Tragedy at Tamparuli Bridge in 1960

All these photographs are copyrighted, but permission has been granted for Muhammad Suhaily to use them for a video or blog – Anthony Catherall, Ex 11 Independent Squadron RE.

The tragedy at Tamparuli Bridge in 1960 is a poignant and memorable event in the history of North Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia). On May 18, 1960, two British soldiers, Pte Hall and Cooper, from the Royal Army Service Corps and the Royal Army Medical Corps, were assisting and transporting a severely injured Dusun woman from Sayap village to the hospital in Jesselton (now Kota Kinabalu). As they reached the Tamparuli Bridge, they found that the river had flooded the main route to the hospital.

Despite the dangerous conditions, the soldiers attempted to cross the bridge in a military Land Rover. Tragically, the strong currents swept the vehicle away, and all three passengers drowned. This heartbreaking incident claimed the lives of two British soldiers and a local woman.

A monument was erected on September 6, 1961, to commemorate the bravery of the soldiers involved in the incident. The monument still stands strong and is well-maintained by the authorities. This tragedy remains a significant part of the local history and is remembered for the soldiers' courage and sacrifice.

11 Independent Squadron Field Royal Engineer RE.

This story is told by an 80-year-old former British Royal Engineer who now lives in London, UK. It recounts the journey of a British soldier from London who was sent to Malaya from 1959 to 1962.

He and his unit sailed on the HMT ship and arrived in Singapore in 1959. They then took a train to Prai and carried out tasks in various locations such as Butterworth, Gerik, and Camp Terendak in Malacca. They were part of the 11th Independent Squadron Field Royal Engineers.

Their main task was to repair infrastructure like roads and bridges, especially those damaged during the Japanese occupation and attacks in 1945. There was a lot of destruction at that time, and they worked hard to build new roads in rural areas for better land connections. Some units were also sent to assist the Malaysian government forces in clearing Communist insurgents.

The photo on the left shows their temporary camp in Tapong, Perak, where they stayed for six weeks. They upgraded and built new roads, especially in Gerik, to provide alternative routes connecting villages and military jeep tracks.