Block2Blog

  Youthful Sporting Doctor Mukhtiar Sidhu was invited by the Seletar Young Indians Football Club to join the Club around 1952, as its’  Sports Secretary as it needed an English educated member to handle correspondence and liaison.   Dr Mukhtiar recalls: The Club was affiliated to the Singapore Football Association and took part in the SFA Division League. Hence, for the first few years I handled all the ground work, mainly administrative and coordination with (SFA) that was located in Sports House in Farrer Park. Front Row from L: 1Palani (RIP); 4Vinayagam (RIP); 5 Dr Sidhu  6 Chandrasekaran; 7 Suppiah G;     9 Sasidharan (in Perth).  2nd. Row from L   3 Jayaram; 5 Velayadan;  6 Sankran   I also conducted internal meetings in Tamil!  as I was fluent in Tamil having picked up the language from childhood friends. The football practice sessions were held in a field near Hot Water Springs, kindly leased to...

  Imagine your first job which is also your last!   That was what many of our parents experienced when they were employed at the Naval Base ' On Her Majesty’s Service'(OHMS) . Their terms of employment were modest and were primarily based on the ‘British Old School Theory,’ where employees enjoyed stability and the Admiralty earned loyalty and other vital conditions necessary for a successful naval organisation. Rank and File The British were generally employee-friendly and rarely pulled rank. Their philosophy of promoting staff from the rank and file was the meritorious route to success which some organisations are reportedly considering returning to. Thus, the past always lends itself to the present. Playing Field In addition to hiring staff, based on technical and academic qualifications, they were also aware that sports instilled qualities that can benefit organisations. Hence, sportsmen and women were selected for positions within the organisation. Heads of De...

  T he Naval Base Way Navalites revealed in more ways than other communities the true meaning of   ‘ Loving thy Neighbour as thyself.’     We grew up living in harmony, practically in each other’s homes and like Chris Fok “ ran in and out of neighbours’ homes even to their kitchens . “ Next to being in Paradise is being in the Naval Base. No racism, all are like brothers and sisters , is how Yen King Ngo fe els. While Irene Francis, a proud grand- parent like many of us remembers, “ Though time has passed. Childhood experiences and growing up memories remain”. Perhaps there is something that other communities can learn from The Naval Base Way? Regrettably, our ‘Peyton Place’ no longer exists.   But thankfully the past has reunited us in that same spirit of togetherness through social media platforms and hopefully the future fulfils Chan Peew’s desire of “giving the younger generation a sense of what it was like, growing up in the Naval Base .” ...

 50th anniversary (of the British Forces pull-out) in 50 words (by C.P. Wan) The above photo shows an unnumbered block and by recognition, was indeed my birth place almost 75 years ago (as I pen my "50 words" today). This was Block 14 and the extreme end unit was Room 12 (our 2-room family quarters) allocated to my late dad who was employed in the H. M. Dockyard.  Two of my older brothers, my late mom and I were privileged to be employed in the Dockyard too. The road  was unmistakably, the Kowloon Road. Many of my friends grew up in this neighbourhood and our "adventures" went beyond all the surrounding blocks. The entire length of the slopes was part of our childhood playground for both boys and girls of all races. For our English language schooling, we had two primary schools - Canberra School and West Hill School; the Naval Base School was our secondary school and all these scho0ls were within walking distance for some of us. ( NB: Admiralty Asian School was an ...

50 th Anniversary in 50 words. The headline sounds like a promotional offer to entice ‘customers’ to patronize a cause actually came about during a conversation with my co-admin and ex-NB friend, Chan Peew, who for a while has been asking me to pen experiences of growing up in NB, especially this being the 50 th Anniversary of the British pull-out.   I hesitate, elaborating, “ Although I wrote a biography, I can’t write mine, cause, like doctors, I am, unable to cure my own sickness ”.   We haggle and that’s when the theme 50 th Anniversary in 50 words. bounces. He agrees to the suggestion and I realize that often friends are sounding boards and well-spring of ideas. Sweet Nothings   One day, I meet an old friend, who enquires how I spend my retirement.   I answer light-heartedly, “ I like to think, I'm not retired but-   unemployable-   because, only the well-off can afford to retire” . He isn’t amused, and sensing he enquired to prepare for h...

  Join Jon Christian Silva. as he reminisces with Peew, founder of NBFB to mark this year’s 50 th Anniversary of British withdrawal. Sit back and read this throw-back in B2B at :  thenavalbase.blogspot.com

  Young Jon Christian Silva. relives memories with Wan Chan Peew, founder of NB Facebook to mark the 50 th Anniversary of British withdrawal. 1. In your opinion, how aware are Singaporeans of their history (e.g.history of H. M. Naval Base) these days? Ans: Frankly, I do not have an answer. But having said that, I recall that the British Naval Dockyard employed people from all over the island. I feel sure these families must have often talked about their work and the reliable source of their weekly income to sustain the respective families. And to this end, all these people (including their friends and neighbours who might not have been employed in the Dockyard) would be definitely aware of the history . 2. Could you share what you think could be the possible reasons for Singaporeans to not be more aware of their history? Ans: People in general have short memories. The announcement by the British Government in 1967 their intention to fully pull-out of Singapore by 1971 woul...