Former Army Warrant Officer Colin Daymen, from Kingsteignton, was presented with a prestigious and unique award – the Pingat Jasa Malaysia medal – last week.
The awards are timed to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Malaysian Independence, due in July. In the 1960s, Mr Dayman served with the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers, stationed at the time in Watchet, Somerset, and in 1966 he was sent on a nine-month active tour of duty in Borneo.
Mr Daymen, along with thousands of other British and Commonwealth forces, was involved in a struggle against the Indonesian-backed Communist Forces from Kalimantan. Unlike Vietnam, which occurred during the same period, the so-called Confrontation War, which took place deep in the jungles of Brunei, Sabah and Sarawak, was not featured by the TV cameras and was, therefore, largely forgotten.
Forgotten by many, but not within the hearts and minds of the Malaysian people who were saved from Communist rule and oppression.
As a mark of their respect and appreciation, they decided to award the Pingat Jasa Malaysia to those servicemen and women who helped them to achieve peace and democracy. 'I am honoured and feel privileged to receive this award,' said Mr Daymen. 'It is a little disappointing that I won't be able to wear it with uniform, as it is not a British award, but I am pleased to be given the medal by a foreign government.
'For anyone who has not experienced jungle warfare, it is almost impossible to describe how horrific it can be. 'While on patrol, there is constant daily fear of death or injury from the enemy or his booby-trap, all of which saps the energy. Aside from the actual fighting, the combatants had to endure stifling heat, humidity, snakes, leeches, mosquitoes and disease for long periods.
'My son, David, who is a sergeant in the Royal Engineers, is off to Afghanistan next month and I don't envy him at all, but I'd prefer to be in a desert to being deep in the jungle.'