Robert John Fletcher as a platoon commander 2nd Battalion The Royal Australian Regiment (2 RAR), Malaya 1955-1957, interviewed by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd)

Fletcher speaks of his service background and training prior to joining 2 RAR; the state of 2 RAR and its manning when he arrived; the training of 2 RAR and other commitments at Enoggera Camp, as 2 RAR was brought to full strength; the battalion's training at the Jungle Training Centre (JTC), Canungra; the presentation of colours to 2 RAR by the Governor General of Australia Field Marshal Sir William Slim; his experiences as OC 2 RAR Stores Party, conveying unit stores to Sydney for loading on to MV Georgic; transit to Malaya in MV Georgic; accommodation, administration, training and equipment issued on arrival at Minden Barracks, Penang; the small groups of 2 RAR officers attending courses at the Far East Land Forces Training Centre (FTC) at Kota Tinggi, State of Johore; integration of 2 RAR into 28th Commonwealth Infantry Brigade; initial impressions of the communist terrorists (CT); B Company's deployment in 2 RAR's first operational commitment - Operation Deuce - in the State of Kedah; platoon and company radio communications; contacts with CT while commanding 6 Platoon B Company; experiences while commanding the Mortar Platoon including the CT ambush on the Krudah Estate; resupply on operations; an assessment of platoon NCOs as leaders; preparation for patrols and standard tactics; a ten-day ambush; attachments and detachments of personnel and supporting Malayan organisations; being the 2 RAR finance, labour and fire officer from May 1957; some testing and humorous occasions; the two-year 'accompanied' posting against other options; morale and senior leaders; the most significant characters of 2 RAR; the mistiming of training for the Strategic Reserve role; the value of the Malayan experience to Vietnam service.