The Singapore Armed Forces Commando Formation is a commando formation of the
Singapore Armed Forces. It is made up of only one battalion, the 1st Commando
Battalion. An offensive unit, it specialises in pre-emptive operations
involving small groups of specially-trained soldiers in enemy
territory. Designed to be executed quickly in anticipation of a reaction by
the enemy, these operations are normally short-term and intensive due to a lack
of service support in hostile environments.
The commandos are entrusted with two important roles: strike missions and
reconnaissance missions. Strike missions may involve direct combat with enemy
forces and the destruction of specific enemy targets. Reconnaissance missions
are conducted by smaller groups of commandos, who may need to camp for long
periods of time to survey targets in enemy territory.
History The CDO FN's creation began in 1967 when
two officers, Major Clarence Tan and MAJ James Chia, were tasked with recruiting
eligible candidates from any unit in the SAF to form an elite unit. The SAF
Regular Battalion was formed on 1 December 1969 and was directly under the
command of Singapore's Ministry of Defence. Captain Tham Chee Onn was
selected to be the acting-Commanding Officer for the unit, which comprised 20
men, and was assisted by nine other officers. MAJ Clarence Tan subsequently
joined the unit as its CO and was responsible for establishing its
training programme. A second recruitment drive was launched in early 1970 with
the aim of increasing the number of officers in the unit. The unit was
renamed "Singapore Armed Forces Commando Unit" in early 1971 and its red berets
were introduced on 3 May 1971. On 16 July, the unit was renamed "1st Commando
Battalion" and moved from Pasir Laba Camp to Changi Camp. It had one company
fully composed of regular soldiers. In 1972, the MINDEF decided to allow
full-time national servicemen to join the unit. The first NSF batch of
commandos formed a second company on 15 January 1973 with CPT Gwee Peng Hong as
its Officer Commanding and Second Warrant Officer Khiong Kian Khoon as its
Company Sergeant Major. From July 1973 to January 1975, the third, fourth and
fifth companies were formed and were respectively led by CPT Boon Hon Lin,
CPT Lim Siang Tong and Lieutenant Dominic Teo. A sixth company was formed
with 2005, with CPT Arnold Low as its OC and 2WO Kasinathan as its CSM.
In April 1975, the 1 CDO BN was restructured and placed under the
command of the 3rd Singapore Division. In 1977, along with two Singapore Guards
battalions, the 1 CDO BN came under the command of the 7th Singapore Infantry
Brigade, and received its state and regimental colours on 22 January 1977
from Goh Keng Swee, the Minister of Defence.
On 1 July 1980, the 1 CDO BN was transferred out of the 7 SIB and was
placed under the direct command of Headquarters Infantry. The Headquarters
School of Commando Training was established on 1 October 1980 and it
took over command of the 1 CDO BN. The 1 CDO BN received a new formation sign
from Brigadier-General Tan Chin Tiong, the acting-Chief of the General Staff,
and incorporated the winged stiletto as its new emblem along with a new motto,
For Honour and Glory. The first company of the 1 CDO BN, which
used to be made up of only regulars, started inducting NSFs from 17 December
1984 under its OC, CPT Yeo Lai Huat, and its CSM, 2WO Nathan. The first company
also began training for long range reconnaissance patrolling and divisional
disruptive operations for the first time. In 1986, another tradition of the
1 CDO BN was created when the stiletto was presented to graduates from the
second company during their Red Beret Presentation Ceremony in December 1986.
This practice has continued since then, with the stiletto being presented to
commandos who have completed two years of service in the unit.
The Headquarters Commandos was established in 1989 and it received its
state and formation colours from Singapore President Wee Kim Wee on 20
October 1991. A new camp for the commandos, Hendon Camp, was constructed
near Sungei Selerang and was inaugurated on 27 January 1994 by Lieutenant-General
Ng Jui Ping, the Chief of Defence Force. Hendon Camp has been the base of the CDO
FN since then. Heritage and traditions
Items associated with the CDO FN's heritage include:
The formation motto, For Honour and Glory, which entreats each commando to
achieve every mission he undertakes for the honour and glory of the formation
and the nation. The formation insignia. The commandos
wore flashes identifying them with the formation before the winged stiletto was
introduced in 1981 as the formation's new emblem. The wings and stiletto
denote the commandos' elite airborne status.
The red beret, worn by all commandos, is presented to all graduates at their
passing out parade. The beret is worn during military parades and formal
ceremonies. The stiletto, also known as the
Fairbairn–Sykes fighting knife, whose blade measures 20 cm and bears the
formation's insignia. The Parachutist Badge, also known as the
"Silver Wings", is awarded to persons who have completed the basic airborne
course conducted by the Commandos School's Parachute Training Wing. It
comprises a pair of outspread wings on both wigs of a deployed parachute, with
the inscription "SINGAPURA" below the canopy. The commandos' version has a
crimson velvet backing to differentiate it from others'.
The 1 CDO BN also organises an annual Commando Skills-At-Arms Meet, which
started in 1992, and involves the commandos competing in various skills
such as marksmanship, demolition, and completion of the standard obstacle
course in full battle order. When the event is held, a part of Hendon Camp is
cordoned off and open to the public to view the competition.
The commandos are a regular feature in the SAF's major parades and events, such
as the annual Singapore Armed Forces Military Tattoo and the Singapore Armed
Forces Day Parade. They also appear in various national events, including the
National Day Parade, where they form one of the four guard of honour contingents
after winning the Best Combat Unit awards in the preceding year. They have
appeared in various mass display segments, often by displaying their
rappelling skills. The commandos have also served as the guard of honour for
important visitors to the Istana, but they are increasingly replaced by the
Military Police due to the irrelevance of the task to their official duties.
Manpower The recruitment process for commandos is
stringent, with potential candidates handpicked through a vocational
assessment before they even formally begin serving National Service. These
candidates' medical examination reports and physical fitness results, amongst
other things, are taken into account prior to their enlistment in the SAF.
Shortlisted candidates are then subjected to more tests to ensure that
they fit certain criteria, such as having above average intelligence and
excellent eyesight, before they are selected to join the unit. After
completing an interview, the chosen candidate is then enlisted into one of
the unit's companies and proceeds for basic military training.
The reservists, known locally as "Operationally-Ready National
Servicemen", form the largest source of manpower for the CDO FN. NSmen are
regularly called up for in-camp training after completing their full-time NS, and
may, when necessary, receive refresher courses at the School of Commandos,
including a two-day basic combat training course conducted several months
prior to the commencement of an ICT session. NSmen are also required to meet
certain standards in the annual individual physical proficiency test to
maintain their levels of fitness. Training
Due to differences in operational requirements, the training of commando
recruits is carried out separately and away from that of recruits in other
vocations. Basic training is conducted at company-level in Hendon Camp while
advanced training is done at the School of Commandos, where certain compulsory
courses are conducted. A newly enlisted soldier typically undergoes about a year
of training before he becomes a qualified commando. Commando officers
and specialists go through a longer training period before receiving their
qualifications. = Basic training=
All newly enlisted commando recruits undergo Basic Military Training at the
Commando Training Institute in Pasir Ris Camp. While the training syllabus is
largely similar to that of the regular BMT conducted throughout the SAF,
commando recruits receive relatively tougher training, with much emphasis
placed on physical fitness. Upon completion of BMT, candidates
deemed unsuitable to be commandos due to certain reasons are posted out to other
units while the remaining ones proceed for Basic Commando Training. After
completing BCT, trainees are categorised and sent for specialised vocational
training courses. The intensity of physical training increases because
commando trainees need to maintain higher levels of physical fitness as
compared to soldiers in other vocations. = Vocational training=
Commandos are assigned to carry out specific tasks in their respective
sections so they are trained to specialise in those tasks. These roles
include: signaller; medic; weapons specialist; small boat operator; sniper;
demolition expert. Trainees who display outstanding performance in BMT and BCT
may be sent for further training at the Commando Training Wing to be section
leaders. All trainees are required to pass the Basic Airborne Course conducted
at the Parachute Training Wing by performing five jumps, after which they
earn the Parachutist Badge. Commando trainees also go for several
weeks of overseas training in the jungle areas of Brunei. Upon returning to
Singapore, they mark the completion of their year-long training stint with a 72
kilometres route march, followed by a Passing Out Parade, during which they
receive their red berets. = Advanced training=
Advanced and leadership training courses for commandos are conducted at the
School of Commandos. These courses include: Commando Section Leaders'
Course; Commando Small Boat Operators' Course; Commando Officer Conversion
Course; SAF Ranger Course; Parachute Jump Instructor Course; Military Free
Fall Course. = Special Operations Force=
The Special Operations Force is a unit within the CDO FN made up of only
regular servicemen, who are specially trained to operate in long-range
deployments and special missions. Selected members are sent to the United
States to attend courses conducted by the Special Forces or Navy SEALs.
Accidents and controversies The commandos have won the SAF's annual
Best Combat Unit competition many times since 1969. However, in 2003, the 1 CDO
was barred from the competition after it was found guilty of doctoring
store-keeping records and fitness test results.
Serious accidents during training are rare and were hardly, or probably never,
publicised in the media until 2003, when the SAF's standards of safety in
training came under increased scrutiny following the deaths of some servicemen
during training. On 21 August 2003, Second Sergeant Hu
Enhuai of the Singapore Guards died during a combat survival training course
conducted by the commandos. Four commandos were charged in court a year
later for carrying out the "dunking" procedure deemed inappropriate for
training purposes. On 3 September, 2SG Rajagopal Thirukumaran, a regular
serviceman also from the Singapore Guards, died after a run during a
selection for the SAF Ranger Course conducted by the Commando Training Wing.
On 15 June 2005, 2SG Ong Jia Hui, a regular serviceman who was training as a
member of the Maritime Counter-Terrorism Group, drowned during training at Changi
Naval Base. On 13 July, First Sergeant Shiva s/o Mohan, a regular commando,
fell from 20 metres above the ground while rappelling from a helicopter and
was pronounced dead in hospital about two hours later.
On 20 June 2006, Lieutenant Lionel Lin, a regular commando officer, died after
encountering difficulties while undergoing training at the swimming pool
in Hendon Camp. On 13 March 2010, 1SG Woo Teng Hai, a
regular commando, was accidentally shot by a villager during overseas training
in Thailand. He was flown back to Singapore on the same day and was
discharged from hospital by the end of that month.
Operations = Laju incident=
On 31 January 1974, four terrorists attacked the Shell oil refinery complex
on Pulau Bukom and hijacked the ferryboat Laju and took five hostages.
After negotiations with the Singapore authorities, the terrorists freed the
hostages and left Singapore on 8 February on a flight bound for Kuwait.
They were escorted by a 13-men team, of which four members were commandos.
= Operation Thunderstorm= On 8 May 1975, the commandos and the
Navy stormed several vessels holding Vietnamese refugees intruding into
Singapore's territorial waters. They kept watch on the refugees and the crews
until they were resupplied and escorted out of Singapore about two days later.
= Operation Thunderbolt= On 26 March 1991, Singapore Airlines'
Flight 117 was hijacked in flight by four men, who took all 129 people on
board hostage. At Singapore Changi Airport, commandos from the SOF stormed
the plane, killed the four hijackers and freed the hostages within five minutes.
The CDO FN was awarded the Medal of Valour.
Alliances The CDO FN is the first unit in the SAF
to form an alliance with a foreign unit, the 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand
Infantry Regiment, in 1982. An alliance parade was first held on 14 March 1982,
until the return of the unit to New Zealand on 2 August 1989. Ties between
the two units have been maintained by the annual exchange of officers since
1993. Weapons
The following is a non-exhaustive list of weapons known to be used by the
commandos: = Pistols=
Belgium: FN Five-seven, 5.7mm Belgium: FN Browning Hi-Power, 9mm
Switzerland: SIG Sauer P226 South Africa: Vektor pistols
= Submachine guns= Germany: Heckler & Koch MP5, 9mm
Belgium: FN P90, 5.7mm = Assault rifles=
Singapore: SAR 21, 5.56mm USA: M4A1, 5.56mm
USA: M16, 5.56mm Germany: HK416, 5.56mm
= Shotguns= Various models
= Sniper rifles= Austria: Steyr Mannlicher sniper rifles,
7.62mm France: PGM 338, 8.6mm
Germany: Heckler & Koch PSG1 = Grenades=
USA: Colt M203 grenade launcher, 40mm Singapore: SFG 87 hand grenades
In popular culture The commandos have been depicted in or
referred to in Singaporean television programmes, such as MediaCorp Channel
8's The Reunion and Honour and Passion. References
For Honour and Glory: A Celebration of Commando History.
External links Information about the Commandos on the
MINDEF's official website