Oldtimer here...make that retired old timer, cuz I finished my
cycle in 2001.
Sorry to burst bubble, but LHL was a pretty good field commander.
(Dunno about his time as staff officer, which was beyond my
realm.)
The whole Arty formation still hold him in awe when I was posted
there in 1986, even though he'd already left for politics for quite
a while. Particularly at Khatib Camp (back then not "Home of the
Gunners" yet), where his influence lingered even when I returned to
do reservist there.
But in context, lah. NS only began in 1968, with new combat units
being formed with each new intake. The pioneering SAF scholars
began with LHL in 1971 &, in the next few years, also included
the likes of George Yeo, Lim Hng Kiang, Teo Chee Hean, Lim Neo
Chian (he lasted the longest &, along with Teo, also climbed
the highest as 2-star Generals) & Lim Swee Say (retrospectively
the "pai kia", cuz he left the SAF as only a Major, joined a stat
board & started growing his hair long ~lol~). They were
basically commanding on the fly & developing SOPs on the way
&, under those circumstances, I'll say they've done very well.
But, again, in context cuz the 1970s still has a lot of anti-NS
prejudice (the mentality changed only with Total Defense), drugs
& gangsterism among the conscripts, plus proficiency standards
like the IPPT not being set until 1980. IMO Says a lot when the SAF
could help coordinate the Cable Car rescue effort by 1983, &
mobilise quickly for the Hotel New World collapse during my BMT
.
You know those old NS photos? Tin helmets, Temasek Green, tucked-in
uniforms? That was their heyday! ~lol~ LHL must've led a M71
Battalion (12 men per gun, quite siong with a lot of manual labor);
the FH88s were introduced only during my time. I don't think I can
mention his tangible legacies here, except for perhaps one (since
it's now obsolete). The HP-41 calculator, which gunners used to
compute data through 1980s, was said to be one of his pet projects.
He'd pushed for its re-programming to fit Arty purposes, based on
his experienced acquired out in the field.
