Judging in GB's KLFT Junior Drill Competition

On 28th September 2013, I was called upon by our friend's at The Girls' Brigade Malaysia to be one of their judges for their Junior Footdrill Competition, organised by their Selangor-Federal Territories Group Council. I was roped in together with Giok Hui (1st PJ BB Captain) and Choy YIng (GBM Training Coordinator), who as the chief judge. There were four teams, one from 1st KL, one from 4th KL and 2 teams from 1st PJ. 

1st KL GB Team

GB's Junior wear the same, if not similar uniforms with their Seniors and Pioneers. Cadets have another type of uniform (there was one cadet competing). It was a new experience for me, not that I have no judged for Junior BB teams before. There is always a dilemma - should I "reduce" my drill standards, knowing they are Juniors, who usually have lower standards of drill? Or should I just maintain the standard I was always used to. After some deliberation, I found that the best way is to always maintain ones drill standard, not "shift" or have double-standards for various groups. It is more consistent that way. 

4th KL GB Team reporting for inspection

But one can't help admire the cutest with Juniors. Okay, I have to be careful saying it like that here cause it's judging for girls.. but I assume readers know what I am talking about when I said cute and be more innocent minded about it. So, yes, they are so small and young .. but its adorable seeing them try their best to march in sync and executing commands together and correctly. 

My partner in crime, judging in this competition

Naturally, Giok Hui and I can't help in the uniform inspection since I have no clue how the GB uniform works (though I think I should), hence don't know what to look out for. Giok Hui started of in GB back in 1st Kota Bahru, but it has been too long and she's not familiar with changes in the uniform. We both of us were able to sit back for this one.

Choy Ying carrying out uniform inspection for one of 1st PJ's drill teams

All the teams did well, though I do feel they could tap on some experience from their BB brothers, who generally have higher standards of drill (no offence, but its true for now). GB Drill competitions are also a fairly recent thing and a way to keep the standard going is to have more of such competitions annually. The idea and goal of such competitions is not to show "who is the best" anyway, but to encourage better standards of drill.

(Forgottenwhatshername) announcing the competition results 

At the end of the day, results came to be:

1st Place - 1st KL

2nd Place - 1st PJ

3rd Place - 1st PJ

4th Place - 4th KL 

Best Commander - 1st PJ

Participants celebrate as the results are announced

1st KL officers celebrate after their team was announced winners  

1st KL Drill Team winners of 2013

Great effort by all the participating teams and congratulations to 1st KL GB for winning 1st Place. 

Best Commander goes to 1st PJ, posing with 1st PJ Advisor, Lee Fuang 

Lest We Forget.. Mr. Stanley Woodruff - The 3rd KL Founder

56 years after the founding of 3rd KL, we sadly have forgotten the figures who made all this fun possible in the first place. Although 3rd KL prides itself in its reasonable amount of archive and record keeping, there is a giant blip at the start of our history. 

Every recruit going through 3rd KL will have to learn BB History, of which one section will focus on company history. Recruits will learn about the man who founded the company - Mr. Stanley Woodruff, who was then an officer with 1st KL. Unfortunately, that's all we knew about the man. Towards the end of 2012, we tried to trace back the origins of this mysterious person. Through various contacts and "Boys" who were founding members of 1st KL, we were able to piece a few details together. 

It is known that Stanley Woodruff service in BB Malaysia (or Malaya, back then) was as a lieutenant with 1st KL. At the time, Khoo Onn Soo was the Captain. Later, Mr Woodruff succeeded Mr. Khoo and became the Captain of the 1st KL. He was a good officer and a no-nonsense disciplinarian but very fair in treating his charges. He was also a strong believer in promoting the other pillar of BB, that is, the development of the spiritual side of the movement.

Mr. Wooduff was instrumental in teaching the new BB company at the YMCA the ropes of starting the company, of which was captained by Mr. Paul Peter, 3rd KL's first captain. Mr. Stanley Woodruff was never an officer with 3rd KL. It is also known that Mr. T. Mori, a prominent figure in YMCA, played a major role in making arrangements to start the BB. 

Unfortunately, from there what we know about 3rd KL's founder is little. He was Central District President and was involved in drawing up the District's Constitution. What he did, occupation, country of origin (probably British, but one can never be sure - might have been from any Commonwealth Realm) and if he is still alive is completely unknown. It is a sad loss that this part of history could be loss forever. Yet, we can be thankful that we did piece together something.. putting a face to the man that started it all for us. 

Mr. Woodruff is seen in this 1st KL group photo taken in 1958.

Possibly the only picture of the 3rd KL founder in uniform. 

Special thanks to Mr. Martin Chong, Mr Eddie Chong, Mr. Tan Kim Soon, Mr. Terence Tay and Mr. Alfred Ong  who used connections within the Stedfast Associaiton KL. Without you, we would never have been able to put a face on the man.