The Cadet Corporal

by Christopher Cummings

  Having placed the cadets in position Graham went to where 1 Platoon were also deploying on his left. Their right hand section was 1 Section and Graham was not amused to find that Erika Goltz and Magda were the two cadets on his immediate left flank. 1 Section extended across the remainder of the ridge to the top of the bluffs. From there 2 Section and 3 Section were lined out facing north. While he was there Graham had a look at the steep slope and at the dry river bed below. It was about 50 metres down to a tangle of rubber vines and trees. The slope was not exactly a line of cliffs but was still bluffs that were dangerously steep in places so 1 Platoon was placed well back and had a rope tied across their front for safety. 1 Platoon’s left flank met up with 3 Platoon.

  3 Platoon was lined along the fence facing west. In front of them was a deep re-entrant that was to also to be the latrine area. The left flank of 3 Platoon was on the rocks of the knoll and linked up with 2 Platoon’s right (Stephen’s section).

  Having spoken to Cpl Brown Graham walked back to the other end of his section. Here Gwen had positioned LCpl Bert Lacey and Cadet Dan Russel so Graham was content that at least that flank was secure. He waved to Barbara and gave her a grin as he spoke to Dan and Bert.

  Satisfied with the arrangements, Graham walked back to his pack and sat on it. For the next fifteen minutes he prepared a sentry roster, allowing for the time they would be out on patrol. He did this by drawing a time line and marking the hours, then writing in the names alternately on either side to give a staggered 2 hour roster.

  While he was doing this Halyday walked over to him. “Hey Corp, where do we put up our hutchies?” he asked

  It took a moment for Graham to realize that Halyday did not understand. “We don’t,” he replied. “We are going to just bivouac here in our defence positions.”

  Halyday looked appalled. “But... butbut what if it rains?”

  Graham gave a wry grin and pointed at the clear blue sky. “It won’t rain.”

  Looking quite unhappy Halyday went back to pass this news on to Andrews. As they did Dianne and Lucy came over and wanted to know where they could go to the toilet. That annoyed Graham. “I just told you in the orders. Over in the gully past Three Platoon. And don’t get lost, and don’t leave anything unburied. Be back in ten minutes.”

  Kirsty hurried to join them and the three girls walked off out of sight. Graham looked to check that Roger and Pat were both still alert then went on with his writing. The next interruption was from Cadet James. “All corporals up to company HQ for orders,” he said.

  The CUOs were wanted as well. Graham joined the other corporals and Capt Conkey told them to seat themselves in a semi-circle. He then checked that all had a map photocopy before giving them a set of patrol orders for the night. As the details were revealed Graham felt his excitement rise, along with apprehension. ‘This will be a bit of a challenge,’ he thought. The patrol was only to the bottom of the hill to provide local security but Graham was still looking forward to it.

  As Capt Conkey explained, “If this was a real operation we would not be swapping patrols over every two hours. One patrol would go out and stay out and they would be supported by mortars and so on.” He then went on to explain that what he did not want was for the enemy to follow a patrol back in. That led to some detail instructions on what to do if the enemy tried to do that. “If you have a real problem then call us on the radio,” Capt Conkey said. “But remember the enemy can monitor everything you say on the CB radios.”

  All of the section commanders and platoon commanders had the small hand-held radios and so did all of the officers but as Graham knew they were only civilian ‘Citizen Band’ sets so had no security or dedicated frequencies. The few army radios available for patrols and platoons were away with the raiding parties over near the airfield.

  Capt Conkey went on, “In any case I want you to keep radio silence except for medical emergencies or when an enemy patrol is likely to catch the company by surprise.”

  The corporals were told that each patrol was only to be four strong so Graham had to choose who to leave behind. In the end he decided to make a fair split. He decided to take Kirsty, Pat and Halyday.

  The next twenty minutes were taken up by giving the patrol orders to those of the section who had been selected to go. The others sat and faced their ‘front’. Giving the orders really made Graham feel important and he felt his confidence rising. Next he briefed the whole section again on their field routine. While he was doing that Andrews asked why they didn’t hide.

  “We stick out like country dunnies here,” he said. “Anyone down along the road or river must be able to see us. This is stupid.”

  “No it isn’t,” Graham retorted, blushing hotly and feeling the need to justify Capt Conkey’s plan. “If we were really defending this hill we would have moved here in the dark last night and dug weapon pits and camouflaged them. As it is the enemy are going to find it very hard to sneak up on us, even at night.”

  Andrews accepted that but shook his head with dismay at the idea of digging trenches in the rocky soil. Graham remembered something Capt Conkey had said once and repeated it. “If you don’t like this then don’t ever join the army!”

  By then it was 1700 hrs. Sgt Grenfell came along and told them to get back into their allotted positions. “I need a work party,” he added. It was for rations and water so Graham looked at Roger who nodded and told Kirsty, Lucy, Pat and Andrews to come with him. They moved off in a grumbling line behind Sgt Grenfell. Graham told Halyday to act as sentry while he amended his sentry roster and made a copy. This he taped to a rock at the tree where the night sentry post was to be.

  The work party returned fifteen minutes later with a jerry can of water and eight one man Combat Ration Packs, plus hexamine stoves and hexamine tablets. These were distributed and Sgt Grenfell came along again and told them to eat by 1800 to be ready for ‘Stand-to’.

  The hardest thing Graham had to do for the next half hour was to ensure that every cadet got a chance to cook and eat and that the person on sentry was changed frequently. As the unit had done four bivouacs earlier in the year they were all experienced at preparing meals for themselves but they were struck by the novelty of the one man ration packs and were continually reading the packets and digging out the other meals and talking about the choices and contents. Graham ate as quickly as he could and then spent his time urging them to hurry up. Andrews wanted to experiment with cooking a mixture but Graham argued he didn’t have time.

  Sgt Grenfell put an end to that. “Get packed up and ready for Stand-to. If you need to go to the toilet go now while it is still light. Hurry up.”

  Graham had explained the ‘Stand-to’ procedure but the cadets had never done it so now he had to walk back and forth along the line chivvying them to pack up, put on their webbing, clean up any litter and then to lie down behind their packs. “We have to be ready to march or fight,” he kept repeating. “Dusk and dawn are favourite times for an enemy to attack.”

  By 1825 he had them all lying down facing their front, with their webbing on. “Now stop talking,” he hissed, glancing to see if his section was first ready. To his delight he saw that they were. That gave him a really good feeling. ‘They are developing into a good section,’ he thought with satisfaction. The sun had gone down by this and the whole western sky was bathed red. The glow of this painted the white trunks of the ghost gums along the river bank a ruddy-gold colour.

  There was some murmuring but Graham quickly silenced this. He walked along and checked once again that every person had their webbing on and was ready. No sooner had he done this than CUO Masters came to inspect them.

  “Very good Cpl Kirk,” he said, nodding with approval. That gave Graham another warm glow of achievement. This was added to by noting that both 1 and 3 platoons were having trouble getting settled. Magda and Erika still had a scatter of gear and litter around them and it took five minutes of angry hissing by Sgt Sherry to get them to pack it, and get into positio
n.

  3 Platoon took even longer and several times Graham heard Sgt Yeldham’s voice snapping at cadets to stop talking and to stand to. Because he was now lying down behind his pack Graham could not see what the problem was but he could guess. Movement behind Graham caused him to turn his head. It was Capt Conkey and CSM Cleland heading for 3 Platoon. Even in the gloom Graham could see a look of annoyance on Capt Conkey’s face. Slowly silence settled, the last angry voices still coming from 3 Platoon area behind him.

  As darkness set in the whole company lay silent, facing out and ready. The night exercise had begun! A prickle of expectancy tingled through Graham and he strained his eyes trying to detect any sign of enemy moving.

  Andrews began to fidget and that drew a hiss from Graham. Next the girls began to whisper and he had to pad down and tell them to be silent. He had only just done this and returned to his own position when he heard movement off to his left. Three figures appeared at Erika and Magda’s position. It was Capt Conkey, CUO MacAlistair and CSM Cleland.

  They spoke quietly for a minute or so, then CUO MacAlistair went back to his PL HQ. Capt Conkey and CSM Cleland walked across behind Graham and were met by CUO Masters.

  “OK CUO Masters, let’s inspect your platoon please,” Capt Conkey asked.

  The trio walked back past Graham to where Roger and Pat lay. Graham was unsure whether he should get up and be with them while they inspected his section so he remained still. The inspection party did not linger but walked quickly along past the girls and onto where Halyday and Andrews lay, then kept on going to 5 Section. That reassured Graham that his section had passed muster. He lay quietly as full darkness set in.

  A few minutes later CUO Masters returned. He knelt down beside Graham. “OK Cpl Kirk, stand your section down and then make sure you have your sentries on duty. Then get your patrol moving. Report to the OC before you go out and after you come back. Any questions?”

  “No sir,” Graham replied. He quietly stood up and felt real excitement surge in him. Now he was going to be tested! But with the excitement came fear as well- fear of failure, of making a mess of the patrol. Squaring his shoulders he walked down to get the others.

  CHAPTER 20

  IN THE DARK

  Graham had led patrols before, most notably during the exercise near Bowen in August, but he still found this one a real challenge. The reason was that the company was acting on the defensive, trying to keep raiders away from the company position and he therefore felt the responsibility more heavily. ‘If I muck up everyone will know,’ he thought.

  Having collected the other three who were to go he checked that Dianne and Lucy were both awake and on guard. “And don’t go to sleep,” he warned. “We will look bloody silly if Heatley just walk in.”

  He then led the patrol over to where CUO Masters and Sgt Grenfell sat. CUO Masters wished him luck and Graham led them on to Company HQ. A small shelter had been rigged with sleeping bags draped over ropes tied between trees to hide the torchlight. There Graham found Capt Conkey bending over a map marking it. He had a radio handset in his hand and Graham gathered that he was in contact with the raiders over near the airfield. Curiosity about the situation made him lean over to look.

  Capt Conkey looked up. “Yes Cpl Kirk?”

  “Four Section patrol moving out now sir,” Graham replied.

  “Good. Off you go.”

  Capt Conkey turned back to the map and Graham was unable to see more than a few red marks on their side of the airfield. He turned and led the other three away. His route out was through Stephen’s sentry post so he led the patrol stumbling over the rocks to there. After a quick word to his friend he continued on. The patrol made its way down on to the low saddle and back towards the parked vehicles. The vehicles were not in the exercise, being needed for safety and administration, so he steered clear of them. Lt Maclaren and Lt Standish were sitting there in the dark, talking quietly.

  Fifty paces past the vehicles the patrol came to the fence that ran down to the grid. After listening for a minute they rolled under, discovering in the process that the ground was covered in small two-pronged prickles. They then went on South East down the rocky slope. Graham took it very slow, stopping every twenty paces. After listening for half a minute he then walked another twenty paces. It was quite dark by then but he could still see quite well in the starlight.

  Over to his right he knew was the dirt road to Canning Junction but it was not visible till they were quite close to it. Here he paused again to listen. The side road was his boundary between him and any patrols from 3 Platoon. Likewise the fence on his left was the boundary between 1 Platoon’s patrols and 2 Platoon’s.

  Fifteen minutes after starting out, the patrol reached the Canning Road just near a small dip mid-way between the grid and the Canning Junction turnoff. During another pause to listen, Graham carefully looked both ways along the Canning Road. In the starlight it appeared as a wide grey clearing. Satisfied there was no-one on the other side Graham signalled the others to follow and walked quietly across, his boots crunching lightly on the loose gravel.

  As the other three joined him in the clumps of grass on the other side of the road Graham heard the sound of people moving. He hissed for silenced and went very tense as he listened. The noises were behind the patrol. The sound of someone cursing and of boots clattering on loose rocks came clearly to him on the still night air. For several minutes he lay and listened. The others lay close, also listening. After a while the direction of movement became clear.

  “That is Three Platoon’s patrol going out,” Graham whispered. Mentally he shook his head at the poor fieldcraft and self-discipline. ‘That will be Crane’s section,’ he thought.

  Rising quietly he moved on, the others following. He led the way across a small depression lined with trees and on across a sandy flat fifty paces wide on which grew several small, twisted trees growing in a clump. The patrol continued on another twenty metres to the bank of the sandy creek that led down from Sandy Ridge. The white sand in its bed showed clearly in the starlight. Turning right, Graham led the others to a small ridge about five metres high and 25 long that protruded into a bend in the creek. A stand of trees and various clumps of bushes provided good cover.

  From there they could see back towards the road and both up the creek and out across the flat beyond it. It wasn’t a perfect position and, like most military problems, was too big to be adequately covered by the available force. ‘Six would be a better number,’ he thought. But he only had four, and the dilemma of who to put where.

  At this point he gave in to what he knew was foolish temptation. Kirsty had been following close behind him all the way so he kept her with him and placed Pat and Halyday ten metres away They faced East and North. Graham then found a spot where he could watch the road, and the creek line to the South. When sat down he could just make out Pat’s head among the trees.

  The patrol settled to wait. Within a couple of minutes Kirsty moved so that her sleeve touched Graham’s arm. That got him thinking and excited. Slowly, so as not to make a noise, he shifted to press against her. “Is that alright?” he whispered.

  “No, I want you closer,” Kirsty whispered back.

  Graham eased over and leaned against her. She snuggled against him, her arm resting on his leg. That got him quickly aroused and hopeful. Greatly daring he took her hand and held it. She responded and snuggled even harder. As she did a curious muttering vibration began to fill the quiet of the night. Kirsty stiffened and looked around. “What’s that noise?” she whispered.

  As she asked the sound changed to a deeper rumble. Graham held her closer and whispered back, “Only a train going across the railway bridge.”

  “What railway bridge?” Kirsty asked.

  Graham was astonished. He was about to make a sarcastic comment about how observant she was but bit his tongue in time. “Look on your map,” he said instead. “It’s a couple of kilometres away that way.” He pointed off to the south.

>   She nodded and looked into his eyes. He could see hers glistening in the starlight and felt sure she was sending him a message. His heart began to thump with hopeful anticipation and he licked his lips nervously. ‘I think she wants a kiss,’ he thought. It was a real temptation and his mind raced with hopes and fears. ‘Will I?’ he wondered, all the old arguments again flooding through his mind. ‘But what if she complains?’ But there was also the dilemma of how she would feel if he rejected her fairly obvious advances! Then, just as he was trying to pluck up the courage to ask her, yelling broke out in the distance.

  Graham snatched his hand away in fright then felt foolish. The noise was coming from hundreds of metres away over on the other side of the Canning Road. “Three Platoon’s patrol bumping into someone,” he murmured. He heard Pat and Halyday both move and saw their black shapes as they stood up to look.

  The yelling died down after several minutes and Pat and Halyday sat down again. Then the radio spoke. It was so loud Graham jumped in fright and then blushed with shame. ‘I should have turned the volume down,’ he berated himself. With fingers that trembled slightly he did that. It was Capt Conkey wanting to know what was going on. ‘Not calling me,’ Graham thought.

  It took Capt Conkey three calls before Cpl Crane replied and reported that his patrol had run into an enemy patrol. From the garbled answer Graham decided that Crane had blundered into the enemy and he certainly wasn’t sure how many there had been or which way they had gone.

  ‘I hope we don’t get sprung like that,’ he thought. After looking carefully in all directions and listening intently Graham again turned to Kirsty. She snuggled close and by mutual consent their heads came together and they kissed. Their hands began to explore.

  As Kirsty stroked him Graham shuddered with pleasure and Kirsty murmured with obvious enjoyment at his touch. It seemed that with every passing second he was more and more in the grip of lust. Then, curiously, his desire started to wane. As each new act was carried out Graham felt the stab of his conscience more strongly. Added to that was his pride in trying to be a good soldier. ‘We promised to behave,’ he thought uncomfortably. ‘And we are supposed to be guarding the company.’