The Silver Screen

Tawau in the mid 60's was the centre of the pornographic film industry of Borneo. I cannot speak with personal experience, but I doubt if they were more sexually explicit than some of the programmes we see today on TV.
The market for these films was the staunchly Roman Catholic Republic of the Philippines. There was also a brisk traffic in 'PLAYBOY' magazines that came in by sea and were then re-exported in long, thin, pencil-shaped boats powered by four 40 horse power outboard motors. The boats travelled so fast that nothing in the Philippine Navy could catch them. They presented a difficult target but occasionally a boat would be hit by gunfire - there were never any survivors. Those who took part in this illicit trade considered the risks worth while; ten successful runs would provide crews with enough money to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.
Colour Sergeant Hamish McCleod of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders was the orderly sergeant of the day and was carrying out an evening inspection of 2/RANGER's camp in Tawau. McCleod was one of the first non-commissioned officers to be seconded to the Sabah battalion and had proved himself to be an excellent NCO; he set a high moral standard in his personal and professional life.
He was accompanied on his inspection by the Malay provost sergeant (regimental police) and was about to tell him to 'fall out' when an unusual sound made him freeze. He moved his head from side to side until he had a fix on one of the accommodation huts. Signaling the provost sergeant to follow, he tip-toed to the hut and smashed the door open with his boot. There was an exodus of bodies through every window frame and within a matter of seconds the room was empty except for one man. Corporal Lam Chop was standing stiffly to attention alongside a machine that was projecting a pornographic film. The only reason why he hadn't followed the others was because he owned the projector.
Colour Sergeant McCleod could not believe what he saw on the screen. His strict Presbyterian upbringing in Scotland had shielded him from such sights as human bodies writhing around each other like sand eels in a bucket. "Yur dirrty wee blackguard, I'll have yur courrt martialled for this," he exclaimed. He gave instructions to the provost sergeant to put the Corporal in the guard room while he himself switched off the machine and removed the film.
The routine for Commanding Officer's Orders (a military version of Magistrates' Court) is pretty much the same wherever the British Army has left its influence. Those who are about to answer charges of misconduct before their CO are paraded outside his office, usually at noon. To create atmosphere, there is much shouting of commands, stamping of feet and blowing of bugles.
My office was next door to the CO's and we shared a veranda where miscreants were paraded. I looked out of my door and saw Corporal Lam Chop having his uniform and general turnout inspected by the Regimental Sergeant Major. Knowing him to be a good NCO, I wondered what had gone wrong, so I waited for an opportunity to speak to the senior warrant officer.
The RSM told me about the discovery of Lam Chop's nocturnal side-line and I was dismayed to hear that he was being charged with 'conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he did provide and exhibit pornographic films for the purpose of entertaining soldiers'.
We had experienced some racial problems between Malay soldiers serving in Tawau and our own soldiers - who were Sabahan. The old problem of 'flared' trousers had been the cause of a number of fights and our soldiers resented the patronising attitude of mainland Malays. The Brigade Commander - a Malay himself, made things worse by taking sides with his kinsfolk.
Looking at it in the bigger picture, I considered Lam Chop was doing a good job keeping soldiers happy and contented within the confines of the camp. The innocuous matter of showing pornographic films was, I considered, a small price to pay.
The British Commanding Officer of 2/RANGERs had recently returned to UK at the end of his tour of command and had been replaced by a Malay lieutenant colonel. The newcomer was an extremely competent officer who had been commissioned at Sandhurst; all the remaining British ranks were pleased to serve under him. I therefore went to find out what he proposed to do.
I was aghast when he told me he intended making an example of the NCO. I remonstrated with him, but it was no good; if the charge was proved Lam Chop would be reduced to the ranks and suffer a term of detention.
There seemed to be nothing else I could do to change his mind, but just as I was about to return to my office, the CO's phone rang. When he replaced the hand set he told me that the Brigadier wanted to see him; 'Orders' would have to wait.
Brigade Headquarters was only a few hundred yards away and it was not long before the CO returned. Even for a Malay, he looked flushed; he told me that the Brigadier had heard about Lam Chop being caught in the act and had reacted strongly when told that he was going to be disciplined. "You will do no such thing," he said. "You will return his projector and his film - we have booked him to give a show in the brigade officers' mess next Monday night."