Eileen McSporran was kind enough to share this photograph. Shown are (L to R) Bruce Jackman, Captain (QGO) Jangbir Gurung BEM (10 Platoon Commander), Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Clements (the Commandant), an unknown civilian and Malcolm McSporran.
Bruce Jackman commented on the photo: ‘The photo is of me and Captain (QGO) Jangbir Gurung with Johnny Clements and the Resident of 5th Division, Malcolm McSporran. I don’t know who the guy wearing glasses is. It was taken in about June 1964. We (C Company) had recently arrived from Hong Kong. I was outlining my plans to relocate the whole company to Ba Kelalan because I believed the 2/7GR company we had relieved were wrong to have only one platoon forward at Ba Kelalan close to the border. If we were to fulfil our tasks of defending the border and protecting the Murut communities who lived near the border, which was over 4 miles from Long Semado (as the crow flies but a lot further by jungle track), then the whole company had to be forward at Ba Kelalan with just B Echelon at Long Semado to receive our airdrops and forward our supplies by helicopter. Fortunately Johnny Clements agreed and Malcolm thought it made complete sense. So we relocated and built our company base at Ba Kelalan over the next month.’
Malcolm McSporran’s obituary is at http://2ndgoorkhas.com/obituaries/#Obit10
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