As a soldier in 2 SIR, I was part of the 2 SIR contingent, When we formed up at 7.30 am, it began to rain. We were drenched, however, one hour before the arrival of our 1st President Yushof the rain stopped. When the ministers arrived, the rain had stopped. We were carrying the SLRs and the other contingents were carrying the No. 4 Enfield rifles. Only the SAFTI contingents carried the AR 15 automatic rifles. We did not have the mobile columns as we only had rifles, bayonets and parangs. After the President reviewed the parade, we marched to our dispersal point at Queenstown. and the rain came down heavily. There were people lining up the roads to cheer us even in the rain. It was very touching and memorable. Although we were very tired carrying the SLRs, the loud cheers from the crowd standing in the rain with umbrellas, some with cardboards over their heads and some with newspapers gave us the motivation and strength to march on. With only rifles, bayonets, parangs and our fighting spirit, we were strong and brave to defend our country.
Wow, honored to have met 4 of these pioneers during my active & reservist days. Maj (then) Swee Boon Chai was posted to HQ5SIB from SBMT. A lead by example officer. Met him again as Commander PDFTC, promoted to LTC by then and still as serious about training Maj (then) Sardar Ali WAS CO SMP in Seletar when we did our course LTA (then) Hong Seng Mak was in OCS HQ, in charge of logistics if I remember correctly CPT Shamsuddin was OC 6Div logistics centre located outside SAFTI main camp on the way to the SAFTI Magazine.
The first NDP was an affirmation that Singapore was a nation. That we could put it together a year after independence is testament to the skills and talents of the SAF.
Wow this is my first time seeing this video is very memorable history of those people who were in the NS service and participate in the very first NDP held in padang and I hope that you can share more history of buses transport too ☺
Singapore's National Service Act was passed on 15 March 1967 . Hence , how could they be participating in the 1st National Day Parade of Singapore back in year Aug 1966 if they were the 1st batch of NS recruits . At that time the (PDF) People's Defence Force was a reserve combat unit to supplement the regular Singapore Army . I remembered very clearly that the sky was pouring heavily on that particular morning when our founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew and our first president Mr Yusok Ishak arrived .
Yes my friend, it was raining cats and dogs and we were drenched from head to toes but we stood fast in our positions shievering from the cold wind. I was in 2 SIR and later served in 11 PDF (Haig Road Camp) as an instructor to teach the volunteers in 11 PDF.
![Why We Serve - Our NS Stories: Episode 1 [The Early Years of National Service]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/jkqB8KRPp9I/mqdefault.jpg)
![Why We Serve - Our NS Stories: Episode 1 [The Early Years of National Service]](/img/tr.png)
As a soldier in 2 SIR, I was part of the 2 SIR contingent, When we formed up at 7.30 am, it began to rain. We were drenched, however, one hour before the arrival of our 1st President Yushof the rain stopped. When the ministers arrived, the rain had stopped. We were carrying the SLRs and the other contingents were carrying the No. 4 Enfield rifles. Only the SAFTI contingents carried the AR 15 automatic rifles.
We did not have the mobile columns as we only had rifles, bayonets and parangs. After the President reviewed the parade, we marched to our dispersal point at Queenstown. and the rain came down heavily. There were people lining up the roads to cheer us even in the rain.
It was very touching and memorable. Although we were very tired carrying the SLRs, the loud cheers from the crowd standing in the rain with umbrellas, some with cardboards over their heads and some with newspapers gave us the motivation and strength to march on. With only rifles, bayonets, parangs and our fighting spirit, we were strong and brave to defend our country.
Wow, honored to have met 4 of these pioneers during my active & reservist days.
Maj (then) Swee Boon Chai was posted to HQ5SIB from SBMT. A lead by example officer.
Met him again as Commander PDFTC, promoted to LTC by then and still as serious about training
Maj (then) Sardar Ali WAS CO SMP in Seletar when we did our course
LTA (then) Hong Seng Mak was in OCS HQ, in charge of logistics if I remember correctly
CPT Shamsuddin was OC 6Div logistics centre located outside SAFTI main camp on the way to the SAFTI Magazine.
That's an awesome production! :) Thank you for making it.
All the retired officers together looks like those taxi uncles at kopitiam 😂
The first NDP was an affirmation that Singapore was a nation. That we could put it together a year after independence is testament to the skills and talents of the SAF.
Wow this is my first time seeing this video is very memorable history of those people who were in the NS service and participate in the very first NDP held in padang and I hope that you can share more history of buses transport too ☺
Vì kỹ sư! Nông Cạn Ly.
wat wow so intersting
🇸🇬
I’m proud to b a Singaporean because of NDP & because we know we have a strong SAF that will fight for our country🇸🇬
Strong? Never be conceited. Never underestimate what the world can throw at us.
Singapore's National Service Act was passed on 15 March 1967 . Hence , how could they be participating in the 1st National Day Parade of Singapore back in year Aug 1966 if they were the 1st batch of NS recruits .
At that time the (PDF) People's Defence Force was a reserve combat unit to supplement the regular Singapore Army .
I remembered very clearly that the sky was pouring heavily on that particular morning when our founding father Mr Lee Kuan Yew and our first president Mr Yusok Ishak arrived .
Yes my friend, it was raining cats and dogs and we were drenched from head to toes but we stood fast in our positions shievering from the cold wind. I was in 2 SIR and later served in 11 PDF (Haig Road Camp) as an instructor to teach the volunteers in 11 PDF.