This Day in History: 1963-10-01

Lieutenant (QGO) Pasbahadur Gurung, commanding 11 Platoon of the 1st Battalion, executed a successful boat ambush on the River Rajang in Sarawak. After being roped down from four helicopters they very soon afterwards ambushed two longboats packed with Indonesian soldiers. One boat sank midstream, the other beached on rocks on the opposite side of the river.  None of his men were strong enough swimmers to check it out so the next day Captain Willoughby, sent to debrief Pasbahadur, swam across and found a dead Indonesian and a mortar.  In total 26 enemy were killed while Pasbahadur’s team had no casualties. He was awarded the Military Cross.  2 more Indonesians thought to be part of this group were killed in a follow-up ambush on 10th October.