Rangers rally behind stricken fellow veteran
FOR the Royal Rangers Regiment (RRR), a “friend in need is a friend indeed”. Thus, a group of them rallied behind a bedridden comrade, Captain (Rtd) Anscelly Roy Thomas, to raise money to acquire an electric patient’s hoist as a birthday gift.
The veterans had graduated with Anscelly from Intake 31 as short-service commission cadet officers from the Royal Military College in Sungai Besi on Dec 15, 1977.
Anscelly, who turns 63 today, was commissioned as a second-lieutenant with the RRR’s 6th battalion in Sibu, Sarawak, where he served for seven years before retiring to become a senior estate manager at Sapi Plantations in Sandakan, Sabah.
His eldest daughter is 2015 Singapore Sea Games women’s badminton doubles (with Soong Fie Cho) gold medallist Amelia Alicia Anscelly.
The pair also bagged the Grand Prix Gold title at the Syed Modi International tournament in India the same year.
Leading the veterans was former First Infantry Division commander Major-General (Rtd) Toh Choon Siang, who summoned his batchmates who had served alongside Anscelly during the thick and thin of their infantry days as young officers in the armed forces.
“The hoist is to allow Anscelly to be moved into a wheelchair from his bed, so that he can be taken to the toilet or a car to undergo rehabilitation treatment at a hospital.
“He became immobile after suffering a stroke at home in February last year,” Toh told the New Straits Times after visiting Anscelly at his rented home in Taman Rimbun, Bandar Kinrara, Puchong.
Present were Anscelly’s batchmates Captain (Rtd) Steven Liew Hong Seng from the Royal Malaysian Air Force, who last month retired as an Airbus captain with Malaysia Airlines, Corporal (Rtd) William Tee Kong Joo, Major (Rtd) Lee Kien Mun, Anscelly’s wife Norlie Naji and daughter Anna.
Also there were Charity Food Basket Society Klang senior manager retired staffsergeant Richard Lye Wah and secretary retired able-seaman Lydia Chan, whose organisation loaned the hoist.
Toh was grateful to Lye for his initiative in aiding Anscelly.
“This gesture is very meaningful and will help Anscelly attempt to lead a normal life. We, on our part, will do whatever is within our means to help our dear comrade,” said Toh.
He added that his Intake 31 had, perhaps, the largest number of non-Malay cadets (51), including a substantial number from Sabah and Sarawak.
Among the prominent batchmates are former Army chief General (Rtd) Tan Sri Zulkiple Kassim, former Joint Force chief Lieutenant General (Rtd) Datuk Fadzil Mokhtar, former Defence Engineering Management division director Major-General (Rtd) Datuk Abu Sofian, former Royal Service Corps chairman Major-General (Rtd) Datuk Hasanudin Mustafa and retired RMAF Division Two commander Major-General (Rtd) Datuk Abdul Manaf Mohd Zaid.
Toh also pointed out that Anscelly and Lee had together been commissioned for their first posting with the RRR’s 6th battalion in Oya camp, Sibu, which was commanded by Colonel (Rtd) Dunstan Nyaring Angking, the brother to the then Sarawak Third Division resident Ignatius Angking.
Norlie, a Kadazandusun native from Tenom, Sabah, said Anscelly was recovering very slowly and needed round-theclock care from her.
Norlie thanked the veterans for their concern for their fellow batchmate and their financial assistance.