The Cadet Sergeant Major

by Christopher Cummings

  An hours search revealed nothing. Lt Maclaren began interviewing Cpl Goltz’s section and the Control Group one by one, taking down detailed notes as he did. Capt Conkey directed HQ to take the place of the Control Group as ‘enemy’ for the training and for the platoon manoeuvres to begin as soon as they were in position. Graham went with Capt Conkey and then stood beside him on the bank of the river where Goltz and Smart had washed themselves. From there they could see the platoons as they manoeuvred.

  ‘Poor old Capt Conkey,’ Graham thought. ‘This will spoil the end of camp for him.’ He decided it wasn’t the right time to mention his suspicions about Costigan and Kellie Jones. ‘No real proof anyway.’

  Each platoon did a ‘talk-through’ practice, 4 Platoon first, then 1, 2 and 3. By the time 2 Platoon did theirs the 2ic had interviewed all of the cadets in the two groups. As he walked towards the OC he shook his head.

  “No luck. I think Bax and Brown are both lying but can’t prove it,” Lt Maclaren said.

  Capt Conkey sighed and gestured to the vast stretch of sand. “So, is the compass lost in that; or has someone got it?”

  Lt Maclaren shrugged. “God knows. We can search their kit if you like.”

  Capt Conkey shook his head. “No, if someone has stolen it we won’t find it. Be a waste of time. Blast! What a camp it has been! It’s just one damned thing after another. It makes me wonder why I give up my spare time to do this.”

  Graham, who had been standing to one side, was shocked to hear this. It was suddenly borne upon him just how much the cadets owed to the officers; particularly to the OC. All those camps, exercises and weekend bivouacs- someone had to plan them, do all the paperwork, do a reconnaissance, collect stores from the army; then actually run them, with all the risks and problems of supervising teenagers. For most of this effort he knew they were not paid.

  ‘Just Exercise Bunyip Ghost must have taken a lot of preparation,’ Graham realized, remembering just how much he had enjoyed the experience. He knew he had because he kept getting flashbacks to it.

  Then a deeper worry set in. If the officers didn’t bother, then he and his friends would be the losers. Visions of himself as a CUO leading his own platoon just like CUO Grenfell was doing right before his eyes played across the screen of his mind. ‘That could all be lost!’ he realized with dismay. He suddenly saw that his dreams were based on many ‘Ifs’.

  ‘It’s up to us. We have to make the camp a success. We have to work it so that the officers enjoy it and think the effort worthwhile,’ he thought.

  Graham stood pondering how to do this while watching 2 Platoon do their practice. The concept had come to him as something of a revelation and made him itch to do something; to tell the sergeants at least. That made him particularly angry that he suspected Costigan of breaking his promise.

  As soon as 2 Platoon had completed its re-org and begun moving to the waiting area in Quilp Creek Graham walked over to HQ. ‘I will talk to Pete. He will understand.’

  But as he climbed the next sand dune and approached HQ, who were lying or crouching in cover, he was dismayed. Peter looked haggard. He had dark rings under his eyes which were sunk deep in his face. His skin had a drawn and yellowish look. ‘Heavens! Peter looks sick.’

  “Are you feeling OK Pete? You look terrible.”

  Peter sat up from behind the tree trunk he was using for cover. “I told you, I just didn’t sleep very well!” Peter snapped. “I had nightmares about that damned body.”

  “Would you like to lie down? Can the medics give you anything?” Graham asked.

  Peter shook his head. “No! I’m alright. I can do my job,” he replied.

  “OK.” Graham nodded but wasn’t convinced. ‘He’s just saying that so I won’t worry. He is definitely not well.’ Rather than press the issue, seeing Peter was so sensitive about it, Graham changed the subject to discuss 2 Platoon’s effort, then led the conversation round to the topic that really worried him: the officers being disillusioned.

  Peter listened but said little. Graham tried to hide his worry but could not remember a time in the last few years, even during their most stressful adventures, when he had seen his friend look so down. When he mentioned that it was really up to the sergeants to make the camp a success Peter just nodded and looked away.

  Graham was amazed. ‘I could have sworn Pete was about to cry then! Boy! He must be down. I wonder why?’ He stood up and pretended not to notice and instead began to criticize 3 Platoon who could be seen (and shouldn’t have been if the CUO had selected the right covered approach). His mind, however, was on how to draw out of Peter what was troubling him without hurting his feelings.

  After 3 Platoon had finished Graham walked back to rejoin the OC. He noted Allison give him a big smile as he passed but he was preoccupied and merely nodded. ‘What a pity,’ he mused as he ploughed down the sand dune, ‘If it wasn’t for all these things going wrong it would be a beaut camp.’ He felt wonderfully fit and, in spite of everything, was still enjoying himself.

  The two lady OOCs had joined them and the group moved along a track through the dunes to where the platoons sat in the shade under the trees in the bed of Quilp Creek. 4 Platoon had already moved off to do a second exercise. This was to capture an ‘Enemy Camp’ which was half a kilometre upstream in the rubber vines.

  Capt Conkey spoke to the cadets informally for a while. Graham stood and chatted to Stephen and Gwen and mentioned how they had to help the officers and why. He wanted to discuss Peter with Stephen but got no opportunity. When the officers moved on to watch the next series of moves Graham went with them, half regretting he wasn’t a platoon sergeant. He really burned to be in the action- to run and shout and get excited; and to pretend he was fighting a real battle.

  The enemy camp was in a grassy hollow overlooked by the high banks. A sentry post on top complicated the planning but by good fieldcraft the attackers could infiltrate a fire support section up there via a small gully. The four platoons came in half an hour apart. Three were almost carbon copies of each other: 4 Pl, 1 Pl and 2 Pl. 3 Platoon’s was late and disorganized and had the fire support in the wrong place. As it degenerated into a shambles with the assault section running towards their own troops the OC lost his temper and yelled angrily at them. Graham shook his head. ‘Capt Conkey’s not having a good day.’ It was the last day of training too. ‘The camp is almost over,’ Graham thought sadly.

  The activity was completed by 1230. As soon as the last attack was over the ‘camp’ was dismantled and Sgt Crane led them out through a weed-choked dip to where the other platoons waited in the shade along the edge of the open sand.

  Lt Maclaren and Lt Standish led the CUOs and sergeants away to set up the Leadership Evaluation Course while the cadets had lunch. Graham sat next to the OC under some trees facing the company across the sandy flood channel. He quickly heated a can of meat and then water for coffee.

  The Leadership Evaluation Exercise was the last major activity of the camp and Graham sensed a growing mood of melancholy in himself. He did not want the camp to end. ‘I wish it could go on for ever,’ he thought sadly. But it was obvious most did not share his mood. They had experienced enough and were keen to go home.

  After lunch the OC briefed the company on how the exercise worked. It consisted of a 2km course which led along the flood channels to back near the bivouac area. Along the way were seven ‘Incidents’. At each incident were two or three staff. These had marking sheets and a narrative. Their role was to observe the cadets and make notes on how they handled the problems that were presented.

  As Capt Conkey explained, each cadet would be looked at seven times by seven different staff members. The results would be collated and averaged, which would even out any personal bias.

  “After that,” Capt Conkey went on, “your section commanders, your platoon sergeants and your platoon commanders will each fill out a Personal Qualities Report on you.” He held one up for them to see. “The CSM will fill one out on e
very NCO, as shall I and the other officers. These will be scored, added up then averaged, so the result will not be just one person’s opinion. This will give us two lists of names to compare. I will also ask the CUOs, CSM and sergeants for lists of who they recommend for promotion. The officers and I will then study these lists and use them to decide who goes on the Promotion Course in December.”

  The OC paused to let that sink in. Graham noted several anxious faces: Roger’s, Lofty Ward, Anne Hopewell. Capt Conkey resumed, “Now, to make this leadership exercise fair we are removing the corporals and lance corporals from each section. They will be grouped into sections and will compete against their peers. That way you cadets are not competing against people with rank. The story for the exercise is this; you are on patrol behind enemy lines. You have just attacked an enemy HQ and killed their general and most of his staff and captured important documents- so they are hunting you with a vengeance.”

  “In the fight your corporal and lance corporal both went missing, probably killed. They had the only maps and compasses- so you can only navigate by following the route we show you.”

  There were good humoured groans and mutters of ‘Not fair!’ from the cadets. Capt Conkey grinned and went on. “Each section will be sent in turn and will do the course without their section commander or 2ic. The staff will hold you at waiting areas so you don’t catch up with the group in front. And ignore me and the CSM. We will just be observing how well you perform. So, try hard. Put your best foot forward; especially you shy people. Now is the moment to push yourself into the limelight. Any questions?”

  Hands shot up. “Yes sir. Do we have to actually do things, like swim rivers and build bridges?” Cadet Arthur asked.

  “At some stands you do. At others you just have to discuss how you would solve the problem. Any more? OK, corporals, all move over to Lt McEwen.”

  18 corporals gathered into a group and were divided into two sections. Lt McEwen handed each one a bundle of Personal Qualities Reports. “As soon as you finish the course go to your bivouac area and fill these out. One on each cadet. Keep it confidential. Don’t let the cadets see them. They get that chance when the OC interviews them after camp. And don’t discuss your cadets with other corporals. Just give your own honest opinion. When your section finishes the course keep them there and under control.”

  Graham cleared his throat and met Lt McEwen’s eye. She nodded and he spoke to the corporals. “I just want to amplify what Lt McEwen has said. When the cadets finish this activity they know that training for the camp is over. That is the time of greatest danger for us. They will burst out in high spirits and we don’t want anyone injured by horse-play. You need to be alert and keep good control. Thanks Miss.”

  The first group of corporals sorted themselves out as to who would have what job in the section. Graham watched attentively and noted that they accepted Barbara as the natural leader. Fiona Davies went as 2ic and Cpl Cox as First Scout. Laidley ended up as Third Rifleman. They set off. Graham went to collect his webbing, gave Margaret a friendly nod, swung the webbing on and followed the OC.

  For the next two hours he and Capt Conkey walked up and down the sandy ridges and hollows watching how the groups performed and how individuals showed up as leaders. They discussed every corporal at length while they watched.

  The first incident involved an ‘enemy’ blocking the escape route. This required someone to take command, decide what to do, then to organize and control the action. For the first group of corporals Barbara retained obvious and undisputed control throughout. In the second group of corporals the person who had appointed himself section commander, Cpl Scott, was ignored by the group who took orders from Roger, supported by Lofty Ward.

  Graham was pleasantly surprised. So was Capt Conkey. He said, “I didn’t think Cpl Dunning had that much fire in him. Do you think he will make a good sergeant?”

  “Yes sir, I do,” Graham replied without hesitation. Then he went on to say, “And I would like him as my platoon sergeant.”

  Capt Conkey turned a stern eye on Graham. “Aren’t you being a bit presumptuous CSM? You may not be selected to become a platoon commander.”

  For a moment Graham’s emotions were gripped by cold alarm. He had thought he had done a good job as CSM. ‘Well, adequate anyway. But.. then I wasn’t there to form the NCOs up to look for the compass; and I didn’t do a careful enough check parade to detect it earlier.’ He began to brood and to drag up all the failings he was aware of. He swallowed his disappointment and replied, “No sir. Sorry sir.”

  Capt Conkey then smiled. “Relax CSM. I’m very pleased with your performance. It is just that there are eight to pick from and we only need five CUOs. But I will tell you now, in confidence of course, that you are top of my list; and Peter is next.”

  Graham heaved a sigh of relief. “Thank you sir.”

  “That is not a promise mind you. And we won’t decide till after the Passing-out Parade in October,” Capt Conkey cautioned.

  “No sir, I know. I will keep on trying.”

  “Good lad. Now, please keep that to yourself. Let us go and see how this lot handle the minefield.”

  The OC led the way to where the second group of corporals was debating how best to get through a ‘Minefield’ which blocked their path. Capt Conkey and Graham listened for a while then moved to catch up with the first group who were just debating what to do with a (theoretically) badly injured member of their squad, knowing the pursuit was on their trail.

  They followed Group 1 of corporals to the next stand and listened to how they would deal with an enemy sentry who was guarding the only bridge across a crocodile infested river- with other enemy in the immediate area. Once again Graham thought Barbara dominated the discussion, and that Fiona had excellent ideas which she explained clearly.

  Barbara certainly controlled the group during the next problem- a practical one- where a body with a map beside it was found lying in a grassy clearing. They did everything right and found the sniper, thus gaining the map. The next problem was what to do if a lone enemy soldier suddenly stepped out and surrendered. Gallon was first scout and his reaction, even though LCpl Martin was clearly unarmed and had his hands up, was to shoot him. He turned with a grin to receive the full wrath of an indignant Capt Conkey.

  “That was murder Cpl Gallon; sheer bloody murder! How many times have I told you what the moral rights and wrongs concerning prisoners are! I won’t have that sort of behaviour in my unit.”

  Fiona spoke up. “Besides, he might have been able to give us valuable information.”

  “Quite right,” Capt Conkey agreed. He again reiterated the correct way to handle prisoners, both legally and morally. Then he moved the patrol on to the final stand. Here Lt Maclaren and Lt Standish waited. The problem posed was that the patrol had reached the sea and a submarine was waiting offshore in the darkness to pick them up. But the only boat available was too small to safely carry them all, particularly as the weather was worsening. Someone would have to be left behind. The cadets did not have to discuss this one, just think about it for a few minutes then do a secret ballot on who in the section should stay.

  This was potentially very hurtful and for this reason was kept confidential, only the officers knowing the results. It was included as a way of identifying cadets who had been rejected by the group. Sometimes the results were quite surprising.

  As the first group of corporals finished the course Capt Conkey turned to Graham. “OK CSM, you go with this lot to keep law and order in the bivouac area. You can fill out your Personal Qualities Reports while you do. There are spare ones in my briefcase.”

  Graham led the cheerful corporals back to their platoon areas a hundred metres off over the next dune. He set them to fill out their reports then obtained a bundle of blank forms and settled himself in the shade to do likewise.

  The Personal Qualities Reports listed 21 headings, some of character and some for leadership. In most cases a simple tick in the appropriat
e box: from Very Good to Very Poor; was all that was needed. Sometimes he wrote a comment. He had to write one on every NCO, plus any cadet who had come to his notice for disciplinary reasons, or for some outstanding quality.

  The very first name he wrote, starting with the most senior NCO, was SSgt Costigan. This instantly presented Graham with a quandary. What should he tick for ‘Loyalty’? What about ‘Honesty and Integrity’? For a few minutes he agonized over this. After all he had no real proof. He toyed with putting the decision off and starting at the other end: with the cadets and lance corporals.

  “No, you bloody weakling!” he berated himself. “What tick would you give yourself for ‘Moral Courage’?”

  So he made rapid and decisive ticks in the columns as he deemed appropriate. Costigan did not fare well. It made Graham feel uneasy in case he was being unfair. This feeling increased when he ticked Peter’s report. Almost every mark was ‘Very Good’, with only a few ‘Goods’ (for Energy and Group Influence); and none for ‘Satisfactory’ or ‘Poor’.

  “I mustn’t be biased,” Graham muttered. “Just because Peter is my mate. I’ve got to be fair.” So he went over both Peter’s and Costigan’s again on fresh sheets- and changed nothing.

  CHAPTER 33

  ACCUSATIONS

  As he worked Graham pondered the OC’s words. ‘If I am top of the prospective CUO’s list and Peter is second, who are the other two or three?’ He turned over a used sheet and pencilled on the back a list in what he thought the rank order might be:

  Kirk

  Bronsky

  Copeland

  Bell

  Costigan

  Griffin

  Rankin

  Crane

  Then he made a little arrow and moved Rankin up above Costigan. ‘Rankin is going OK. He is handling the job of platoon sergeant well,’ he muttered. For a moment he considered moving Stephen’s name above Gwen’s but he paused. Was Stephen that good? He was a friend; and he certainly had the ability, but memories of past incidents clouded the back of Graham’s thoughts and made him purse his lips.