was tired but luckily the watch has LKY. He allows us to sleep for an hour after mustering. Today was Saturday and actually LKY has said we can have the routine but at 2.30pm, a pipe on "All Seamen, Quarterdeck, All Seamen" was made. Its Ops O asking us to do work. All of us feel let down as it is Saturday. I feel Ops O is different from the one that we used to know in the past....<*private thoughts*>.

Today, a wrong pipe or disregard pipe result in "somebody" watch keeping an extra 2 hrs watch. I kept 8pm - 12am watch. After watch while bathing, XO walk through our messes and 4 of the shipcrews were caught gambling. This fellow really something, making life difficult for us.

Also heard shore leave at *Port of Call 1* and "Port of Call 2" will require 50% of crew to be onboard. Very bad news, that means QM may only go for 1 day shore leave. Sign off, Weizhong

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On the shipcrew mention, LKY was the veteran seaman, in his 2nd stint with RSS Excellence. He has served onboard L202 long before I joined but left to work in the civilian world after completing his first contract. I only get to know him upon his return to the ship in 2007 as a PO.

Remember him as an eloquent speaker, a street smart guy who can bridge between the ship officers and the men that work onboard. He's highly experienced and many of us look up to him when dealing with seaman tasks. His positive aspect is that he know what stuffs (eg. welfare) motivate the men while able to get work done to satisfy the increasing demands of the officers. I think he also focus on important tasks than "showcase" tasks. This prevent unnecessary extra work and reduce burden on the team. He like to joke as well. Remember during MSTD, he keep telling us that the longer we sail, the more and more the attached female crew (average looking) onboard look like HK actress Chung Chu Hong.

Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip - Day 5

5 Sep 1997 Flashback

Woke up at 10:15am as I kept middle watch last night. Bring the paint to the EP for painting in the afternoon. Kept afternoon watch (12pm - 4pm). After that, play deck soccer. Lost 1-0 to the CPOs though we didn't play at full strength. LKY ask me to hand over AGY to Gunner Tan. Actually I told him I wanted to hand over to Gunner Yeo but he say the buffer didn't want him to take over and that Yeo & Wong can only be his Paintstore and Bosun storeman respectively. I was glad I finally can be without appointment and one less responsibility as I'm due to ORD soon after the MSTD trip. But I think there is going to be some time on proper handing over. At night, domestic rounds as usual, the complaint this time is the upper ceiling dirty and bulbs blurred things. Really frustrating to have such fussy officers who kept demanding this and that. After rounds, do PMs and thinking what to write to my overseas friend. Going to keep morning watch tomorrow, must I sleep now? Its 11.30pm. I'm in the JRM writing this. Today passes fast. Sign off, Weizhong.

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On the shipcrew mention, Gunner CPL Tan is the newest gunner onboard the ship. He is a regular and looks very fit but didn't really play football if I remember correctly. I think he went on later in his navy career to join the SOF.

Gunner Wong is also a Navy regular gunner. He's a tall and relax guy. I remember our ex buffer Yong try to train him via the hard approach during his early days onboard.

Gunner 3SG Yeo is my good friend onboard L202. He used to be NSA (naval supply) onboard our ship taking care of the ship logistics for a good year or so. I think he wanted to do more challenging stuffs, that's why he requested to be converted into a naval gunner. But I think I remember his ultimate aim is not to be naval gunner, he wanted more exciting stuffs such as become SOF or some elite forces. NSA Yeo also have some strange habit, I remember he ask me to buy him deep fried grasshoppers during our Pattaya sailing earlier that year. He wanted to eat grasshoppers, unique tastebud. He's also into motorbikes. A very helpful chap. He stay in the next cabin mess next to mine and I think he sleep below one of the most funny guy onboard, Tiger. Tiger never shower whenever the ship goes sailing, no matter how long. Luckily, Tiger did not sail for this 2 months trip as he secure an early release to pursue further studies.

Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip - Day 4

4th Sept 1997 Flashback

Today was Sunday routine, so ship company muster at 10:15am. Actually on afternoon watch (12pm -4pm) but the planning was changed by the buffer and I was on middle watch tonight. Spent the day watching TV, playing UNO with my ship crews. Also help to clean the armoury. Have a little bit of say with RP Chua on the planning of the harbour duty. I think I'm in Bravo watch with Gunner Ang and maybe RP Quek. Open my (overseas) friend's parcel today and discover the 2 comic books were children's one if I'm not wrong. Quite a relaxed day. Hope can have more of such routine. Ops, I'm late for the middle watch. Sign off, Weizhong. 4th Sept 1997

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On the shipcrew mention, RP Chua is a Navy regular Radarplotter and stay in the same cabin mess as me. He's a tall muscular fellow who primary interest is in the financial market and he's only 21 years old back then. Remember that he always have a copy of finance newspaper with him every morning when he came to the ship. I could have been living together with a financial guru but I wasn't interested in stocks or financial stuffs back then (or even now). Before we sail for MSTD, as LRP did not sail for this MSTD trip, he handed the planning of the overseas QM guard duties to RP Chua and me, who surprisingly has become the most senior QM onboard. The most senior gunner did not sail for this trip back then. RP Chua is a gentleman, was glad that he will be planning the duties. Didn't see RP Chua since the L202 reunion dinner in 1998. My guess is he could be in the financial industry, making shrewd investments and making big $$$.

Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip - Day 3

3rd Sept 1997 Flashback

Kept morning watch from 4am to 8am together with "somebody" and Wong. Didn't want to sit beside that "somebody" , so do lookout. The watch was ok as there are midshipman there. Afternoon, do things in armoury. Then kept last dog watch and didn't stand for rounds today, avoiding that "??" rounds. In the end, one part of my area was unsatisfactory, LCP Hon told me that XO want it to be done tomorrow. The armoury in the future, need someone to stand for rounds. Too bad, things getting more complex. My frustrations took the better of me as I kept grumbling. I think I should cut down on this.

That "somebody" also in front of the officers at night, made comments of me wearing slippers and shit him, "lian zhi ji ren ye yao sabo", somemore I was at quarterdecks only for 2 minutes. He is really a "koko b ware" man. I use many types of these sort of languages, I didn't want actually but frustration just took control of me. Tomorrow is Sunday routine, therefore I sleep late today, watching TV. Think hardwriting was bad, should improve. Signoff, Weizhong. - 3rd Sept 97

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On the shipcrew mention, LCP Hon was my fellow NSF gunner who will soon ORD after the MSTD trip. His ORD date is earlier than many of us though he joined the ship later than us. His fellow batchboy didn't join us for this sailing. Lucky us. Hon likes to ride a tiny motorbike "xiao mian yang". LKY always like to joke with him about tying a rope to his bike and giving it a dip into the sea. LCP Hon is very easygoing person and is intelligent with seaman tasks. Nice chap to have onboard.

On the "keeping watch" term, this is about the work or duty that we perform during sailing. My role during sailing is either that of a helmsman or a lookout. The helmsman assist in steering the ship towards the right course given by the officer of the watch while the lookout uses a bino to keep a look out for any nearby vessels or potential dangers.

Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip Day 2

2nd Sept 1997 Flashback :

Today was "Chu Yi" but I forget that it is. Chief ET told me just last night, yet I forget it. Woke up at 7.45am and kept forenoon watch (8am - 12 noon). In the afternoon, kept the ropes and change new ones. Was a bit tired after that. Evening time was a frustrating time mainly because of 2 incidents.

First, after I knew it is "Chu Yi", I try to have a vegetarian meal. I bring my vegetarian instant noodles to the galley and ask Cook Peng to pass me a bowl to cook it. There is no more china bowl, so he pass me a glass pan. Chief Cook who was in a foul mood, vented his frustration on me by shouting at me, saying that cannot be used. Though I was angry also for being shouted at unfairly, I kept mum, didn't want to create any unnecessary quarrels. Anyway, "bu xiang ge lao ren jia zhen chao" (don't want to quarrel with old folks).

Next incident, during rounds, the new XO kept his usual "make a mountain out of a molehill" pattern, saying my area wasn't ready for his rounds. I really try to clean the area and another area which is not really mine. Another old folk, the attached Coxswain also kept shining his torchlight at some areas , add salt and vinegar. Wow, already long time never kena such treatment. I made a careless mistake by requesting for another helper. That Coxswain stared at me , perhaps feeling I'm trying to be funny. I don't think I'm. Anyway, a rerounds was to be done but later they cancelled it. Now 11.10pm, thinking to rest or to watch TV. Tomorrow early morning watch very "sian". Also, I feel today quite problematic, should try to keep low key for the rest of the trip, otherwise trouble will trouble me. Am I right?

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The above was what I encounter during the 2nd day of my MSTD trip. Doesn't sound good. On the ship crew mention, Cook Peng was many people (including me) favourite chef onboard L202. Whenever do guard duty with him, always get to enjoy some special dishes other than the usual SAF style of food. He's also like to work out in the ship gym and given me some tips during the MSTD trip on how to pump iron. I'm not a good student though.

We have a new XO at that time and maybe "Xin guan shang ren san ba huo" style. The previous XO also have his own style of managing the shipcrews and I wasn't used to his words when I just came onboard but got used to it eventually. In fact, we got on quite well after playing together in the ship football matches. I remember he gave me encouragement on the pitch during our football game in Palembang, Indonesia in Jan 1997. Don't think the new XO is interested in football.

Yesterday Once More: 1997 Navy MSTD Trip

Its thirteen years since that memorable Navy sailing trip. Still have lots of fond memories about it. Decided to do a flashback on my facebook account and my blog too. It all begins with a Singapore Navy Landing Ship Tank called RSS Excellence, L202. I was posted to this excellent old WWII hospital ship back in July 1996 after completing my training at the Naval training school. Only 3 of us out of a class of approximately 30 trainees were posted to Landing Ship Tank. Many batchboys laughed at us because the Landing Ship Tank is the biggest ship in the Navy and as gunners, we need to maintain the ship. So many percieved we got the biggest area to maintain with daily chipping & painting from one end of the ship to the other, whole year long. They all thought we're going to have difficult life for the rest of our NS stint. My batchboys Ravi and Tok were posted to L203 (RSS Intrepid) and I was all alone posted to L202 (RSS Excellence).

On the first day that I reported to RSS Excellence, the majority of the shipcrews were on off day as the ship has just returned from a sailing trip. I met the Ops Officer LT Rayson Lim and he introduce to the Quartermaster on duty LRP. LRP explained that for new birds to the ship, its a standard protocol to do duty straightaway for three consecutive days with no duty-off. Ops, I had an advanced driving theory test on next evening. So I did my first understudy QM with LRP for my first day. The next morning, Ops Officer Rayson introduce me to my new boss, Buffer Yong. As a new lad & from previous OJT experience, I've prepared myself mentally to expect a tough first few weeks. I spoken to Buffer Yong about the driving theory test and to my surprise, my new boss allow me to go home on duty off to prepare for the exam without second question ask. It was a good start. I think LRP wasn't too impressed with the decision.

That was how I begin life in RSS Excellence. Now will move to the memorable MSTD trip in Sep 1997.

‎1st Sept 1997 Flashback: At Tuas Naval Base onboard RSS Excellence L202, I was doing pre-sailing check on small arms at the Commanding Officer cabin when CO pop me a surprise question about how I feel about Princess Diana demise? She has died in a carcrash the day earlier on 31 Aug 97. I replied that I was sad to hear her tragic news and that she seem to lead a difficult love life and couldn't be with the one that she loved. Evening approach, Special Sea Dutyman & berthing party closed up. I was at the quarterdeck and Pte CC Leo send us off by slipping off the stern ropes. Off we goes for 2 months MSTD sailing trip. Day 1 of MSTD 97.

The above details are roughly what I remember. I also made an effort tonight to find my old MSTD diary notebook which captures minor details of the experience. Here's what was written about 1st Sept 1997 (1.20am, 2nd Sept 97) onboard L202:

1st Sept 1997

Today was a busyday for me as I really panicked with the things to bring for the trip. Early morning, have breakfast with Mum and Weifang, went to buy films, sour plums,etc till 12pm noon. Began to panic as I was packing my stuffs. So many things to bring and some unnecessary ones like videotapes, magazines and extra clothings. Mum seem to be quite sad that I was leaving home for 2 months and she specially cook one of my favourite dish and even offer to give me money to take cab. Auntie also ask me to buy some Polo T from Indonesia for her. Really quite vexed by the stuffs to bring and in the end, ended with 2 super big bags and struggled to the MRT to meet Chan and KCP to take cab to the ship. Change my currency at Northpoint and also lend $200 to KCP. Hope he will not become another "somebody" . I think he will return me. Mum and Auntie actually wanted to send me off at the harbour but from what I heard from Leo, I told them they couldn't as I didn't submit their names. There are many people sending off the midshipmen and my ship slip off at 7.30pm. San Hoe also came today, nice to see him again. Kept 8-12 watch today with Low Kin Yuen. Call Dad to tell him everything is fine here. But forget to tell him to ask sister to tape the TCS prize presentation ceremony and also forget to bring my electrical notes. Ok, now its 1.20am, time to rest.