the 'far east'

below is the most interesting email i have recieved for a long time, despite the fact that its sender makes several refrences to the fact that it is boring! i hope you find it equally delightful. this is a real adventure.....thanks uncle john!

Hi Ben
What does an 84 year old man have to say to a young man of your age thatwill be of interest. I really don't know, but here goes. At least it willbe a communication from the U.K.Have been reading your Blogs with interest. You young people live in a different world to the one that we live in. Reading about life in Cambodia through the eyes of Ben Tucker, brings back all sort of memories of the timewhen, not from choice, but because of the international situation, I foundmyself in the "Far East" It was nothing like you are experiencing. It wasafter all over 60 years ago, and at least modern technology has improved theway we communicate.I was in communications. I was a wireless mechanic in the R.A.F. WW2 hadjust finished, and I was one of the unfortunates who was already in the"pipeline" on my way out to wage war against the Japanese. It was too lateto stop the organisation so I had to go, at least on the first part of thejourney. Flew in easy stages, via Sardinia, North Africa, Jerusalem, andfinished up in Karachi in what was then India. Then the authorities reallydid not know what to do with a Signals Unit, specialising in servicingbomber aircraft and airfield equipment, when there was nowhere else to bomb!We finished up near Madras eventually, and spent 6 weeks learning how toplay tennis, swimming, and generally just loafing about. The mostmemorable things I remember about Madras, were going to the EnglishChristian Cathedral on a Sunday Evening, and afterwards listening to recitals of classicalmusic on records, in the open air under a jet black sky at an IndianCollege, near to the airfield we were staying at. Absolutely Fantastic!!
Eventually they moved us on, first to Singapore, and then in the mostdisgusting ship to Hong Kong, where we set up a communications base for theBritish Forces in the Far East. All the official data was in morse code inthose days, but we also relayed entertainment programmes from the U.K. orplayed recorded programmes sent out by the B.B.C.While I was in Hong Kong, I met up with my brother Stan (your Granddad),when his ship Belfast come into port. We had three days together, butafter all these year I really cant remember what we did. I know I went onboard his ship and he came out to our Airfield at Kai Tak. I also met mycousin Reg. who was on HMS Anson, when that came into Hong Kong. Both ofthose meetings were arranged through the Fleet Chaplain, whom I got to knowquite well.All very boring stuff I hear your say. We had to take anti malariamedication, sleep under mosquito nets at night, and at sundown you had towear long trousers and long sleeved shirts or tunics. Malaria was a realthreat they believed in those days. The medication turned our skins andeyeballs yellow.