Page 148 - Demo

148ranks. It was to consist of %u2018British Subjects or British Protected Persons%u2019, to serve in Malaya and beyond. However, because of the ethnic and related political sensitivities at the time, only British and Malays ever served in the corps. All Malay Officers held The Queen%u2019s Commission and had the same ranks as the RAF. Other ranks were called %u2018airmen%u2019, in the (then) various %u2018gunner%u2019 trades. All messes were mixed, British and Malay. Only the need for experience required the corps to be led initially by RAF Regiment Officers in the ranks of flight lieutenant to wing commander, but with the intent that it should be wholly indigenous in due course. Interestingly, whilst British Officers were trained at London University in the Malay language as an important cultural vehicle, English remained the force language at all levels, apparently at behest of the Malays. The King approved an RAF badge for the corps, depicting a pair of crossed kris, the emblematic Malay national dagger, surmounted by an astral crown. However, the next year the Communist insurgency broke out and the force was soon widely engaged beyond RAF local defence during the emergency of 1948860. At least one squadron, often more, was always on anti8terrorist operations usually of six week%u2019s duration, under British Army operational command. Low8intensity jungle warfare is characterised by weeks of unbroken patrolling without contact, interspersed with sudden, often intensely fierce, close8quarters ambush action on either side. To survive requires sustained high levels of vigilance, stealth and self8discipline, plus excellent battle8discipline, often led at very junior level. The RAF Regiment (Malaya) was good at this, gaining the decorations and awards listed at Table 2. In the four years of peak operations in the States of Johore and Selangor, the RAF Regiment (Malaya) killed twelve enemy, wounded twelve, captured twenty8eight and discovered and destroyed over 100 enemy camps and supply dumps, for the loss of one British officer, one Malay officer and sixteen Malay gunners killed and an