Penang, Western Hill and Butterworth
Penang was a great place to get a few days off on the way back from Aussie when I was a GE on Albert. I will never forget my 3 days off at "Golden Sands" ? We were staying at the Shangri La, Penang, and our Co, happened to know that Golden sands was a sister hotel and got us a transfer. Absolute bliss for 3 days. Have a great time.
Smudge
Smudge
Last edited by smujsmith; 29th May 2013 at 20:31.
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Polyglory, let me know when mate. Most of our old "watering holes" have now, sadly, closed. Will be good to pull up a sandbag and swing the lights again. CO might have a shock though!
Smudge, The Shangri La is now known as the Traders and the Golden Sands had a big make over a few years ago. Both still very good hotels.
No regrets at having retired here.
Smudge, The Shangri La is now known as the Traders and the Golden Sands had a big make over a few years ago. Both still very good hotels.
No regrets at having retired here.
Last edited by lauriebe; 30th May 2013 at 02:52.
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Smuj, laurie, I stayed at the Golden Sands many times in the mid to late 90s when I was based in Singapore. Then it was the inferior of the Shangri La. We got to know not to get rooms at the northern end as the mosque would wake you up early!
Is the reggae bar still going on the strip?? The guy had never been to Jamaica and was obviously demented because he lusted hugely after my mother-in-law when we there once!
Happy days.
Is the reggae bar still going on the strip?? The guy had never been to Jamaica and was obviously demented because he lusted hugely after my mother-in-law when we there once!
Happy days.
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I did a tour with the IADS based at Butterworth in the early 90's. In my office was an old fashioned ink blotter, the sort of semi-horseshoe shaped effort with a handle. It bore a silver plaque which simply said RAF Western Hill with some dates from the 50's. I was sorely tempted for it to fall into my luggage when I left but desisted, wonder if it's still there?
Doing military history research in Malaysia can be a bit of a problem, to say the least. About 6 years ago I was funded to go out to Malaysia and Singapore to revisit some of the LL from the Emergency (1948-1960) and to get access to archives and to extant military and police locations I had to apply some 3 months beforehand to the 'Economic Research Unit' of the Prime Minister's Department (don't be confused by the name - nothing to do with the economy or research; more about internal security and control). In spite of the DAdv and his team pushing this, approval wasn't granted so I chanced it and got great assistance from the RMP HQ in KL, but on the basis that I didn't acknowledge them.
In spite of the relaxed approach in Malaysia, they are particularly sensitive about military and security matters. Singapore - generally regarded as a particularly anal state - by contrast, could not have been more helpful and they opened up all sort of Internal Security archives for me.
In the end I never got the access to the archives that I wanted/needed in KL, but found the 'Foreign Relations of the US' and the CIA archives at the National Archives and Records Administration in Maryland, US ,had a lot of the HUMINT documents I needed!
In spite of the relaxed approach in Malaysia, they are particularly sensitive about military and security matters. Singapore - generally regarded as a particularly anal state - by contrast, could not have been more helpful and they opened up all sort of Internal Security archives for me.
In the end I never got the access to the archives that I wanted/needed in KL, but found the 'Foreign Relations of the US' and the CIA archives at the National Archives and Records Administration in Maryland, US ,had a lot of the HUMINT documents I needed!
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Angels, not a lot to choose between the two hotels now and, as my apartment is just 250 yards away from the Golden Sands, the mosque is my early morning call!! Have to check on the reggae bar but I think it has gone.
Firestreak, are you sure of those dates? Western Hill did not start operating until around August 1966. We all trooped over for the official first day of ops only for some of us to have to move back to Butterworth to man the Aussie kit again when the TPS34 (useless piece of kit!) went u/s. In the 50s, it would have been 487 SU until 114 MCRU (RAAF) took over in 1958. Western Hill took over from 114.
Whenurhappy, I had the same problem when researching a 60 Sqn Vampire crash from 1952. All the newspapers from that time are stored in the National Archive in KL and I needed to go through the route that you mention to view them. I did, however, manage a couple of visits to obtain most of what I wanted without getting the proper authority but was very politely informed that for more I would need to go down the official route.
Firestreak, are you sure of those dates? Western Hill did not start operating until around August 1966. We all trooped over for the official first day of ops only for some of us to have to move back to Butterworth to man the Aussie kit again when the TPS34 (useless piece of kit!) went u/s. In the 50s, it would have been 487 SU until 114 MCRU (RAAF) took over in 1958. Western Hill took over from 114.
Whenurhappy, I had the same problem when researching a 60 Sqn Vampire crash from 1952. All the newspapers from that time are stored in the National Archive in KL and I needed to go through the route that you mention to view them. I did, however, manage a couple of visits to obtain most of what I wanted without getting the proper authority but was very politely informed that for more I would need to go down the official route.
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Penang?
I always like to visit Penang - the grub is great. And the second hand bookshops. Pop into the Banana Guest House front lounge - o.k., it's down to a price but the dim sum is worth the visit. Them prawns in rice paper.......oooerr. And the wonton in broth, arrrrrr.......some of the curry houses are just excellent. Good grief, I can feel an airplane ticket coming on at the mention.
Enjoy!.
Enjoy!.
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So nice to see this thread pop up again, especially as it was just over two years ago we went. I was thinking about it just the other day (32nd Wedding Aniversary) on how fast time as past and how much we enjoyed it.
Then, with amazing coincidence, I saw this thread yesterday and realised that I have never placed a post after the trip.
Well we had an absolutely wonderful time and my wife just fell in love with the place. Everywhere has changed dramatically, but the basics (road structure, many buildings, landscape etc) was exactly as I remembered it when I was just 11 years old.
We saw the 4 houses that we lived in at Hillside, Tanjung Tokong and a street named Jalan Kilat on the mainland down the road from Butterworth.
First day there I took my wife on a complete walking tour of Hillside including a walk up the winding Jungle Road where we had played as kids. A chap let us into the reservoir when I told him we use to play there as there were no fences or locked gates in those days. I got some great photos. Sadly Scout Rock is no longer there and they have built houses on stilts where the rock use to be!
Also saw my old school at Minden Barracks (now the University), Butterworth (via the new bridge and returned on the old ferry), and of course Penang Hill; fortunately the new train up the hill opened on the day of our wedding anniversary, that was so good!
All in all we saw the whole island and so many happy memories came flooding back. If I can be honest there was dust in my eyes when we landed at Penang and dust in my eyes when we left.
We have talked about how we could go and live there, but I am not sure that it would be possible.
Anybody in Penang want to hire an ex RAF engine basher who now specialises in supportability management of deployable communication IT equipment?? I am pretty adaptable at most things.
Then, with amazing coincidence, I saw this thread yesterday and realised that I have never placed a post after the trip.
Well we had an absolutely wonderful time and my wife just fell in love with the place. Everywhere has changed dramatically, but the basics (road structure, many buildings, landscape etc) was exactly as I remembered it when I was just 11 years old.
We saw the 4 houses that we lived in at Hillside, Tanjung Tokong and a street named Jalan Kilat on the mainland down the road from Butterworth.
First day there I took my wife on a complete walking tour of Hillside including a walk up the winding Jungle Road where we had played as kids. A chap let us into the reservoir when I told him we use to play there as there were no fences or locked gates in those days. I got some great photos. Sadly Scout Rock is no longer there and they have built houses on stilts where the rock use to be!
Also saw my old school at Minden Barracks (now the University), Butterworth (via the new bridge and returned on the old ferry), and of course Penang Hill; fortunately the new train up the hill opened on the day of our wedding anniversary, that was so good!
All in all we saw the whole island and so many happy memories came flooding back. If I can be honest there was dust in my eyes when we landed at Penang and dust in my eyes when we left.
We have talked about how we could go and live there, but I am not sure that it would be possible.
Anybody in Penang want to hire an ex RAF engine basher who now specialises in supportability management of deployable communication IT equipment?? I am pretty adaptable at most things.
Last edited by SRENNAPS; 31st May 2013 at 13:00.
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Actually.....
Guv',if you have a couple of quid stashed away or a pension, Malaysia makes it really easy to live and buy property. You would be amazed how relaxed they are. It's a nice place.
Don't swither - go for it!.
Don't swither - go for it!.
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In 1955 I had just graduated as a Halton brat (18 years old) when detached, via a Hastings, to RAF Butterworth to service our Canberra Sqn. No? which was engaged in bombing the Communist Terrorists in the jungles of Malaya. This detachment was very influential to my future as I savoured the delights of Asian food, girls, attitude and weather.
After returning to UK on a Canberra, to be quickly engaged in the attacks on the Egyptian airfields during the Suez crisis, I then found myself leaving Liverpool on the SS Oxfordshire to Singapore.
On arrival, in company with some ship friends who had started a skiffle group which later became the Barron Knights Group in UK, we were dispatched by train accompanied with bren guns, as security, back to Butterworth, where I spent 18 months servicing transit aircraft.
My time enjoying Penang was terminated as the airfield was handed over to be RAAF Butterworth and I drove my new (to me) Riley Pathfinder all the way to Singapore via RAF KL. My girl friend (a telephone operator from Bukit Mertajam) later followed and we married in Singapore.
After training as a Flight Engineer (F/E), and then OCTU, and a career as an RAF Hastings/VC10 F/E and later with Cathay Pacific based in Hong Kong flying on B707/L1011/ B747, I retired to Vancouver.
I sill couldn't get Asia out of my lifestyle and now have a Make Malaysia your 2nd Home (MM2H) visa in my passport and often visit Penang and KL from my new home in Bali, Indonesia.
I believe there is a saying that you can take the man out of Asia but not take Asia out of the man. Many other posts on this thread indicate that is a truism.
Or, as General McArthur said, after WW2......"I will return!"
After returning to UK on a Canberra, to be quickly engaged in the attacks on the Egyptian airfields during the Suez crisis, I then found myself leaving Liverpool on the SS Oxfordshire to Singapore.
On arrival, in company with some ship friends who had started a skiffle group which later became the Barron Knights Group in UK, we were dispatched by train accompanied with bren guns, as security, back to Butterworth, where I spent 18 months servicing transit aircraft.
My time enjoying Penang was terminated as the airfield was handed over to be RAAF Butterworth and I drove my new (to me) Riley Pathfinder all the way to Singapore via RAF KL. My girl friend (a telephone operator from Bukit Mertajam) later followed and we married in Singapore.
After training as a Flight Engineer (F/E), and then OCTU, and a career as an RAF Hastings/VC10 F/E and later with Cathay Pacific based in Hong Kong flying on B707/L1011/ B747, I retired to Vancouver.
I sill couldn't get Asia out of my lifestyle and now have a Make Malaysia your 2nd Home (MM2H) visa in my passport and often visit Penang and KL from my new home in Bali, Indonesia.
I believe there is a saying that you can take the man out of Asia but not take Asia out of the man. Many other posts on this thread indicate that is a truism.
Or, as General McArthur said, after WW2......"I will return!"
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Aye....
'Or, as General McArthur said, after WW2......"I will return!"
I manage Blighty for about a month before I'm scratching at the walls. I actually like living in the Far East and no, that isn't anything to do with the availability of tarts and cheap grog. However, I avoid foreign enclaves like the plague, seem to be filled with right moaning sods who seem to have left their sense of humour at Thiefrow.
A balmy 36 degrees here beside the sea and there's a gal trying to talk with me about something to do with my computer - gosh, she's lovely. (But married)
Wheels back to the smoke shortly and two of my female troupe have demanded dinner "Or else".
Like the man said, I don't suppose you ever get it out of your blood, but some appear to hate it. I just wander around and bump into things like the locals..............
I manage Blighty for about a month before I'm scratching at the walls. I actually like living in the Far East and no, that isn't anything to do with the availability of tarts and cheap grog. However, I avoid foreign enclaves like the plague, seem to be filled with right moaning sods who seem to have left their sense of humour at Thiefrow.
A balmy 36 degrees here beside the sea and there's a gal trying to talk with me about something to do with my computer - gosh, she's lovely. (But married)
Wheels back to the smoke shortly and two of my female troupe have demanded dinner "Or else".
Like the man said, I don't suppose you ever get it out of your blood, but some appear to hate it. I just wander around and bump into things like the locals..............
I believe there is a saying that you can take the man out of Asia but not take Asia out of the man
Last edited by Fareastdriver; 2nd Jun 2013 at 13:07.
Did a Rifle Company Butterworth tour in '89-'90 (plaque should still be there in the Hong Kong Bar - although I had heard that it had burned down?). Still an Aussie det at RMAF Butterworth - plus a rotating company that was ostensibly for base defence (although ours was designated the last 'operational' tour) - but more now for inter FPDA exercises etc.
Brilliant place to be - outside the airconditioned comfort your pores will get a 24/7 workout pumping litres of sweat - food brilliant, people great also.
Brilliant place to be - outside the airconditioned comfort your pores will get a 24/7 workout pumping litres of sweat - food brilliant, people great also.
Last through Butterworth 31Mar1971 in an Argosy en-route Gan for sun & sub-aqua - oh, yes, we may have had some task or other to get in the way 
Penang, about 12yrs ago in B747 - quite a dive after clearing the Malay high ground
We didn't have a/c in Changi in those days
Wot? No Wheelbarrow?
Penang, about 12yrs ago in B747 - quite a dive after clearing the Malay high ground
We didn't have a/c in Changi in those days
Brian 48nav, you might enjoy this
1960?s aircraft photo archive
1960?s aircraft photo archive
Last edited by Basil; 1st Jun 2013 at 13:38. Reason: Major a/c type omission :)
Happy memories of arriving at Butterworth on detachment in June '68. As we staged out, our plotter had remarked modestly at each night stop and in the vicinity of various diversion airfields, "was posted here, was station nav there, etc, etc". Arriving in the overhead at Butterworth and preparing to turn downwind, our captain enquired "I suppose you've been here as well Jim?" "Well not actually. We had a look but decided not to land - the place was swarming withn Japanese." RIP Jim.