Official National Day Parade 2007
On 9 August 2007, two of our cadets participated in the official National Day Parade and this is one of their reflections.
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Ever since i was a child, i would sit down in front of the television on the 9th of august to watch the national day parade. I have always admired the magnitude of the celebration and the spectacular drills and performances every year. Especially when i joined the National Police Cadet Corps in 2005, i grew to appreciate drills better and the one time to see them is during the National Day Parade.
This year, when we were told that two of us could join the parade as a member of the NPCC contingent, i signed up right away without hesitating. I was exhilarated when i heard that i have been accepted into it.
Trainings were mostly on saturdays, starting from late April all the way till the 9th of august. We would have to report to HTA at around 8-10am depending of the various reporting times and it would end about 6-8pm also depending on the different trainings.
The first few trainings were held at the nee soon camp as the platform on marina bay was not ready yet. We would go down and train for a few times before heading up for breaks and lunch/dinner. Food provided at first were mainly by a caterer and it tasted weird. But fortunately, they soon begin providing a mixture of KFC, pizza hut and the catered food.
Trainings were tough and mostly held when the sun was high up in the sky. Especially during one of the trainings at the marina bay platform itself, where we had a very high casualty fall out rate and i even saw an NS man being carried to the sick bay with a stretcher.
We had holding areas after we switched to training at the actual platform itself. First our holding area was in a somewhat deserted site which was muddy and filled with gigantic red ants which one of our CIs had to sweep off. We crowded close together in the center to prevent any of us from getting bitten. Later, a convention hall was booked for all of the parade members, it was clean, air-conditioned, had chairs and had clean toilets!
The following few trainings that were closest to to the actual day were actually shows for the participant's families, primary 5 kids and public(preview). We would be really anxious as we formed up at our form up points and many of us would be offering handshakes around to ensure good luck for each other. Then when we return after the show, we would cheer and High-5 each other as we marched back to the Suntec convention hall. It was also the first time i actually got to march on roads so blatantly, with no one threatening to knock us down or honking at us.
9th of august was a very important date for us. It was the day that we have been training for. Either we do it right or we screw up. Four months of weekly trainings just for this very show. As usual, we wished each other good luck and some added prayers for everyone. As we marched out onto the platform, the thousands of shrills cheers rang throughout the whole place. We could see what seemed like millions of people waving their Singapore flags or their stars. The show was a success! Everyone cheered up loudly as we could when we marched back, or maybe it was because we knew it was the last time we'll have a show together.
Back at the convention hall, the FIs thanked all of us for the days we had together as a contingent and many of us cried. We all know that there will never be another "same time same place" next saturday. Four months of training, eating and joking have made us turn from strangers to friends and we were sad to "leave" each other.
That was the happiest and yet the saddest time we had throughout those four months.
- SGT (NPCC) Teo Wan Ling
一
Ever since i was a child, i would sit down in front of the television on the 9th of august to watch the national day parade. I have always admired the magnitude of the celebration and the spectacular drills and performances every year. Especially when i joined the National Police Cadet Corps in 2005, i grew to appreciate drills better and the one time to see them is during the National Day Parade.
This year, when we were told that two of us could join the parade as a member of the NPCC contingent, i signed up right away without hesitating. I was exhilarated when i heard that i have been accepted into it.
Trainings were mostly on saturdays, starting from late April all the way till the 9th of august. We would have to report to HTA at around 8-10am depending of the various reporting times and it would end about 6-8pm also depending on the different trainings.
The first few trainings were held at the nee soon camp as the platform on marina bay was not ready yet. We would go down and train for a few times before heading up for breaks and lunch/dinner. Food provided at first were mainly by a caterer and it tasted weird. But fortunately, they soon begin providing a mixture of KFC, pizza hut and the catered food.
Trainings were tough and mostly held when the sun was high up in the sky. Especially during one of the trainings at the marina bay platform itself, where we had a very high casualty fall out rate and i even saw an NS man being carried to the sick bay with a stretcher.
We had holding areas after we switched to training at the actual platform itself. First our holding area was in a somewhat deserted site which was muddy and filled with gigantic red ants which one of our CIs had to sweep off. We crowded close together in the center to prevent any of us from getting bitten. Later, a convention hall was booked for all of the parade members, it was clean, air-conditioned, had chairs and had clean toilets!
The following few trainings that were closest to to the actual day were actually shows for the participant's families, primary 5 kids and public(preview). We would be really anxious as we formed up at our form up points and many of us would be offering handshakes around to ensure good luck for each other. Then when we return after the show, we would cheer and High-5 each other as we marched back to the Suntec convention hall. It was also the first time i actually got to march on roads so blatantly, with no one threatening to knock us down or honking at us.
9th of august was a very important date for us. It was the day that we have been training for. Either we do it right or we screw up. Four months of weekly trainings just for this very show. As usual, we wished each other good luck and some added prayers for everyone. As we marched out onto the platform, the thousands of shrills cheers rang throughout the whole place. We could see what seemed like millions of people waving their Singapore flags or their stars. The show was a success! Everyone cheered up loudly as we could when we marched back, or maybe it was because we knew it was the last time we'll have a show together.
Back at the convention hall, the FIs thanked all of us for the days we had together as a contingent and many of us cried. We all know that there will never be another "same time same place" next saturday. Four months of training, eating and joking have made us turn from strangers to friends and we were sad to "leave" each other.
That was the happiest and yet the saddest time we had throughout those four months.
- SGT (NPCC) Teo Wan Ling
