Bob LAMBERT's Photo Album Bob LAMBERT (AAS Arborfield 43A), from 1948 to 1951 served a three-years tour of duty in Malaya, partly with 12^th Infantry Workshops REME attached to 2^nd Guards Brigade when the Malaya Emergency was first declared in Kuala Lumpur and Mentakab on the east coast, and part of the time permanently attached to the 2^nd/6^th Ghurkha Rifles at Kluang in Johore. In 1953, following an eighteen-months tour of duty in Belfast, Northern Ireland, he was posted back to Malaya, to Command Workshops REME located at the 12^th milestone out of Kuala Lumpur on the Ipoh Road. In 1955 he was granted a local release from the Army and paid his own fare to join his parents who had migrated to Australia in 1946. Bob currently resides at Green Point near Gosford on the north coast of New South Wales. October 1945 - AAS Arborfield Photographed outside the Guardroom - RSM M^cNALLY Scots Guards with members of the Regimental Police: (standing, left to right) – n/k, Pte. Chalky WHITE, n/k. n/k, L/Cpl. ROAPER (seated, left to right) – n/k, Sgt. Blossom DRANSFIELD, RSM Tara McNALLY, n/k, Pte. REED (reverse of photograph) circa 1945/1946 – Intake 43A, ‘C’ Company, ‘H’ Block (left to right) - Loue HOLLOWAY, Percy CONAUGHT, Stan BATES, Ernie SMITH (rear, left to right) Chad MICHAEL, Babe WILLARD, Cody CLARKE, Bob LAMBERT, n/k, n/k, (centre, left to right) – n/k, n/k, BEATSON (front, left to right) – n/k, SHULTZ, MORRIS “This photo, sent to me by Kevin Mitch MITCHELL [43A], was taken at AAS Arborfield in December 1943” R.E.M.E. – United Kingdom Bob LAMBERT, Nipper PATTEN and Pete NELSON [all 43A] Photographed at the barracks of the Royal West Kent Regiment, Maidstone, late 1946-early 1947. “Our intake plus a couple after, used to undertake six weeks Infantry Training after Passing-Out from Arborfield, but they soon stopped this as it became apparent to the West Kents that we knew as much as they did” Bob LAMBERT and HARTLEY Photographed outside Hazebrouk Barracks in 1947. “In those days after completing Infantry Training the entire intake returned to REME HQ Arborfield to undertake six months Regular REME Craftsman’s Course – different segments being taught at Hazebrouk, Poperinge and Blacktown. We all did waterproofing of vehicles, and then drove them down a ramp into a pool of water that came up to your waist whilst driving a 15 cwt truck. We also did a 15 cwt a 3 ton driving course, and motorcycles. As a Fitter I had to do a RE Equipment Course at Blacktown during the coldest winter on record in 1947; this involved earthmoving equipment – bulldozers and graders – and piledrivers. Following this we were flung to the four corners of the earth, never to put to good use the knowledge we had gained on the Regular REME Craftsman’s Course.”
Bob LAMBERT [43A] and Herr Crowe CROWHURST [45A/B] “We met up at 9 Central Workshops REME at Biscester during the period late 1947-early 1948. At 9 Central Workshops World War II anti-aircraft guns and field guns were mothballed ready for World War III” 1948 to 1951 – Malaya Bob LAMBERT
“Hello Sailor!”	“Who said that?”
“It’s that man again“ The Hilton It Weren’t Tented accommodation The Cookhouse Malaya 1951 – Sergeants Mess Tramps Ball Kluang, Malaya, 1951 - Gurkha Religious Ceremony “Dashira” “The religion practiced by the Gurkhas is a form of Hunduism, and this is their major annual ceremony. Careful inspection of the photographs will show that the animal being sacrificed is not the same in each case. The head must be severed with one blow using a special ceremonial kukri. These photographs were taken during the period when I was permanently attached to 2^nd/6^th Princess Mary’s Own Gurkha Rifles at Kluang, in charge of about eight REME Craftsmen, for a period of about eighteen months, ending in 1951 when I was posted back to the UK.” Sergeant Bob LAMBERT “Just getting ready to go out on jungle patrol! Note the crossed kukris shoulder flash.” Gurkha Corporal and Sergeant Bob LAMBERT Photographed in the MT parking area on the airstrip at Kluang. “The Battalion had about 120 vehicles ranging from convention soft vehicles through to Humber and Daimler Scout Cars, and armoured 3-ton troop carriers. They were commanded by British officers, but also had their own King’s Gurkha officers and NCOs. I was in charge of vehicle maintenance and reported to the British MTO. My men messed in the Gurkha lines whilst I was a guest of the local RE Sergeants Mess.” Belfast, Northern Ireland – 1952 The Jeep Assembly Team Photograph taken at the Military Tattoo at the Balmoral Showgrounds “These ‘Stunts’ were quite popular during that era, with teams from different Commands competing against each other. When they first started we had to assemble one and drive it over a line about 100 yards in front of the assembly area – the first one to cross was the winner. Initially the target time was three minutes, but with practice my team got it down close to two minutes. When seen for the first time it seemed incredible, but of course there were tricks employed, i.e. the petrol tank was a pint bottle strapped to the carburettor, the engine was pre-wired and not bolted to the chassis, wheel nuts except for one on each wheel were welded on and the threads drilled out, etc.”