history

I was at a wedding dinner last night and sat at the same table with Mr Jackie Khoo and Mr Lim Kim Seng. Somewhere towards the end of the dinner they started reminiscing about the old days when the Japs invaded Malaya. Mr Khoo was eleven and Mr Lim 7. I was amazed at how well they remembered the dates and names. As a History teacher, I am familiar with these dates, names and events but as I don't teach the topic in such detail at Form 4 and 5 level, I kind of forget them. I suppose these people remember because they experienced it first hand.

Names like Henry Gurney, Gerald Templer and Percival kept popping up. They truly admire Gerald Templer whose changes paralysed the Communist ie setting up the chinese new village. Mr Lim sounded most upset that such a person who made a difference in the Malaya history should have his name removed from a certain road and replaced by local name.

Mr Khoo related how he met Henry Gurney's driver while he was doing his specialist course in Coventry. Now, how many people you know have met Henry Gurney's driver?

But at the end, they were disappointed with the British defeat to the Japanese. They actually called the British 'useless'. All the British forces was centered in Singapore and the focus was on their naval strength only. Of course when the Japs invaded from the north using the humblest for of vehicle; the bicycle, the British were totally unprepared and thrown off balance.

It was really wonderful to hear all these from people who experienced it themselves. Unfortunately, I was seated opposite them and the music was so loud that I couldn't catch half of what they were talking. Sigh.