Rudyard Kipling"
“When you're left wounded on Afganistan's plains and
the women come out to cut up what remains, Just roll to your rifle
and blow out your brains,
And go to your God like a soldier”
General Douglas MacArthur"
“We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
“It is fatal to enter any war without the will to win it.” “Old soldiers never die; they just fade away.
“The soldier, above all other people, prays for peace, for he must suffer and be the deepest wounds and scars of war.”
“May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't .” “The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his.
“Nobody ever defended, there is only attack and attack and attack some more.
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived.
The Soldier stood and faced God
Which must always come to pass
He hoped his shoes were shining
Just as bright as his brass
"Step forward you Soldier,
How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek?
To My Church have you been true?"
"No, Lord, I guess I ain't
Because those of us who carry guns
Can't always be a saint."
I've had to work on Sundays
And at times my talk was tough,
And sometimes I've been violent,
Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny
That wasn't mine to keep.
Though I worked a lot of overtime
When the bills got just too steep,
The Soldier squared his shoulders and said
And I never passed a cry for help
Though at times I shook with fear,
And sometimes, God forgive me,
I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place
Among the people here.
They never wanted me around
Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here,
Lord, It needn't be so grand,
I never expected or had too much,
But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was silence all around the throne
Where the saints had often trod
As the Soldier waited quietly,
For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you Soldier,
You've borne your burden well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets,
You've done your time in Hell."
Major Ismail Salleh - PGB & Lt David Fu Chee Meng - PGB, In A Battle At Tanah Hitam
Saturday, November 26, 2005
Sharpened stakes were driven into the ground, near the fire trenches. The trenches were very well camouflaged, it would have been very difficult to spot them unless a very close reconnaissance was conducted. Claymore mines were laid facing the probable or likely direction the enemy would approach, the M57 (firing device for claymores) was held by LCpl Abdullah, who was the commander of the GPMG (Mag 58) team. The soldiers having not bathed for the last 4 days, on the 27th August 1970, approached Lt David to request permission to have a bath.
Left : Claymore Mine (click on image to enlarge)
They were not allowed as their OC, Major Ismail had instructed, that no one was allowed to do anything until the Enemy had arrived and they had destroyed them. As the Enemy were expected to arrive at anytime. They were told in no uncertain terms that all movement must be minimized to maintain secrecy. They were not to be too far away from their fire trenches.
At around 1000 hours that day whilst they were cooking for lunch some soldiers decided to fry their combat rations for lunch, releasing an overpowering smell. Lt David blew his top and was furious, he told the soldiers to cease and desist, as the smell could carry far away, which would give away their hard built location. After lunch normally some of them would nap. An ambush is like going on a fishing trip. Some of them engaged in conversations, boredom is one of the early visitors in an ambush. At around 1500 hours they got another round of shelling from Lt David, this time for boiling water, which was done out of the allocated cooking time, the serious part being he could smell the water being boiled.
As they were sitting and engaging in an aimless conversation the distant sounds of twigs and bamboo being stepped upon carried to their ears. The never ending sounds were continuous, were coming towards their way. One by one they leapt into the fire trenches. After some time a figure was seen observing the area, the figure was the enemy’s leading scout, must have heard something to discomfit him. The enemy looked carefully, scanning the area in front of him, apparently he must have heard something.
The Enemy halted around 35 yards from the foremost trench. He stood in front of the claymore mine. The second enemy scout moved forward to the leading enemy scout, who was carrying two weapons. The third and fourth enemy had stopped in their tracks. Another group of the enemy, who were behind the third and fourth enemy, moved forward. Continued here....
