"Black Joe" (real name Joe P Chelliah) joined the RMN as a Seaman in 1956 with official number J.637 at a time when the infant RMN had only slighhtly less than 700 personnel, including seconded, loan and contract RN officers and senior rates. In the formative years of the RMN Joe rose to the rate of Chief Petty Officer. He was there to guide young and inexperienced officers in Seamanship. Some of these rose to be Admirals and Chiefs of Navy. In difficult situations he was always innovative and always found alternative, perhaps non-conformist, ways to solve a problem.
Joe was well known for helping British Admirals' wives caught during torrential downpours along Bukit Timah Road and always insisted that they write a letter of thanks, not to him, but to the RMN. He was strict with his juniors and respectful to his superiors. Off duty he could leave the RMN Barracks or his ship with only five dollars in his pocket and return pretty inebriated - such was his charisma. During "Konfrontasi" he worked very hard to repair the RMN's minesweeping loops. The RN and RAN officers who were on loan service to the RMN often quipped that Joe "worked like a black" and gradually he earned the nickname "Black Joe" which he himself approved.
After leaving the RMN "Black Joe" joined the Republic of Singapore Navy and rose to the rank of WO2.
Although he had some initial drinking problems "Black Joe" became a complete teetotaller in 1979. In 1984 he emigrated to Australia. In every Australian workplace he was well liked and respected by his Australian employers. He was born with "green fingers" and the flower garden in his house which he named "Amazing Grace" won many gardening prizes from the local Mayor. He is a loving and responsible father to his only child, Jonathan, who has a degree in Mathematics and is in the tuition business in Perth.
In 2006 I co-ordinated "Black Joe's" visit to Malaysia. As a former rating he had the honour of meeting the then serving Chief of Navy, several retired Chiefs of Navy, dozens of officers and a hundred retired RMN senior rates in KL, Sungei Siput, Butterworth, Penang and Johor Baru.
When I last met "Black Joe" in Perth in January this year we had a wonderful reunion with First Admiral P K Nettur, Captain John Lancaster, RAN and wife Lu, Patrick Cornelius and Roslan Abas. "Black Joe" looked hail and hearty then. However, later he was admitted into the Sir Charles Gardiner Hospital on 3 separate occasions. He was given absolutely the best of care by the specialists and staff at the hospital but finally passed away on 7 Sep due to pancreatic problems. Before he finally closed his eyes he had the attached Obituary read to him and he was pleased that the photograph used in the Obituary is the one that I had taken of him at our reunion in Perth in January.
I have known "Black Joe: for more than 54 years, had been his "Accused's Friend" every time he got into trouble and we had maintained contact with each other for more than half a century. I shall miss my friend, the "Legendary Black Joe". May his soul rest in peace.
Dick Khoo Tee Chuan
No comments:
Post a Comment