Lieutenant Colonel William George Rennie Fleming (Rtd) as an Australian Army lieutenant pilot 656th Air Observation Post/Light Liaison Squadron Royal Air Force (RAF), Malaya 1956-1957, interviewed by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd)

Fleming speaks of his service background prior to posting to Malaya - RMC Duntroon including flying training; National Service training and the Royal Australian Army Service Corps (RAASC) induction course including air dispatch training; awareness of the Malayan Emergency with excitement at the prospect of operational service so soon after being commissioned; the hazards of air dispatch work with the British Army 55th Air Dispatch Company in Malaya; British Army man-management; 656th Squadron's aircraft, aero engines, communications, navigation aids; aircraft endurance; practical applications of unit roles; helicopter limitations; pilot standards and training/familiarisation on arrival; instrument and night flying; aircrew medical examinations; the lack of communist terrorist (CT) ground fire against light aircraft; the display of CT intelligence in flight operations rooms and the exchange of intelligence with supported formations and units; signals intelligence in locating CT camps and the employment of air strikes on locations; the aircraft location reporting system, selection of landing strips; the use of area of operations (AO) boundaries; avoidance of air strikes and high trajectory fire; first- and last-light reconnaissance; a difficult situation experienced - partial engine failure on take off; working relationships with other elements in the Emergency - armed forces, police and the European civilian community; circumstances of strain imposed by the operational environment; lack of ground detail in certain maps still subject of completing mapping survey.