Borneo December 6th 1962 – May 30th 1966

2 PARA was rushed to Singapore in early 1965 for intensive jungle training in response to President Sukarno of Indonesia’s threats of invasion intended to destabilise the young Malaysian Federation.

By March 1965 the battalion was established in fortified jungle bases, dependent on helicopter re-supply, within 2,000 yards of the Indonesian border. Ten-day jungle patrol programmes were implemented. C Company was converted into the first of the parachute battalion ‘Patrol’ companies by 22 SAS, to operate four-man jungle patrols on SAS lines.

On April 27th an Indonesian battalion launched a ferocious assault upon B Company’s camp at Plaman Mapu, lightly held due to a patrol changeover. Two of the defending section were killed and several wounded by the enemy who penetrated the wire in driving monsoon rain at dawn and overran a mortar position. They were ejected by counter-attacks and the close-quarter battle lasted nearly two hours before the Indonesians were beaten off with 50 casualties.

Patrols, ambushes and skirmishes continued throughout the remainder of this intense Far East tour, which ended in July, earning the battalion a DCM, two MMs and three MIDs.