仲有乜可做呢 What else can I do?

4.  ARMY CAREER

I lost 20 pounds in weight under the pressure of been to a new member of training company, the Officer Major was famously known as the hardest and highest expectation on his NCOs abilities. I experienced his strange temper when I met him in the interview on the date I reported duty. I can remember that sooner his office’s door opened the Sergeant Major marched me in and halted at in front of his disk, the Major stared at me fund that a different (previous unit’s) badge was still pinned on my beret and with no strip (sign of rank) on arm, he immediately berated me to get change within FIVE minutes.

To be a training instructor absolutely isn’t easy. By that time, I was totally inexperienced in “Method of Instruction” and “Weapon Training Skill”, even didn’t fully understand some essential contents on the weapon training pamphlets. It’s no doubt that I made misleading occasionally on teachings so the Major keep accusing me plus hard time on job.

 

Fortunately this Training Major tended to give me chances and advices on the correction ands improvement for my military skill plus teaching technique, even more he sent me to UK for many military training instructor courses. Actually I had not let this kind Major down that I obtained many good results in consequence. After personal familiarization on various teaching skill and smart personal drill, I became an outstanding NCO among my colleagues and sooner and rapid promotions were absolutely amazing to me. In 1984, I’d been to the rank of Staff-Sergeant. Another prompt promotion of Warrant Officer class 2 informed me that after the completion of RQMS course, I’ll replace the RQ which was British WOII taken place.

 

However, luck not always be with me! Meanwhile I was waiting the promotion; the Commandant was changed duty, a new Lt. Col. Turn up. My good dream was turned down! The new Commandant had been whispered by a high-senior Corps member that my previous promotions were unbelievable fast because I’m a shoe-shining-boy擦鞋仔, in fact corrupting the Ex Commandant for promotions. In progress of the interview regarding my promotion cancellation, I clearly recalled as follows:

 

Commandant:    “Li, I’m sorry that your coming promotion is turned down. The reason’s I found that you’d jump promoted 3 times within two years time, it’s very unusually! And, I need to observe your capability and verify this recommendation. Don’t worry young man, if you’re really that smart & distinguished, you won’t be suffered.”

Paul:                “Sure Sir!,,.. I do think my further promotion has being turned down, it’s not my loss! It’s Army’s loss.”

Commandant:    “I’ll see…..

 

I enjoyed as a Drill Instructor in The training Depot. In one occasion of our Company Sergeant Major on course so I was acting his rank therefore I need to carry a pace stick, and because marching a pace stick was my favour drill. One day on my way of marching my stick from the drill square toward my office, suddenly I heard a loud voice, “Well-done Staff,, you’re the first one I have seen in the corps who plays the stick!” I seen there’s the Commandant of course immediately I saluted to him and said “Thank-you Sir”. At the Lunch-time in the Sergeants Mess, other pace-stick carriers were blaming about due to all of them had been ordered to practise their own skills on marching a pace stick.

 

3.  DRIVER EXPERIENCE

After 20 weeks recruit training, I attended another driver training course then was posted to a transportation unit to be an ambulance driver. During my driver training, I was definitely a very naughty and immature soldier. But I did appreciate a senior Sergeant who had given me opportunities for manner-consolidation & work performance. Just share a little piece with you.

In the first day/week of driver training, all learners formed up and were being given introductions & orders, at the topic of daily meal we were told to pay few dollars extra for additional vegetable-potions in advance. I dared suddenly doing attention by drove my foot hardly onto the ground and raised my hand and said, “Sorry Sir, can I pay afterwards and why do we need to pay?” Few seconds dead air turn up, I, recognized the Sgt’s face just a bite unimpressed but without any anger at all and was explained that because the kitchen meals supple are lack of vegetable which Chinese preferred. I didn’t notice that I was wrong and making troubles and insisted to argue with a Sgt. Of course, I was ordered to shut-up in consequence.

After this case I though I would having hard time due to arguing with the training leader; nevertheless, I had been offered a very patient instructor who was a very out standing master to me. It was no doubt that some instructors were greedy in Yum Chai飲茶. But my master never requests any dim-sum & tea.

After driver training completed I was posted to a transport unit it mainly served the transportation for British Military Hospital in King’s park. What a coincidence that the kind Sergeant was there as well, so I met him again. I sensed that this Sgt always kept eye on my performance so I had to work hard and to perform smart including keep turn-out well ironed and boots polished plus keeping vehicle in clean & tidy condition. Form time to time, the Sgt was very impressed upon my capability. Two years gone, Honestly, the shifts of ambulance driver duty was boring and lack of interest to me. Fortunately I got an opportunity to replace a Junior Cadre vacancy which was given up by a senior-driver who tended to go for an overseas training. I really believed that's all control by my destiny, in consequence I was promoted and become a training NCO in the Depot. It was in 1979

 2.  CONFLICT WITH PTU

 

The weather was so hot in the torrid sun at 1973’s mid-autumn, hence hard training and frequent penalized by the NCOs, a lot of recruits (including me) quite often went out to bully civilians specially targeting on bad-guys (drug-dealers & gangsters) or even longhairs teens along 筲箕灣 to 銅鑼灣, but never been interfered by policemen (don’t know why), I think they were merely concentrating on their corruption business by that time so they rather keep eye closed than getting trouble with British Army Personnel. Therefore, we became another gang of rascals with an icon of jarhead+sandals. Only that we wouldn’t touch female & children or elderly, nevertheless we were already under surveillance of PTU which was just newly formed for violence control.

In September the violence between Police and HKMSC soldiers was induced by an arrest for three recruits that I clearly recalled the incident because I involved. In one Wednesday’s evening we(10 recruits) went to Garden Restaurant to din & chat for leisure hours then going to leave, fortuitously there were 2 more intake-male came into the restaurant so three guys including me stayed behind with the 2 new arrivals continued to talk and drink for minutes more. And the other 7 recruits left and headed to barrack.

At about 9:30pm, the rear 5 recruits left the restaurant and returned to barrack by a taxi when turning left at the road junction which towards to the barrack. We saw many barrette head dressed policemen (PTU) had blocked the road and stopped our taxi to go through, so we got off and to see what happen. I seen three intake-mates were lying prone on the ground with handcuffed at their back and screamed for help. We attempted to rescue them but the PTU booted us away, we (5 recruits) immediately ran back to barrack and report the case to the guard room.

 

An hour later, almost 80 recruits and soldiers had ran to surrounded the whole 筲箕灣警署

, some radical members tried to charge forward into the entrance with brandishing the advertising board of police recruitment. However, there were three British Military Police who used their batons to truncheon back the guys, but few times attempted even unsuccessful. Other guys had surrounded the station and shot stones and hard garbage up to the station’s windows. We screamed out with anger, “Dare to come out? Coward!!”..

Hundreds of civilians gathering and newspaper reports also arrived, the situation was become critical, fortunately there appeared a British Army Officer who came out from to station and calmed the guys down by telling that the arrested recruits are to be released. Just seconds later, the three injury recruits were propped up by MPs to walk out slowly with deep painful looking.

At last several 4 toners came and carried the guys back to Lyemun barrack. In consequence the involved soldiers and recruits were punished 7 days Confine Barrack. During that 7 days we were been keeping informed that so many policemen were attacked when patrolling on street.

I recall it may not be entire but honestly that was I took part.

 

1. I LIKE ARMY LIFE

I joined the British Army - Hong Kong Military Service Corps family in 1973 because of reading recruitment on newspaper when just turning to 18 of age. I never heard that Chinese people could be enlisted in British Army even more the pay was far more than I earning at that time, (Recruit got $329 a month).

On the day of recruiting in Lyemun Barrack which located at the hill top of 筲箕灣 I was so excited by hearing the loud & sharp voices of Call-Out-Timing on the Drill square where a drill lesson was taken place,

It was the first time to hear this remarkable sharp and heart beating sound. “One…..Two Three,, One,” it’s soul-stirring to me.

My recruit training began in early July/1973, a very hot and humid season for physical exercises particularly outdoor trainings that’s why we always been made a joke by our Education Instructors, “You guys all disliked English class and loved PT lessons when studying in school, but now doing opposite!”… We laughed and answered that we loved air condition, No sweat!! Certainly we can enjoy smoking during the class..
Recruits scared to training instructors (named NCOs) because NCOs would give recruits punishment without any reason, it may be polishing a pair of boot, some extra cleaning duties or toilet washing. We had to arrange our time consumption on daily room job and polishing boot plus uniform ironing, in addition some naughty guys would climb over fence to escape from barrack in night for own reasons or entertainments therefore time is worth to recruits. Due to the recruits were not allow to leave barrack during the weekday evenings but they often ran away for a free movie at Wing Wah cinema or having dinner or even bullied the civilian for venting our angers when being punished by NCOs….

 

At the time of 8^th week, we had done a DRILL test, granting a pass result permitted recruits to leave the barrack for few recreation hours after the dinner but must retuned barrack before 22:00 hrs.

 

In the middle of August, 1973, a very serious big fight between Police & HKMSC soldiers was occurred.

 

To be continued,,…..

 

住院期間常問自己一個問題 “仲有乜可以做呢What else can I do?”

於1989年我離開復康院回家從新生活後好像找到了答案，因為經過了醫院攪事的關係和認識了一位臨床心理學家(簡稱TK)，我決定就以電腦為工具及利用互聯網作媒介，推動傷殘人士自學自助和組織法定自助團體。當然這位學者TK給了我很多資料及支持，但他永不會替我們組員辦事，於是所有文件上及籌辦工作，都要組員親身處理。而且我亦是軍隊出身，很自然被推舉為組織的首腦，興幸在軍隊時也學過小許人事管理，所以也樂此不疲。

團體成立之初期，是非常繁忙的，絶對是一項吃力而不討好的任務，出錢出力不在話下，還會有些時候從其他人聽到“潑冷水”的閒言閒語。但不管怎麼辦，我已決意要攪這個自助團體就要幹到底,,..，那管它失敗或成功也好，只管盡自己努力吧。原因是我要証明給我的家人、親戚、朋友和其他與我類似 “傷殘程度” 的病友知道，李銀康係一名不拆不扣的“軍佬”,,..仲係 Tough 個隻！….所以在那時期 “軍佬” 就係我的稱號。

從報張及電台知悉勇警朱振國受傷事件之後，一幕一幕自己在傷後的心情起伏又再呈現腦海中。最相似的是我與他都有位神奇太太和有年幼子女，這就是能令朱振國康復的靈丹妙藥。希望朱太能好好保重，不要太勞累，因為朱太還要長期作戰，照顧丈夫及女兒和家庭。

我體會到朱太現在最需要的是能得到警務處的承諾，於朱警員醫療判症之前會繼續支付薪金及福利津貼給其太太。讓朱太可以減輕負擔，專心照顧朱警員。

一段很有感覺的時光，

http://forum.hkdisable.net/viewtopic.php?t=934

但再回看現今社會上的一群先驅份子還是那些舊面孔…….真有些不是味兒。