Soldiers recount exploits
FOR years, The Fiji Times has published stories of Fijians who served in many war-torn countries around the world.
A perfect example was an article published on January 22, 1966 about two Fijian soldiers who served in Bahrein and Borneo.
The article described the experiences of these soldiers and even the weather.
Lance Corporal Saki Vocetaki, who served with the 1st Parachute Battalion Group at Bahrein in the Persian Gulf, was one of those soldiers who wrote about his experience.
Lance-Cpl Saki, a former messenger in the public relations office wrote during the hot season in Bahrein, the daytime temperature reached well over 120 degrees then would drop drastically at night.
At that time of the year, Bahrein suffered from mist and sand or dust storms.
“Serving with me in this Battalion is another Fijian, Jekove Mateyawa, who, like me, comes from Lau,” he wrote.
“He is in another supporting unit which is 22 miles away but he came down to my camp for New Year so we could celebrate together.
“He and I are both in the Battalion first Rugby XV.
“I have been in this part of the world for just over two years. I had a break of about six weeks early in 1965 for leave in England.
“I have been to the South Arabian Federation twice but the Trucial Protectorate of Oman and Muscat is our favourite training ground.”
This newspaper reported that one form of exercise popular with the officers then was the Parachute Regiment as road-run and walk.
“This is simply a test of one’s endurance and physical fitness,” Lance-Cpl Saki said.
“After one of these exercises, which was carried out in one of the more mountainous areas of Oman, two English friends and I tried our luck at camel racing.
“I was no better than they. I fell off the camel before it had covered 50 yards.”
Also, the opinion that Fiji should go ahead, step by step, in political development and not risk crash programs was expressed in a letter to the public relations office from Lieutenant Mikaele Yasa of Moala, Lau, who was fighting with the 2nd Green Jackets in Borneo against the Indonesian infiltrators.
“I am interested to see through The Fiji Times so much political progress going on in Fiji,” Lt. Yasa wrote.
“A feeling of expectation and, in some cases, apprehension is understandable at this crucial stage of political development.
“A common roll and independence are, at present, not appropriate for Fiji’s state of development. I, and the Fijians here, support the view that things should be taken stage by stage to suit the mood of the situation.
“As progress is made, so another step forward can be taken. This, I believe, will lead to harmony and better relations all round.
“It is far better than having a type of crash program to attain this or that by such and such a time, irrespective of whether it is suitable or not.
“Rushing things has proved for some of the poor unfortunate, wretched countries which have found that hasty political development only brings havoc, misery, corruption and economic chaos, which is often the prelude to a coup or revolution.”
Lt. Yasa added that he hoped to be in Fiji with the Fiji Infantry Regiment later that year.
“It has been very exciting seeing the world and, especially, action here in Borneo but nothing is better than the expectation of coming home,” he concluded.