Shaharom Ahmad is the founder of Malaya Historical Group (MHG) and a contributor to the Pacific Wrecks.
Over the past years, he and his website have made many discoveries
and contributions to WWII history in Malaya.
Tell a little about yourself, and your background
My name is Shaharom Ahmad. Currently I working at
Bernama ( Malaysia News Agency ) as web artist. I was 27 years old.
I was married and have 2 lovely kids. None of my family were involved in WW2.
But several people on my relatives were involved in WW2 as anti-aircraft
gunners, seamen and volunteer soldiers. All were station in Malaya at
the outbreak of Pacific war. None were survived to tell me the story
since they all passed away long time ago.
I did become interested in WW2 Pacific History especially
in Malaya when I was told from my father about his experience in war.
His hard live in childhood make me wonder how many people survived in
Japanese Occupation. Then I learned about how Japanese can beat British
which were superior from Japanese. But after a short time, I realised
that the Japanese use many new technologies and new kind of warfare
to beat British. For 2 and half month, Japanese were mastered in Malaya
and Singapore. My father also was a seamen in KD Pelanduk ( Training
vessels - Penang ) in late 1950's before retired. From this, I was love
to find and to draw any aircraft which I can imagine and see.
How did you get started visiting
wreck sites?
I starting visiting and searching for WW2 wrecks in
last 3 years ago when I encountered one journalist who find Japanese
aircraft in Pahang. From there, I was keen to find myself any aircraft
wrecks. I was amused to see the aircraft which so heavy were flying
like bird now hopelessly lying in the jungle. I visiting many wreck
sites which was given some information from friends, relatives and
often did not find anything left. All wrecks which crashed near population
areas were clean as whistle.
Our recent discoveries was C-47 Dakota serial number
633 which flew from Kuala Lumpur on SAR mission. It was crashed in
1948 near Rawang town. It was a lend lease from USAAF to RAF. All people
were killed or missing and still not found to this day. Not so much
parts were left by since some scrap hunter were visiting before and
take as many parts left by. The only parts were still left were 2 engines
(Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp) and undercarriage and small
bit of pieces of instruments.
My feeling about this wrecks are to be removed from the
recent places and to be located to safer places as Museums to protect
them from scrap hunters. This wreck can be preserved as actual aircraft
or can be display as origin when we found it. Better not to left
them on the jungle. For this tropical climate, these valuable piece
of history can be destroyed and prevent them from scrap hunters.
For me, every single piece of the wreck is history. Precious than
gold.
The most challenging that we encountered is scrap
hunters and theft. Many people which didn't know the significant of
this metal were interested only on money. When they found one, the will
removed any parts and sell if to scrap dealers. Some wrecks were safe
from this kind of theft since it was crashed far from village and located
deep in thick jungle which we need take some 1 week to reach it. Others
were simply dumped into the hole and leveled just to build some housed
on top of it. Read Hunting Down A Wreck Hunter.
Tell about Malaya Historical Group (MHG)
My website was design and published last year due to
show our activities and some stories about air aviation history and
battles throughout Malaysia. It is important for us to show younger
generations about this forgotten war which claims so many lives from
different countries just for freedom and peace. Many people did not
interested about this stuff and no wonder, we get a hard job to find
some information about wrecks. The only people who can assist us is
the younger people which we knew that it can be a tug war between
time and us.
Our future project are to visiting RAF B-24 wreck
in Kampung Langkap and Ki-51 Sonia wreck in Pahang. We will taken some
details step to examine the wreck and to identified the wreck since
there were some human remains on both wrecks. Visit the Malaya
Historical Group website to learn more.
Thank you for the interview Mr. Ahmad!