Hi, i was a SISPEC instructor during NS back in fhe days where training is harder and SISPEC is still back in Pulau Tekong. It practically sucks being in SISPEC cos the camp was isolated and away from BMTC, u need to catch a bus/tonner to go down to BMTC or a ferry or vice versa. SISPEC field training is frequent, and that is the source of my story.

There was this exercise back in the day during BSLC called Grandslam. Its practically a 4 day assessment exercise with section and platoon movement and drills. Trainees are assessed based on the missions assigned to them and how they complete it. Not to hard, compared to Brunei or Taiwan, but at that level its challenging enough to certain trainees. And some do fail the missions assigned to them.

Now on day 2, my section was assigned a night ambush mission. Supposedly the section is to leave the platoon harbour base, move into the ambush site well before dark and set up the equipment before waiting for the enemy to show up which as part of the mission situation will arrive only at night fall. My trainee section commander, S was not a good s/c at all. So ended up delayed and have to wait for him to prepare his orders and rehearsals while in my mind i was planning to give a FAIL!

So while S was fumbling around with the guys and equipment, i was lying on my hammock and waiting for them to tell me that they are ready for the ops order. While waiting, i decided to warm myself up by knocking back a can of Guinness. Yes, its illegal to drink in the field. But i can bet ur ass most of the regulars are doing it. Hey, do what u want dont get caught.

My PC saw me slacking about and asked? “Hey u relaxed only why not moved out yet? I replied that i want to teach them a lesson, a painful lesson in night navigation so i let them delay themselves to failure. PC, ever afraid of the stupidity of trainees and gung ho ness of sergeants, said, You better get moving or you wont come back at all!

So up i went wearing my webbing and hustled back to the section. Listened to a half screwed orders which i cant make out a head or tail whats going on. Anyways it was time they formed up, took a bearing and moved out. The pointman was N, one of the regular trainees, a solid navigator, S was smart assigning him to point so he would navigate easily to the ambush site. it was a bright night anyways even Stevie Wonder could walk in a night like this. So after around 30 mins of cross terrain movement, the section stopped and S ordered N and another trainee to follow him to move forward for recce and confirm the location of the FUP (Form Up Point, the last place the section harbour before occupying the ambush site).

I decided to follow the three for the recce and see what i can gleam from them. So forward they went in leap and bound till they found a location concealed enough and big to fit 7 men. So S left N there while he and the other guy went back to lead the section into the location. I was confident N was competent enough to be left alone so i went with S. Once the other guys were ready we moved forward.

Upon reaching the site, i saw N staring into the distance with a blank look. I asked, N, wtf is wrong with u. He pointed at a fallen tree, with someone sitting on it! I saw it myself, a lady in white, long hair facing away from us. exactly at the location we were meant to place ourselves for ambushing the junction below. I manage to awake myself by grabbing N and back to the section telling them to move as fast as we can back to the track some distance behind!

Boy was i scared! Luckily my military composure took over and counted the men and the equipment, N highlighted that his M16 was left behind! So we had no choice so i went back with him to grab the M16 whild i told the rest to break tactical and sit near to the track and wait for us.

So off N and i we back to the FUP, grabbed the rifle, i told N to unsheathe his bayonet and fix on his rifle while i had my knife i use to carry in the field given by my dad. The lady was not sitting on the tree i noticed. So we hurried back and half way back we heard aloud screeching laughter, which made us ran like hell back to the other guys and beat hastily back to the platoon in record time using the road track

Back in the platoon harbour site, i got scolded by my PWO for not initiating the ambush, for i told him what happen, my PC gave him a look and he ceased scolding me, telling me to check my men and equipment. My other instructor told me afterwards that i was probably jinxed by drinking alcohol before going out at nite, thats why i spotted “her”. All i knew was i got high fever when i woke up the next morning and lasted for a week, together with N, S and two other soldiers who saw the “lady”!