My Heart Never Left Naval Base- By C.P Wan -Pt 3

Growing Up.

          When I was growing up in the Naval Base, during the '60s,  our parents, like most parents, depended solely on their occupations in the Dockyard to provide a livelihood for their families. 

           Wages were mostly paid weekly. Our parents like most breadwinners earned sustenance sums, enough to meet our weekly basic household needs such as purchasing inexpensive outfits to clothe our famished bodies; regular, rather than fashionable footwear to protect our feet; and the biggest challenge was laying food on the table for 8 growing children, with growing appetites.  

            Hence there was hardly any money left, to save in the kitty. We were lucky if the weekly wages could meet our weekly needs.

             Hence, under such circumstance, some mothers were forced to seek work, in order to supplement the needs of the family. Like my mother who worked temporarily. 

            Yet, despite her earning, she couldn’t afford to give us “pocket money” which we were hoping for, to treat ourselves. The only source of food to fill our cravings, was to raid the pantry at home: usually stocked with only biscuits and more biscuits.  Lollipops, and ice-cream was a rare treat and going to the movies, even matinee shows, at concessionary rates, was a dream come true.  Somehow, our family, never moaned or lamented our plight – perhaps we were desensitized?  What is more, I found many of my playmates and friends in my neighborhood in a similar situation.

     

Early Lessons

           I believe that having gone through such difficulties, was a blessing in disguise. For it spurred me and taught me in later years to excel in my work, believing that I would steadily progress in my career, earning promotions and gradually earn better pay. It indeed paid off….

While growing up, I observed and learnt that in my family, when 

we started earning, we brought home the entire ‘pay-packet’ to our parents.  Often, mom was the “finance minister” and she pooled our earnings –apportioning part of the income back to us to meet our daily expenses, such as transport fare to commute to work; pay for our lunch, tea, etc. I am not sure if this was practiced in, and among other families.

            On reflection, I kind of rued and regretted to this day, for not treating or giving pocket money individually to my younger siblings.

Had I been less generous?

Or was I influenced by values I cultivated from young, and later practiced unconsciously to be prudent in life??

Or did I leave it to my parents to provide for their upkeep from my monthly salary contributions?

 I still don’t know!!

I recall though, I would occasionally treat the whole family to a spread of exotic food.

Free Community Facilities

The Naval Base, was self-contained, and we were able to meet most of our basic needs.

 Her Majesty’s Dockyard, was the ‘Royal Employer’, provided employment for residents.

The Dockyard also provided training schemes for teenagers to acquire a ‘trade’ or skill, under a 5-year full-time apprenticeship scheme.

The training, held in the Dockyard’s Technical College, included tutorials by expatriate lecturers from the UK, followed by practical lessons carried out within the respective departmental workshops such as the Plate Shop, Machine Shop, Pipe Shop.   

This Diploma Course, paved the way for students to pursue their tertiary education. Other facilities included, the Naval Base Hospital, which treated all out- patients and provided hospitalization for males.

A separate hospital known as the Block Hospital, equipped with a maternity ward, catered to females and children.

All treatment in both hospitals were free.

Two paying cinemas screened English, Malay, Tamil, and Cantonese movies. Occasionally we were also treated to free open-air cartoon shows (our early version of the “drive-in” cinema).  

We had several playgrounds equipped with rustic see-saws and swings. Other “live” forms of entertainment we enjoyed, included the seasonal wrestling matches and Chinese stage opera performances – all for free viewing. 

There were primary and secondary schools nearby, pockets of shops selling sundry goods and provisions. A small ‘in-house’ Chartered Bank and a government Post Office located a few meters outside the confines of the Naval Base, catered to the banking and postal needs of residents.  

A comprehensive private bus service, with a maximum adult fare of 25c per trip, operated within the Naval Base.

Other amenities included free piped water, electricity, a nominal charge for power supply, free light bulbs, exchanged for blown out bulbs; free electrical repair services and free handy-man services.

Periodical cleaning and scrubbing of monsoon drains and environmental hygiene was operative. The grasslands and open fields were well manicured regularly by a large team of female grass-cutters. Groups of children rambled freely in the open fields, searching for ways to amuse themselves, without any care in the world.

A rural network of macadamized roads, was empty most of the time, except when workers were commuting to- and- fro to work. Traffic jams were unheard of.

All these amenities were freely available for use by everyone living in the fully gated community.

The Naval Base was estimated to be 25 square miles and it was gazetted a Protected Area, manned by the Naval Police Force who were stationed at several strategic entry points 

It was an enclave!!!

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