Operation HENTAM....Sarikei, Sarawak.
June 1971, 1st Battalion Rangers
"Satu-tiga.....satu-satu ganti"....swishhh....the call came from company HQ to 3rd platoon led by 2nd Lt Baharin Abdul Jalil.....again it was transmitted.....Satu-Tiga....satu-satu...ganti.....
After a while the respond came over the trusted PRC77 Combat Net Radio......"Satu-Satu.....satu-tiga......Contact.....Contact"....the voice of the platoon commander 2nd Lt Baharin responded almost yelling over the radio as sounds of gunfire at close range crackled nearby......
The word Contact....said it all.... the platoon has bumped into the CTs and actively in combat when the radio call came over....
2nd Lt Baharin as he was outnumbered 3:1 requested artillery support to a Grid Reference based on alphabetics that denotes predetermined number.......
"satu satu .....minta bantuan Sheldrake.....ke golf romeo.......juliet-echo-tango-tango-whiskey-charlie".......ulang...juliet-echo-tango-tango-whiskey-charlie".....gun fires were intermittent making it difficult to make out the transmission..
Coy HQ knew that Artillery support is required immediately for the outgunned and outnumbered platoon....but fire support will take some time to reposition the gun batteries......
Knowing the dire situation...2nd Lt Baharin had two option....being pinned down and get slaughtered or charge head on come what may......together with his lead section 2nd Lt Baharin charged heads on against the enemy. The rest of the platoon providing covering fire.....the assault with textbook leap frog tactics .....dumbfounded the enemy due to the ferocity of the Rangers engagement and tenacity......
The CTs numbering close began to 50 retreat...2nd Lt Jalil and another Rgr who were the two point men in front killed close to 14 CTs between them during this operation...making it one of the highest kills ever in Malaysian Army history......
Fot his courage and leadership in combat 2nd Lt Baharin Abd Jalil at a young age of 20 was bestowed the Panglima Gagah Berani......he retired from the Army and beloved Ranger Regt as a Major.....
The nation salutes you sir......
Agi idup agi ngelaban......
He passed away in 2020 due to illness.
Thank you for your service.
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