Good To Be Back – But Conisbrough Soldier Finds it Cold After Malaya (picture)

May 1955

South Yorkshire Times May 21, 1955

Good To Be Back
But Conisbrough Soldier Finds it Cold After Malaya

Img_0240 malaya

‘It’s good to be back in Conisbrough again, but isn’t it cold?’ said Corporal Trevor Dean (21), son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Dean, Wembley Avenue, Conisbrough, who has just arrived home after two years and eleven months in sun scorched Malaya.

‘Of course the weather out there is not all that good. Sometimes it is red hot, and almost too warm for work. And then at other times, it is teeming down with rain,’ said Trevor, who was given a welcome home and 21st birthday party at his home on Sunday. Educated at Swinton Queen Street, Swinton Fitzwilliam, Rawmarsh Haugh Road and finally Mexborough Technical School, Trevor went to the Army Apprentices’ school at Harrogate at the age of 15.

He was there for three years before being sent to Kuala Lumpur in Malaya. A corporal in the Royal Corps of Signals. Trevor recalled for a ‘South Yorkshire Times’ reporter this week, that on five occasions he had been flown over dense jungle, dropping leaflets to the bandits.

He kept one as a memento. It is bright red, and in five different languages says: ‘Safe conduct pass. Treat bearer well. Give food and medical attention Report to Military, or police officer.’ However this was not Trevor’s main duty. He was more actively concerned with the operating of a teleprinter and wireless.

As a ‘sideline’ he acted as physical training officer.’ He gained knowledge of a training officer’s work on a special course, which he took in Singapore. At sport he ex-celled. He represented the Signals Corps at Rugby, and ‘had a go’ at the Malayan boxing championships. However, he was unlucky to lose in the semi-final of the competition.

It was while he was in Singapore that he met a near neighbour, Arthur Laycock, who lives just up the road from the Deans in Pope Avenue. Arthur, a national service-man, is now back in ‘civvy street,’ and works at the Parkgate Forge.

Trevor mentioned that he had met one or two lads from Mexborough, Denaby and other parts of the district. He estimated that more than 50 per cent, of the troops in Kuala Lumpur were from Yorkshire, the majority coming from South Yorkshire.

Trevor signed on in the Army for eight years and has still four and half years service to complete. When he has completed his leave, he expects to be sent to Berlin, Germany.

Mr. and Mrs. Dean have one other son, Colin (29), who is married, and lives in Castle Grove, Conisbrough.