This group was all ready to set out for an Orienteering Land Exercise with me accompanying them. Location: Tg Ladang . Date: Around 1983. Today, some in this group are Asst Directors, Principals and Lecturers.
Around the early 80's, Tekong was undergoing quite a lot of development and sea reclaimation. Many new tracks and some roads appeared which were previously not on the map. And very often the topo maps we were using did not carry these updates. The camp trainees used the topo maps, plus an updated map which I issued. My Master Map would usually be the most recent updated map of all...even more accurate and precise than those issued to NS recruits on their BMT in Tekong. How come? That is easy to explain.
Way before the Camp proper, I would have gone to Tekong over several weekends to recce, note, observe and map out NEW features... make important notes of the difference between what was on the land compared to what was on the map. Usually, a small party of trainee instructors would follow me...and for them, it was extremely useful to gain firsthand knowledge of the ground and a golden chance for me to help them develop their skills and talent further.
Above Photo:
Above Photo:
The group was at a cross junction of tracks and was trying to figure out their exact location.
As you can see, in such a location without any clear, permanent, easily identifiable landmarks..they can become a little uncertain and confuse. As a matter of fact, some not only get confused but actually " lost the way" so to speak...when they made the wrong decision from that point on.
More about all this interesting stuff in next post.
After each Orienteering exercise, I get the group to have a relaxed sitdown with me for an immediate evaluation of how they performed, what they did very well, not so well and so forth.
This was learning at its very best. This is how an outdoor training/learning session ought to be conducted with everything still fresh in their minds and right at the doorstep of learning itself...the great outdoors of Tekong.
It was not all serious discussion and feedback. Normally, I will relate
some funny and interesting observations about how some individuals
contributed to certain outcomes...good or hilarious. There is nothing bad.
It was all a part of a great learning experience for them, for us, for me too.
5 comments:
yay a Tekong post!
heh you are right about outdated maps in army, i rmb using a 1994 map in 2008 for Taiwan =/ (one earthquake and dam project changed alot of things in the map). The last tekong map that I saw, Pulau Tekong Kechil and Pulau Tekong are still separated.
back to tekong, during navex exercises, even till today commanders and trainees alike still can horlan as there ain't alot of landmarks to identify.
In the last photo, is that Ladang at low tide?
In the 80's, I did a few in-camp trainings in P. Tekong. But strangely, I remember very little of the places we went to. Maybe it becos the duration is too short and then off you go back to civilian life.
Do you have more pictures that show scenery rather than people? Hope to see some familiar landscape.
Confirmed. that's Ladang at low tide.
My next few posts on Tekong will have some interesting flashback about NS recruits asking for my help out in No Man's land.
Most pictures captured by others, not me. I was too busy doing actual camp work and training. So, had absolutely no control over what was to be in the pics.
But still have some that may show the shoreline and jetty.
And one more thing C See, what we campers like about Tekong is the remaining undisturbed forest, mangrove swamps,streams,bushland,shoreline, etc... not the manmade buildings. Other than pics of P Tekong Pri School we used as base camp, most of the pics are devoid of landmarks...that's why you can't identify the locations...but someone like Xinli can as he has spent enough time during his stint at Tekong to make a rough and accurate guess.
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