Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, G.VI.R. (FF/462 Teh Hock Hong, C.L.C.) correction to number and first name, good very fine £140-180

FF/462 Teh Hock Hong, Chinese Labour Corps, a Chinese liaison officer and a member of ‘Ferret Force’.

Ferret Force was formed in mid-1948 to act, as its title suggests, in the jungle against terrorist guerillas. It was composed of European civilians, British, Gurkha and Malay troops, backed up by Chinese liaison officers, and Dyak and Iban trackers from Sarawak. Each group would be split into four sections, commanded overall by a European who knew the area well and, more often than not, had a fund of invaluable local knowledge, sometimes even of jungle lore. During its short period of existence, Ferret Force discovered twelve permanent guerilla camps and proved what even a scratch force could achieve. However, the force was expensive in manpower and not considered compatible with the growing military presence in that area of operation and was accordingly disbanded. However, valuable lessons had been learnt and Ferret Force’s commander, Lt.- Colonel W. C. Walker, subsequently established a jungle warfare training establishment, later called the Jungle Warfare School, and many members of Ferret Force later joined the S.A.S. in Malaya.