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officers was not available. At the time, Navy Officers got their commission directly through
a midshipman school, which did not then exist locally. It was only in March 1968 that four
trainees were sent overseas for midshipman training to form the core of the new naval force.
Three of the First Batch became fighter pilots: Gary Yeo Ping Yong, John Steven Peter
Norfor and Timothy James De Souza. In August 1967, MID had initially selected 21 First
Batch graduates with credits in science, mathematics and English in the Senior Cambridge
examinations, but after the medicals, only Malcolm Alphonso, Leong Kwai Wah, Patrick
Choy Choon Tow, Gary Yeo and John Norfor remained. While working in MID departments,
they carried out their Provisional Pilot License training in Paya Lebar Airport. Another
recruitment exercise was conducted in March 1968 during which Timothy De Souza and
Ng Seng Chan were selected, together with about 30 direct civilian applicants. Eventually,
Gary Yeo, John Norfor and Timothy were sent to the UK for fighter training in Hunters.
In due course, two more First Batch officers joined the RSAF as pilots: Wan Siang Hau as a
transport pilot and K.S. Rajan as a helicopter pilot. Leong Kwai Wah became an Air Traffic
Control Officer.
For those among the First Batch who did not have to undergo a further stint as trainees
immediately, the Adjutant of their unit tended to dominate their regimental life with the duty
roster, rations checks, keeping an eye on the swill collector, who could be in cahoots with the
cooks, the spot-checks at night (time selection being based on rolling dice in the presence
of the Adjutant, who was not above over-ruling the outcome) and of course, extra duties
for offences. But otherwise, their responsibilities were fulfilling and mostly outdoors work.
Much of it was in fact teaching: peacetime unit life was training and with the induction of
the first National Service intake in August 1967, SAF land force units were launched on the
perpetual training cycle of operationally ready National Servicemen which is now a rite of
passage among male Singapore citizens.
The First Batch provided the core of the Infantry, Armour, Artillery and Signals formations.
The Infantry officers were posted directly to Infantry assignments, including SAFTI, while
those earmarked for the other formations after commissioning, were enrolled in respective
specialist courses. On their return from Fort Belvoir, Gurcharan Singh and Chng Teow Hua
set up the School of Engineers, while Chan Seck Sung, who had gone to the Ranger Course
at the Army Infantry School, USA with CPT Clarence Tan for Ranger training, set up the
first School of Commandos in SAFTI, with Clarence being appointed the Chief Commando
Officer. Among the first converts to the Commando were First Batch officers Tham Chee
Onn and Boon Hon Lin, both of whom like Seck Sung retired from the service eventually
as Lieutenant-Colonels. Another pioneer organisation created with First Batch graduates
was the School of Combat Intelligence, also in SAFTI, headed by then CPT Jimmy Yap.
Two First batch officers, Second Lieutenants Khoo Hung Kim and ‘Belukar’ Kwang Kwok
Yeow were sent to Australia to attend the Basic Intelligence Officers’ Course at Woodside,
Adelaide, before returning to prepare lesson plans under an Advisor.