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MILITARY HONOUR: About 400 people turned up for 2nd Lt Lam's funeral yesterday. The 20-year-old, who had collapsed and died during jungle training in Brunei on Wednesday, was posthumously promoted and awarded his pilot wings on Friday. -- PHOTO: JOSEPH NAIR FOR THE STRAITS TIMES
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A VOLLEY of three shots rang out at the Mandai Crematorium yesterday afternoon, as the Republic of Singapore Air Force bade farewell to one of its own in a full military funeral.
Second-Lieutenant Clifton Lam Jia Hao, 20, had collapsed and died during jungle training in Brunei on Wednesday.
As the mournful strains of 'The Last Post' approached its coda, there was hardly a dry eye in the memorial hall filled with 400 people. Some had turned up as early as 12.30pm for the 2pm memorial service.
The attendees comprised the late pilot's family, his friends from his secondary school and Temasek Polytechnic, and the rank and file of the air force.
They had earlier walked in procession up the driveway of the crematorium, following the coffin which had been placed on a gun carriage.
2nd Lt Lam, who had wanted to be a pilot since he was 13, was posthumously promoted to this rank and awarded his pilot wings on Friday.
His course mates from the Air Wing of the Officer Cadet School (OCS) lined the crematorium driveway, each with a black band on his left arm. Among them were most of the 23 officer cadets who were also on that fateful training exercise in Brunei.
2nd Lt Lam's mother, who had seemed composed during the four-day wake, broke down yesterday. She wept uncontrollably as she and her husband Lam Mong Lim accepted a folded Singapore flag, their son's ceremonial sword and peak cap from the commander of the Air Force School, Colonel Koh Teow Huat.
2nd Lt Lam's brother Jia Xing, 22, fighting back tears, gave a eulogy that honoured his brother for his courage, positivity and generosity.
He said: 'Now that he has realised his dream of being a pilot, let's hope he will take the honour and glory to do well in another world.'
Wreaths from Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean, Chief of Defence Force Lieutenant-General Desmond Kuek, Chief of Air Force Major-General Ng Chee Khern and the commander and men of OCS' Air Wing were laid in front of his coffin.
Many of his friends were inconsolable after the 90-minute service. Wiping away tears, full-time national serviceman Lin Zhi Sheng, who had been friends with 2nd Lt Lam for 10 years, said: 'He had stood by me all these years. His loss is a great pain to us.
'Though he is gone, he will forever be in my heart.'
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