Awang anak Raweng, GC, tracker who risked his life in Malaya to protect a wounded soldier – obituary

Sergeant Awang anak Raweng, who has died in Sarawak aged 91, was awarded the George Cross in 1951 while serving as a tracker in Malaya in operations against the Communist insurgents.

In 1948 an insurrection of the Malayan People’s Liberation Army and the Min Yuen, the civilian armed work force, marked the beginning of the Malayan Emergency in the former British Crown Colony.

In 1950, the 1st Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment, was posted to Malaya to help the government to hunt down these two Communist organisations.

The terrorists moved around in small units, carrying out hit-and-run attacks in the towns before withdrawing to the safety of the jungle.

Iban trackers like Awang had learnt their skills from hunting animals in the jungles of Sarawak, in what was then British Borneo, and their ability to travel light, live off the land and track the enemy in jungle terrain was invaluable to the British in this type of operation.

In May 1951 Awang was attached to “D” Company of the 1st Battalion, The Worcestershire Regiment, which was operating in the Kluang district of Johore state. The local population were mainly Straits Chinese employed in rubber-tapping.

In the period before they were moved from their shanties on the jungle edge and rehoused under the Briggs Plan, they were often sympathetic to the Communists and did not cooperate with the security forces.

On the afternoon of May 26, a platoon of the Worcesters was in base camp on the Ulu Paloh rubber estate, north west of Kluang, when it came under fire from eight terrorists who then withdrew.

The platoon commander led two of his three sections in a wide encircling movement with the intention of cutting off the attackers, but failed to find them.

At first light the next day, two patrols set out with Awang, following the track that the attackers had used to make their escape, and searching the terrain for clues indicating where they had broken off to head back to their base.

A quarter of a mile into the jungle, the first patrol came under heavy automatic fire from the flank from an enemy force of about 50. The leading scout was killed instantly. Awang, one of several casualties, was shot through the thigh bone.

Believing that the Communists were pinned down, the platoon commander led the second patrol in a flanking attack, but he was killed in another burst of fire. The enemy now renewed their attack on the leading patrol. Most of the men had taken cover but one, Private Hughes, had been wounded and was lying across the track.

Although badly injured himself and under intense fire, Awang dragged the soldier under cover of a fallen tree and briskly returned fire until a bullet shattered his right arm.

Seeing the enemy crawling through the undergrowth towards him, he took a grenade from the pouch of another wounded comrade, pulled the pin with his teeth and, brandishing it in his left hand, dared the enemy to come closer.

For 40 minutes Awang held the enemy at bay, defending his wounded companion until the company commander arrived with two platoons to reinforce the survivors of the two patrols. Awang and the other wounded were evacuated and all survived their injuries.

As a civilian volunteer Awang was not recommended for the VC, but was awarded the George Cross. In the words of the citation, he “showed coolness, fortitude and offensive spirit of the highest order.”

He received his medal from Sir Anthony Abell, the Governor of Sarawak, at an investiture in Kuching on January 22 1952.

Awang anak Rawang was born on April 20 1929 in Simanggang (now more commonly known as Sri Aman) on the Lupar River south-east of Kuching in East Malaysia. The son of a Sarawak police officer, he became a farmer before he went to Malaya and was posted to the Worcestershire Regiment at Kluang.

In 1953 the Sarawak Rangers, formed by Sir James Brooke in 1862 as a peace-keeping force, were reorganised and Awang joined them as a tracker. In the opinion of General Sir Gerald Templer, the British High Commissioner and Director of Operations in Malaya, the Ibans were the best jungle trackers in the world.

The Indonesian confrontation with Malaysia, in 1963, called for the Ibans’ skills on their home territory of Sarawak, and the Rangers were increased in strength. Awang was among the first to volunteer for this new assignment and rose to the rank of sergeant.

Awang, a devout member of Malaysia’s Christian minority, kept in touch with Britain after retiring to Simanggang, and attended many reunions of the VC and GC Association. Among other accolades, in 2018 he was honoured by the Sarawak Government with the title “Dato”.

Awang anak Raweng was married three times and had eight children.

Awang anak Raweng GC, born April 20 1929, died September 18 2020