Online Interview with Mr. Lawrence Dodds Who Served in Tawau

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Online Interview with British War Veteran Mr. Lawrence Dodds Who Served in Tawau During Konfrontasi

5 January 2011 3,290 views 20 Comments

We wish all readers and followers of DiscoverTawau.com a Happy New Year and we do hope you enjoyed the articles and stories posted here.

This is our first post for the new decade! We had the chance to get in touch with Mr. Lawrence Dodds; also known as Larry or Geordie who served in Tawau in 1966. He was attached to the British Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Indonesian Confrontation (Konfrontasi) in Tawau.

Mr. Dodds discovered this website, contacted us and mentioned that he has some important materials from the Konfrontasi that he would like to share with everyone. We were pleasantly surprised and about 2 weeks later, we received this package sent from the United Kingdom. Note that the address was sent to Beijing, China as one of us is based here. The contents from this package will be published in our next post. In the meantime, see below for our online interview with Mr. Lawrence Dodds.

How did you feel when you get to know that you will be posted to Tawau?

I was 18 years old, had just finished trade-training [radar mechanic] when I was posted to RAF Tawau. Nobody knew where it was and it took 2 days for headquarters to tell me where it was I was going to, and on active service.

Was Tawau your first overseas assignment back then? What preparation did you do?

It was of course my first time away from home and had no idea what to expect. [We] flew from England to the Middle East and on to Sri-Lanka then to Singapore [RAF Changi]. Next down to RAF Labuan and onwards to Tawau. I remember we flew for a couple of hours across Borneo and never saw a break in the trees.

What was the general feeling of the town folks during the confrontation? Your best and worst experience while on duty in Tawau?

It takes a while to get used to a totally different world but I always remember how friendly the people were, especially the tribes-people when we went out into the jungle [ulu]. I remember being very well looked after when we went to some really big caves where I think the locals collected birds nests. We also used to go to Tawau town at every chance we got, usually to go to the swimming pool, although I can remember going into the sea, just down from a graveyard, and standing in the water up to my waist with 2 sea-snakes swimming in and out of my legs.

Tawau from the air in 1966. Photo contributed by Mr. Pashtun Gondrong.

Describe how Tawau was back then?

I can only remember Tawau town as a couple of streets, probably due to the situation we never ventured far from the centre but I would one day like to come back for a better look. I know it is a totally different place to my time in 1966, and I would like to think that it is a better place and in speaking to the people of Tawau I would hope there is work for the people, business, prosperity for to provide the jobs, but most of all happiness.

Any words of wisdom to share with Tawau folks?

I will end by saying avoid greed, greed brings corruption and corruption will destroy your community, just live your lives and do the best for yourself and your family and that will bring its own rewards.

*** end of interview ***

A special thanks to Mr. Lawrence Dodds for his time and contribution. Stay tuned for our next update and we will reveal the contents of the package sent by Mr. Dodds.

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20 Comments »

Alan Khoo said:

well done Richard and Daniel,

Its always interesting to turn back the clock and hear and even feel what other had to say about the place they stayed and things they did in the town we live in now.

A recent photo of Mr. Larrie Dodds will be interesting.

Regards,

Alan

# 5 January 2011 at 4:11 pm

richardker (author) said:

Thank you Alan, we’ll try to ask Larry if he has his recent photo. Thank you for your input! And indeed it’s great to hear stories from the past, they make us appreciate more of the place where we call home

# 5 January 2011 at 4:37 pm

Naru Pius Kiob said:

Hi Rich,

Many thanks for drawing me into this community. I grew up in Tawau. My dad was in the Police force, transfered from Kota Kinabalu ( Jesselton then) in 1962.
I would love to hear more from you/Dodds and please therefore, include me in your next update.
Thank you and kind regards,

Capt Naru Kiob.

# 5 January 2011 at 11:15 pm

richardker (author) said:

Hi Capt Kiob, not a problem, the next post will be even more interesting and I just received some latest photos of Mr. Dodds.

# 6 January 2011 at 2:43 am

Larry[geordie]Dodds said:

Hello Capt Naru,,,please look in when Richard posts the contents of my parcel.I do not know if your father was in Jesselton at the end of confrontation,but if he was,there maybe something for him ,regards the parcel contents…I also have a dvd of the battle in Limbang[62/63]which definitely involved the police,maybe he was there.I can get you a copy if you want…Larry

# 25 January 2011 at 8:26 pm

Naru Pius Kiob said:

Hi Larry, greetings from sunny Borneo!. Many thanks for your respond. Yes, my dad served in the police field force based in Tawau during the height of the confrontation (posted to Tawau from Jesselton in 1962) I was then only 7 years old but staying in the police barrack in Tawau, I could still remember and yes, still fresh in my mind when he has to be ready for action at any time to be called up for duty. I remember he would only mentioned ‘Kalabakan’ and ‘Tinagat’ to my mom! Oh wow those photos really bring back memories…
Oh, btw, it was that sound of big, heavy flying machine (in those days then!) that stir my interest in flying. I took up flying as a career and proud o say that I did my flying training at the Oxford Flying School, UK in 1981.
I look forward to the dvd on ‘Limbang’ my dad (going on 80+ but still going strong) would be so very pleased to view the footage.

Larry, its has been a great pleasure to received first hand words from you and we look forward to hear from you.

Cheers and kind regards,

Naru

# 1 February 2011 at 11:05 pm

Larry[geordie]Dodds said:

Hello Naru,,,need an adress to send dvd to..e-mail me lawrence.dodds@tiscali.co.uk Thank you from a cold and wet England…

# 3 February 2011 at 12:21 am

Colin Rose said:

I well remember Tawau.

I was posted there in 1963 as an electrician responsible for communications as an aside.

I too remember that very few people could place it. I had recently been engaged and a 12 month stint in SEA was inconvenient to say the least.

Via a Bistol Britania, Hastings via Labuan I eventually arrived in Tawau.
Very little was evident other than a few tents, a mess tent which doubled as the bar (2cans per day).

My first job was to install security lights and a switchboard.

During my time there I only exchanged some 8 works with the CO who managed to acquire a local bungalow. Not so the plebs who had to do with rotting tents and slit trenches full of mozzies.

After my 12 month active service I managed to transfer to Butterworth with the RAAF and my wife to be arrivedfrom the UK and we were married in Penang within a couple of weeks.

After 2 years in Butterworth a return to the UK for a year and then to Cyprus at the 1153 Marine Craft Unit helping to keep the sides apart.

In 1969 we arrived in Australia settling in Sydney to become a member of the NWS Police Dept.

WE are now happily retired in Tasmania and often visit Borneo and Malaysia where we receive much appreciated congratulations for helping Malaysia in its most dire circumstances.

# 13 February 2011 at 4:37 pm

Larry[geordie]Dodds said:

Hello Colin,,I was also posted to RAAF Butterworth when we left Tawau at the end of confrontation,dropping Indonesian prisoners off at Jesselton on the way..I was with 33sqdn[bloodhound missiles]until I went back to England[RAF Watton] july67..Were you there [butterworth]then.??

# 13 February 2011 at 9:22 pm

Alan Khoo said:

Hi Richard,

Discover Tawau has done something good. It brings two war veterans who had served in Tawau in the 60’s and now living thousands of miles apart to start talking.

# 14 February 2011 at 10:04 am

richardker (author) said:

@Alan: True, it was my dream 10 years ago to see this happen!

# 14 February 2011 at 11:55 am

Colin Rose said:

Hello Larry,

I arrived in Tawau in September 1963 and left 13 months later for Butterworth where I spent 2 years. Returning the the UK at RAF Coltishall, about 18 months there and then to Cyprus, 1153 Marine Craft Unit.

You’ll probably remember the Badmington court and the lights I installed near the entrance. I have lots of photos of the camp – the mess, kitchen,film setup,first aid tent and so on.

I visited Tawau recently and walked where to old camp was. the concrete slab of the ‘airport’ is still there and the runway is now used as a light aircraft facility and a car racing circuit. The new airport is some 30kms away.

You would not know the place, 10 times the original size, good quality roads and many hotels of world standard although I don’t think the public buses have been upgraded for 30 odd years. Traffic as you would expect is mad, not many pushbikes to be seen.

Colin

# 16 February 2011 at 10:41 am

Larry[geordie]Dodds said:

Hello Colin,,nice to hear from you..I am going back to Gan[Maldives]again[6times]for my 40th wedding anniversary[26th june],,but I have made a promise to go back to Borneo next holiday,and having checked it out,,as you say there are plenty hotels in Tawau for to spend a few days there,then back up to Penang for maybe a last look at Butterworth..We have a website for Butterworth,and always looking for input raf-butterworth-penang-association.co.uk .. PS I remember going up somewhere near Sandakan with some RAF Regiment lads,,taking some supplies to a Hampshire infantry unit,,,and standing there watching this Orang-Utang [wild one] watching us, totally uninterested in what was going on..I think we would have to visit a nature reserve to see one now…Larry

# 16 February 2011 at 11:49 pm

anna said:

Hello mr dodds and mr collin.,my father (Tandek Sedah) also was a police force during that time, i wonder if you know him.i would like to hear more story from both of you.

richard..may god bless you.you have done a great thing .

# 29 April 2011 at 10:46 pm

richardker (author) said:

Thank you Anna, please share this website on Facebook!

# 4 May 2011 at 2:05 pm

Larry[geordie]Dodds said:

Hello Anna,,sorry I did not know your father,,but I have a dvd of the raid on Limbang,early in the confrontation.The police were very involved in that,and several of them were killed..Their names along with those of the dead marines are on the memorial in Limbang.If your father wants a copy let me know..Larry

# 6 May 2011 at 3:21 am

anna said:

Hello,Richard. Of coz i will.

Mr Larry, yes , we love to have it.
How can i get its copy.i hope i can surprise him on this Father’s Day
Day.

# 12 May 2011 at 9:08 am

Larry[geordie]Dodds said:

Hello Anna,,e-mail me your adress and I will get a copy for you[no charge] my e-mail lawrence.dodds@tiscali.co.uk

# 13 May 2011 at 4:45 pm

ann said:

today im very happy…be coz what i m waiting for so long will be appear..my hubby received a call from his friends …thats something has mislanded from u,k. I hope i can share it s with u all.

# 22 September 2011 at 10:57 pm

richardker (author) said:

thanks Ann!

# 23 September 2011 at 7:56 am