Singapore - HMS Terror &
Sembawang Village

To many like myself it was to become more home than home was. Following the end of WW11 and the days of the Strategic Reserve the British Navy owned a fairly sizable chunk of real estate on the Island. HMS Terror was the name of the base and it was located on the northern or Malaysian side of Singapore Island. Sembawang Village is located 15 miles north of Singapore City and was the local village catering for the vast numbers of matelots stationed in and visiting Singapore. The Photo Below is of Sembawang Basin (circa 1970) which was the old Royal Navy Dry Dock that was blown up and made inoperable when the Japanese invaded in 1942. Since then it has been used as the perfect place for ships to berth and would accomodate the entire Royal Navy Far East Fleet. A walk from the basin to sleepy Sembawang Village would take about 20 minutes.

 

Sembawang Basin

Map of Singapore

HMS Terror - although not as well appointed as its American counterparts did have facilities such as The Armada Club - a large two story colonial building - used as the Junior Sailors Wet Canteen. This Club overlooked a floodlit sports field and was the scene of many a grand night during the Fleet Rugby Union Championships.Situated in luscious tropical grounds HMS Terror boasted a nine hole golf course, Aggie Westons and swimming pools.

 

Sembawang Basin Singapore

Berthing starboard side to, south end of 'The Sembawang Basin'

Anchor Beer

I suppose this local and well known Singaporean Brew could be called a "Cleansing Ale"..... Just ask the Heads Dodgers the morning after the first night in Sembawang. In the late 60's and early 70's with the exchange rate running at $A1.00 = $S3.40, a 13oz bottle of this stuff cost $S1.00. Ladies drinks in the Sembawang Bars were $S5.00 and consisted of anything from coke to brandy, depending on the girl, but they we all $5.00.

 

Tiger Beer

 

Tiger Beer - Generally consumed more in Malaysia than Singapore by us. It was the same price but many sailors preferred Anchor Beer. One bar in Sembawang, the New Ocean, used to have it on tap back in the late 60's early 70's and a pint of 'Tiger Tops' (tiger beer with a dash of 7 up) was a favourite amongst the Pommy Matelots, perhaps because it was cheaper too. We also carried this beer onboard for beer issues, which for a few of us was great because very few blokes in the mess would drink the stuff at sea.So, a small number of us would draw the whole mess issue for ourselves.

 

My grateful thanks to Ian Tallis another ex Chief FC who, via way of a misspent youth,
provided most of the following Bar Cards.


www.gunplot.net
© 1997 - 2003 Gun Plot. All rights reserved

This web site is protected by copyright. Users of the web site shall only be entitled to copy the web site for their own personal use and may not republish or reproduce any substantial part of the web site in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of the owner. An acknowledgment of the source must be included whenever the author's material is copied or published - Contact Webmaster Here.