John Anthony Frank Lever, a corporal with the Royal
Electrical & Mechanical Engineers (REME) maintained aircraft for the
656 Squadron of the Army Air Corp in Malaya from August 1959 to February
1962 and was based in the Squadron’s workshop at Jalan Gurney,
fortuitously next to Castle Camp. It was during this time that
he became associated with the First KL Senior Scout Troop. He had
arrived at a time when interest in Scouting in the V.I. (and in
the rest of the country) was waning. Most schools had no active
Scoutmasters and some had only senior students as Assistant
Scoutmasters. The First KL was lucky in having the likes of Lee
Choong Looi (a Sixth Former), Wong Peng Kong (an old Scouter) and
Nasir Ibrahim (another old Scouter) returning to help out. And, of
course, there was John Lever.
John gave the inspiration, guidance and financial help
that got the Troop going. He solicited from his mates in the 656 Squadron
a $1,000 donation. With that money the First KL scouts bought tarpaulins,
ropes, hurricane lamps, parangs, pots, pans and other Scouting
paraphernalia.
After Malaya, John returned to the U.K., and with most
of the First KL Scouters busy pursuing their respective studies and careers,
both sides soon lost touch with each other. On John's part, he, too, was
busy with his own career, pausing long enough to get married in 1965.
In the ensuing years John saw active duty in Cyprus under the United
Nations and Northern Ireland before calling it a day in July 1978. But
well before that Koh Tong Bak had already been trying to trace him.
In 1963, Tong Bak wrote a letter from his medical college
in Singapore, giving John's details to the British tabloid The Daily
Mirror in London. Eager for a story, The Mirror assigned a
young lady reporter called Maggie to the job. Incredibly, she managed
to trace John and actually got him to record a message on a cassette
tape that he was to send to Tong Bak's student hostel in Singapore.
Maggie called Tong Bak all the way from London, over a radio
telephone - a luxury in those days - to tell him about the all
important cassette tape winging its way to Singapore. Unfortunately,
the tape never arrived for some reason and so Tong Bak never got John's
address. Again, John Lever seemed to have slipped from First KL's grasp.
There was an interesting follow-up to this. In 1970, Tong
Bak, by then a doctor, was en route to the United States for his speciality
training in Milwaukee. Stopping over in London, he met with The
Mirror's Maggie over tea and sought her help again but, unfortunately,
this time round she was unsuccessful. John still seemed as
untraceable as ever.
This challenge was next taken up by Yee Sek Kum who
travelled frequently at that time to U.K. on business for the Dunlop Group.
He approached the British Armed Forces for help but their policy was never
to aid in tracing an enlisted person, presumably for fear of potential
reprisals and so Sek Kum was thwarted. Still no John Lever. In the early
1980s he tried again. He contacted the Military Attaché of the
British High Commission in Kuala Lumpur but was very disappointed with
their tidak apa response. John seemed as good as lost....
Very soon ten years went by and now it was the early 1990s
and Sek Kum was by then working in Hong Kong. One day in 1993 he was having
a drink in a pub with a British expat, Bill, who not only had worked in
Malaya but also had married a V.I. Old Girl. During the usual pub chat,
he chanced to mention the Army Air Corp to Bill who said that there was
still a detachment in Hong Kong but that it would soon be demobilized as
Hong Kong moved towards the 1997 reunification with China. When Sek Kum
began to lament about the futile efforts of First KL to locate John over
the years, Bill asked him for more details of John.
That same evening the phone rang in Sek Kum's apartment.
It was John Lever on the line! He had responded to a ‘signal’ from his old
regiment about the First KL search for him. Apparently, Bill had contacted
the AAC in Hong Kong who in turn had sent out a ‘signal’ to the U.K. So, in
the end it was just that simple. The thirty-year search for John Lever was
finally over. After speaking with John, Sek Kum immediately phoned Chong
Sze Nen in Kuala Lumpur suggesting that the First K.L Scouts start a fund
to bring John and his wife, Jan, over to Malaysia and, if possible, to
have them join in the August V.I. Centennial Celebrations as well. The
response among the First KL Scouts was spontaneous with almost every one
contacted chipping in.
Below is John Lever's account of his 1993 trip to Malaysia
to be reunited with his V.I. charges. It is a heart-warming story of genuine
friendship and gratitude that transcends time, race, class and national
boundaries. [CCM]
t was late Friday evening on August 6 that Jan
and I boarded the Singapore Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur and in
a mere twelve hours were transported to a different land and culture to
enjoy a magical holiday in the Orient. Following a brief stopover in
Singapore to transfer to a local flight we arrived in Kuala Lumpur at
around 8 p.m. local time. There we were met by Chong Sze Nen, his
brothers Sze Khean and Sze Foo and Frank, all ex-members of the First
Kuala Lumpur Scout Troop which I had run some thirty years previously.
Sze Nen had been a Troop Leader during my 2½ year stay in Kuala Lumpur
as well as being a very good friend.
From the airport we were whisked to Chinatown,
in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, booked into our hotel and then off into
the night. The bustle of the night market, the calls of the vendors
selling their wares, the smell of the Orient, along with the high
humidity, all served to bring back nostalgic memories of years gone
by. We finally made it to a street restaurant where we had our first
authentic Chinese meal, several cool beers and the opportunity to
reminisce over the "lost years" until the small hours of
the morning.
The following morning, Sunday, we were collected
from the hotel bright and early to meet more old Scouting acquaintances
and their families before being taken in a convoy of six vehicles to
Templer Park to be reunited with Bukit Takun. This was a large rock
outcrop rising above the jungle down which, in 1961, I had the
misfortune to suffer a nasty fall on one of its rock faces. (I still
carry the scar!) A short scramble up the lower jungle slope to the
base of the climbing area proved sufficient on this occasion as the
heat and effects of jet lag rapidly took their toll.
From Templer Park the convoy headed north some 20
km. to pick up another old Scout who is a teacher in a small Malay town.
He took us all for lunch to the local Government Rest House and
afterwards, still in convoy, we paid a visit to the local durian
farmer. Fortunately all the fruits had been picked so we did not
have to suffer the overpowering smell normally associated with the
fruit. Proceeding onward, we left the roads and took to the logging
trails for another trip to the jungle - this time to relax in the
heat of the afternoon by, and in, a cool mountain river tumbling over
the rocks. Then back to the Rest House for dinner, followed by a cool
glass or two of draught Anchor beer - a drink I had missed over the
years. A tiring day!!
Monday morning saw yet another early rise in
preparation for a return to the airport en route to Langkawi Island.
This trip had been laid on to help us catch up with our internal
clocks in readiness for later activities. Langkawi is situated off
the northwest coast of Malaya, adjacent to the Thai border, and has
been heavily sponsored by the Government as a holiday resort. We had
been booked into the Delima resort where we had a comfortable
air-conditioned room in a two-storey "H" Block – one of the
1,500 rooms available at the complex. All the usual facilities were
available – lovely swimming pool, dancing, shows, etc., along with
island tours and boat trips. Meals were provided by independent
stall holders serving a wide variety of food around an open air
dining area.
This brief stopover enabled us to unwind, become
a little acclimatized and explore a different area of Malaysia as
well as to learn some of the local legends.
On Wednesday evening we returned to Kuala Lumpur
with the intention of overnighting in another chalet in the Malaysia
Agriculture Park which is to the southwest of Kuala Lumpur. However,
it transpired that the facilities, albeit in an idyllic setting some
two km. into the jungle, were not as Sze Nen had been led to believe
or the brochure portrayed. The chalet was only equipped with a bed
and blankets without the means of preparing a meal, let alone serving
or eating it. The mosquitos were the size of moths and it had all the
prospects of being a long night!! Nevertheless, help was at hand. We
were rescued and spent the night, comfortably, at Petaling Jaya, at
the home of one of the younger "Old Scouts", Meng Teck
(he hadn’t been a member of the Troop in my day). The rescue was
timely as Jan had begun to suffer from the bites.
The following morning we were taken back to
the Park in time to see the sun rise and spent the remainder of
the morning meandering around. The Park was intended as an agricultural
show case to display the country’s agricultural achievements as well
as providing a training and research centre. By opening it to visitors,
the general public were enabled to get a better appreciation of
agriculture generally and enjoy its holiday facilities. It provided
an insight into the whole rural scene of the country, ranging from
jungle board walks to mini-plantations of rubber, cocoa, palm oil, etc.,
to progressive planting of rice fields to show growth at all stages,
displays of insect life, orchids, birds, etc., thus providing a
delightful setting for a day out alongside sound educational
facilities.
By the afternoon we both felt quite fagged out
but, fortunately, we were picked up by Sze Nen and taken back to Kuala
Lumpur in order to meet the current generation of of First Kuala Lumpur
Scouts. It was rather a humbling experience to find, that despite thirty
years having passed, these young boys were aware of who I was and what
contributions I had made to the Group during the 1960s. They had even
given up part of their day off to meet me and to satisfy their
curiosity!!
Despite the changes in attitude and aspirations
of the boys, the Troop still appeared to be in good heart, albeit
they were not, in my opinion, the same sort of rebellious group that
I had the pleasure of running. However, we spent a very pleasant
couple of hours with them and I hope I managed to contribute something
towards making them a little more enthusiastic.
Later that evening we were entertained to a BBQ at
the Lake Club where we were able to meet up with Sek Kum, over from
Hong Kong, who had made the initial invitation for the trip and Tong
Bak, who, along with Sek Kum, had been persistent in the search for
me over the years. There were also many more of my Old Scouts with
their wives, some of whom had travelled from America, Australia,
Borneo, as well as the states of Malaysia, to be present at the
Victoria Institution Centenary celebration.
The following day saw us back at the Lake Gardens
with Robert as our guide, this time to see the Butterfly, Bird and
Orchid Farms, all of which had their own special charms – but of which
the orchid displays were the most beautiful. We could have spent a long
time there but Batu Caves, which is the site of an Indian religious
shrine and temple to the north of Kuala Lumpur, beckoned.
Before climbing the 272 steps to the main cave
we had lunch at a small Indian restaurant. Imagine Jan’s surprise
when her plate comprised a banana leaf and her only utensils were her
fingers!! Nonetheless it was a good curry. And then to the top -
whew - what a climb!!
During the 1960s there had been a five-legged
cow in the grounds and when it died they commemorated it in the
form of a statue but we were unable to find it.
Later we went to visit Wong Peng Kong who had been
the District Commissioner during my Scouting Days and who contributed
very largely to my becoming involved with District Scouting matters
in the form of running training courses, badge examinations, etc.
Despite ill-health, he still had the same fire and desire burning
in him and was strongly against moves within the country to change
Scouting generally. So albeit he was now outside the movement, he
was still fighting to retain the old principles he believed in.
That evening, after being dined out, we were
taken back to the Victoria Institution to join in the Countdown
entertainment in the school quadrangle – as twelve midnight recorded
the official One Hundredth Birthday of the School. The pupils,
parents and Old Boys poured in to take advantage of the stage
show and general celebrations. A very festive atmosphere prevailed
particularly amongst the Old Boys as they tested each other for
superiority. For example, group in car, boastfully, to our host:
"Hi, are you an Old Boy? We have just travelled all the way
from Ipoh and are a '68’s group". "Really? I’m with
the '58 group and have come in from Hong Kong!" was the
response. What a put down! So off they went to try and find some
juniors.
Once the Countdown had begun in earnest, we
retired to the Old Boys Club House to avoid the crush, await
the bewitching hour and do justice to their stock of beer.
The following day we had a quiet period –
if shopping or looking around shops happened to be your forte.
Nevertheless we visited several large modern shopping complexes
which comprised literally hundreds of small units under one roof,
on multiple floor levels, selling almost anything you could wish
for.
That evening was the highlight of the trip –
the Centenary Dinner. This took place in the Shangrila Hotel, Kuala
Lumpur, in the main banqueting hall and was attended by about 1,500
people. The hotel was about the best in town, sumptuously decorated
and providing an excellent service. In the reception the red carpet
was down to receive the Guest of Honour – the Sultan of Brunei –
himself an Old V.I. boy, along with a group of government
ministers.
In the banqueting hall tradition, round tables
were laid with ten people to a table. Of the 150 tables occupied,
the boys of the First Kuala Lumpur and their wives occupied nine,
making them the largest single group in the room. Many of the boys
had themselves not met for many years so the renewal of old
Scouting friends and school colleagues created a great deal of
excitement and noise.
After the speeches of welcome to the principal
guest and proposals for the future, we were treated to the
delights of a ten-course Chinese meal. Each table was catered
for by its own waitress/waiter and our young lady ensured we
were adequately provided for. The meal was sumptuous and washed
down by the finest brandy courtesy of Goh Poh Teck – the M.D. of
Remy Martin – an ex-First Kuala Lumpur Senior Patrol Leader.
Following the revelries, the more hardy of
us visited a downtown hostelry to continue exchanging yarns and
to enjoy an additional drink or two. By 3 a.m. Jan was really
tired, so we left them to it and returned to our hotel.
The next morning, despite the late night,
saw us on the road to Port Dickson with Sek Kum who had the
loan of his company’s bungalow for the weekend. It was sited
right on the beach, which provided an ideal opportunity to swim
in warm water and relax from the rigours of the week. During
the afternoon, more of the group came down, with their families,
which provided an ideal excuse to continue with the previous
day’s celebration and to enjoy an evening BBQ.
Having had a much needed rest overnight,
the following day we moved further south to the old historic
town of Malacca. Malacca figures very heavily in the history
of Malaysia – being a port in which the Chinese, Portuguese,
Dutch and British have taken an interest over the centuries.
It was, I believe, the place where Merdeka ( freedom)
was announced in 1956 by the first Prime Minister when he
returned from successful independence talks with Britain.
Although we only managed a whistle stop tour and visited the
principal tourist spots, we were very impressed by the quality
of museums, cultural displays and general facilities provided.
It was the sort of town in which you needed to spend a great
deal of time to become familiar with the culture and history,
of which there is so much.
After a late lunch it was back to Kuala
Lumpur, stopping en route to visit a crocodile farm which,
despite having some fine specimens, was rather jaded and
lacked care and attention. An evening meal of satay
washed down with Anchor beer brought the day to a
delightful close.
Our itinerary at this stage should have
included a trip up the East Coast, along the Thai border and
back to Kuala Lumpur via the west coast. But having considered
the distance involved between ports of call we decided to opt
out, preferring to remain in Kuala Lumpur to take every
opportunity available to meet up with the old gang.
From then on our days consisted of being
picked either after or for breakfast – being shown the local
sites or taken anywhere we fancied – taking lunch with more
visits afterwards – returning to the hotel for a wash and brush
up prior to another outing in the evening. The evening meals
were a social gathering and attended by up to twenty people
which gave us a further opportunity to meet those who were
not free during the day. Following the meal a walk or a visit
to a club seemed to be the order of the day.
Our day trips included a visit to a bird
sanctuary in a reclaimed swamp area, art and craft exhibitions
where the skillful way in which batik is painted was
wonderful to watch, a variety of temples and the inevitable trip
to the shops. All courtesy of Frank, Robert and Tuck Yen.
On our penultimate evening, about twenty of
us gathered for our last mini-banquet, in an effort by Jan and
I to express our gartitude to those that had taken such wonderful
care of us during our visit. From there we moved to a private
club and enjoyed our Karaoke session until closing time.
All too soon we were packing our suitcases
for the last time and being conveyed to the airport for the
return trip. But before our departure we had our final meal –
alongside the runway – at a restaurant that specialized in sea
food. It was delicious!
They say parting is sweet sorrow – but I
can assure you it was with a heavy heart that we bade farewell
to a group of very special people. People who, by keeping the
Scouting Spirit burning in them, had taken the trouble to
locate us after some 30 years, taken us to their country and
given us a magical two weeks holiday. It is something that
neither Jan nor I will ever forget – or the fine group of men
and their wives who made it so enjoyable.
We are deeply indebted to them.
[John Lever is now happily
retired in the Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand. He and Jan
revisited Malaysia in February, 2002, and again spent some time
with his former Scouts.]
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