Beschreibung:

I was at times guilty of some bravado in an effort to draw the cunning enemy, such as sometimes standing in the section truck when passing through a regular ambush point and shouting a challenge in Malay - like a dog baying at the moon! It never worked. And there was a time when I was in charge of a newly-established, section-strength detachment, housed in a wooden Chinese social club hut, fortified at the front only with a rampart of sandbags. The place was called Kangkar Jemuluang, where a week before bandits had carried out a punitive execution of a Chinese storekeeper. The place was known to support the M.R.L.A. and there were many bandit sightings in the locality. So there we were, at section strength in a flimsy defence, on the edge of a fair-sized village whose community was at least in part hostile. We were there for a week or 10 days before relief from Mersing, some miles to the north. It was unsound militarily, but sound politically. On my first day I decided the only strength our vulnerable position had was to show that we were there and not afraid of them. With myself unarmed, and just one Malay airman and his rifle, I slowly perambulated the whole length of the street and back three times in the course of our first stint. All we drew were dirty looks and women rushing their children inside. But our tour was quiet.’ Leslie Harris on his time in Malaya, as quoted by In Adversity - Exploits of Gallantry and Awards to the R.A.F. Regiment and its Associated Forces 1921-1995, by Squadron Leader N. G. Tucker. An extremely rare Malaya operations M.M. group of five awarded to Flight Sergeant L. C. E. Harris, Royal Air Force Regiment Military Medal, G.VI., 2nd issue (4031688 A. Flt. Sgt. L. C. E. Harris, R.A.F. Regt.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (4031688 Act. F. Sgt. L. C. E. Harris, R.A.F.); Coronation 1937, privately engraved, ‘2614432 L./Cpl. L. Harris, 1st Bn. G. Gds.’, good very fine and better (5) £5000-6000 Footnote M.M. London Gazette 21 March 1952. The original recommendation states: ‘During the period 20 July - 22 October 1951, Flight Sergeant Harris was the N.C.O. in charge of ‘A’ Flight, No. 95 Squadron, R.A.F. Regiment (Malaya), engaged in Anti-Insurgent Operations in the Sungei Besi district of Selangor. He undertook a great number of patrols and ambushes in a most cheerful manner, and very often under most trying conditions. Throughout, his example has been an inspiration to all who have served under him and the Squadron as a whole. Flight Sergeant Harris displayed courage, endurance and initiative in the line of duty and through his untiring efforts he discovered numerous food and equipment dumps, insurgent camps and resting places. His information and observance were responsible for further unit successes. Throughout this period of anti-insurgent duty, Flight Sergeant Harris displayed tremendous keenness, fortitude and fearless leadership far beyond the call of duty.’ Leslie Charles Ewart Harris was born in Cranbrook, Kent, in December 1916, and enlisted in the Grenadier Guards in January 1935. Dissatisfied with ‘the interminable bull-shit’, however, he bought himself out of the 1st Battalion in August 1937 and returned to civilian life. With the advent of hostilities in September 1939, he volunteered his services and was drafted to the East Surrey regiment in March 1940, and on achieving a high score on a course at the Small Arms School, Hythe, he was appointed a Sergeant on the Training Centre Weapons’ Staff and remained similarly employed until being demobilised in March 1946. In June 1948, he enlisted as a Gunner Instructor in the R.A.F. Regiment, and was immediately appointed to acting rank of Sergeant. Then in November 1949, he was embarked for the Far East, where he joined ‘A’ Flight of No. 95 (Rifle) Squadron in Malaya and was advanced to the acting rank of Flight Sergeant. Of subsequent operations undertaken by ‘A’ Flight, In Adversity - Explo