Good old days: Velayuthan, then only 21 (standing third from right), with the rest of his Home Guard squad assigned to patrol the jungles of Ulu Temiang in a photograph taken in 1954. (Inset)Velayuthan patriotic as ever.
SEREMBAN: Eighty-three-year-old V. Velayuthan vividly remembers the morning he walked into Stadium Merdeka with 12 members of his Ulu Temiang Home Guard team on Independence Day, Aug 31, 1957.
Velayuthan, whose team had three months earlier received letters of commendation from the then state ruler and Federation of Malaya Home Guard inspector-general for gunning down two communist insurgents high on the wanted list, remembers being drenched in rain as they made their way in.
Already a subscriber? Log in.
Win a prize this Mother's Day by subscribing to our annual plan now! T&C applies.
Cancel anytime. No ads. Auto-renewal. Unlimited access to the web and app. Personalised features. Members rewards.
Follow us on our official WhatsApp channel for breaking news alerts and key updates!
