Veteran celebrates his 100th Birthday. Lt Col Tan Chee See was born on 28 August 1923 in Tumpat, Kelantan.

Image courtesy of Lt Col Idris Hasan

Today our most senior Veteran celebrates his 100th Birthday. Lt Col Tan Chee See was born on 28 August 1923 in Tumpat, Kelantan. During WW2 he enrolled into the China Central Military College and joined the Nationalist Army in fighting the Japanese.

He was also a graduate of the Chinese Staff College. During the later part of the war he was attached to the Chinese Special Force and operated along the China-Burma border area. After WW2 during the Civil war in China, the Nationalist Army was defeated by the Communists; he came back to Malaya during the height of the Emergency and was made an officer in the Kinta Valley Home Guard (KVHG).

At KVHG his talent and combat experience were spotted by some very Senior Mindef Officers. He was granted a direct commission with the rank of Captain in 1959into the Federation Regiment ( redesignated 1 Recce Regt on 01.01. 1960). Although a Captain, he was employed as a Staff Officer Grade 2 (SO2) in Mindef. Here he was instrumental in laying the groundwork for the formation of the Territorial Army and the Local Defence Corps.

In January 1960 he was promoted to Major and posted to 1 Recce Regiment as Officer Commanding (OC) 'B' Squadron 1 Recce Regt which saw service with the United Nations in the Congo in July 1961.'B' Sqn 1 Recce was placed under command 2 Recce Regt, then based at Goma, Congo. When 1 Recce Regt came to relieve 2 Recce Regt in January 1962, Maj Tan became the 2nd-in-Comd of 1 Recce Regt in Goma.

The Regt returned to Sungai Udang Camp in June 1962. Tan Chee See had the distinction of being the first non-Malay Army officer to be promoted a Lt Col on 01 November 1962 and assumed Command of 1 Recce Regt at Sungai Udang Camp. Later the Regt moved to Mentakab Camp. In May 1966 he was posted out to be the Commandant, Territorial Army Training Centre (PLAW) where he remained until retirement in 1975.

Lt Col (R) Tansiewsoo. Armour.

Postscript :

Col Tan CS resides in Adelaide, Australia. He travelled annually to Malaysia prior to the Pandemic but has not visited Malaysia since then.