Dates: 1962 - 1965

Many people erroneously believe that the RAF was, and is, totally responsible for the aerial delivery of supplies. This is in fact incorrect. Supplies are and were rigged and dropped by soldiers of the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC), Royal Corps of Transport (RCT) and Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) Air Despatch Units of the British Army. Men of 16 Heavy Drop and 21 Air Maintenance Platoon Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) and the Royal Engineers (RE)were also involved in air dropping in the past. Today, the only Air Despatch unit left in the British Army, is 47 AD Sqn RLC, based at RAF Lyneham.

21 Air Maintenance Platoon RAOC served in RAF Seletar along with 55 (AD) Coy RASC, under the administration of 3 AASO. On the 18th Dec 1962 they were deployed to Labuan due to the outbreak of hostilities abainst the Sultan of Brunei. During the period 1962 to 1965 the Platoon carried out several Heavy Drops with 34 Sqn with loads such as Wobbly Wheeled Rollers, Graders and D4 Bulldozers. These being required to extend grass strips to take transport aircraft. Information from Neil Dick who served with 21 AMP.

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