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Outpost Four.

Marching had long become a routine thing. Hardly any one gave it a thought any more. Orders were bawled. Orders were carried out at once no one in our unit was I think capable of thinking for himself. The uniform and weapons had made machines out of us all. This went from the top down to the lowest soldier drill for weeks on end every day a little more efficient somehow a little smarter in fact we were slowly but surely becoming first class soldiers. The slow slovenly ways of our previous civilian life had strangely disappeared not without thinking new obeyed. I at first spent hours trying to fathom out what or better why all of this training. This what at first appeared to be the Armies way of breaking one will or better to make one a slave to the whims of the people up at the top. I soon forgot these nonexistent people. I have in all my Army time never seen a General let alone a Field Marshall except in pictures and I must admit none of them gave me the impression that they were capable of leading an army into battle. In charge of our company was a young Captain. This man was my idea of a leader. On every march he carried a full pack on his back plus the obligatory two belts of ammunition that each man carried. Even the Sergeants down through to the ranks of so called privates. Now I have never found out where the words privates come from in the Army phraseologies. None of our company was in any way private. Even the lavatories were some times a dug out across which a heavy pole was placed. Many a joke was told while doing the most natural of things that all creatures must do or die. Not even when the opportunity of a shower or swimming in some water was there any privacy. In fact one did not give it a thought off with ones clothes and stripped down to our naked bodies on took advantage of that cool wet water. No, no privacy so where did the word Privates come to be part of the army language.

 A rough hand shaking my shoulder woke me and a few whispered words, Get dressed in full battle kit, no noise. The sergeant moved from bed to bed passing on the same message. Dressed in full battle kit. Then the back pack pulled over ones shoulders on top of this the bandoliers of ammunition three hundred rounds. A quiet order fall in outside of the hut, with our Captain in the front we marched that is it was more like a ghost unit marching quietly to an unsuspecting foe that was sure to be in Hell if the Army had its way- Then the rumour spread its way back to the last man. Outpost Four. Out post four was the last place that I thought of, I had done a few turns of duty without any troubles. Most of the civilians that I had spoken to were pleased that a company of the Army were protecting their village. I had no good feelings about this night attack. The moon was shining as if to give all that could a chance to flee at the approaching Soldiers. The orders came as we expected surround the village. One unit go to the relief of Outpost Four. I was picked to lead this unit to relieve outpost four. Quietly we made our way to outpost four. Suddenly a growl from a dog, I put my fingers to my lips and blew a whistle. The growl stopped and a large black shape ran to me with its tail wagging. I was not going to relax discipline and I warned the men to remain quiet until we had made contact with Outpost Four. To my relief zjr black Labrador led us right into the outpost. All was well but sounds of firing told us that our company was in the middle of a battle. I ordered the men to reinforce the sentries and to stand back to back for better protection. Fortunately for the villagers this coming of our company was not a stroke of luck. Military Intelligence had gotten wind of a band of crooks, one cannot call them anything else and our Captain had been informed. That was the reason for our nights march to Outpost Four. A week later we marched back to the barracks. As usual a whole week was spent in cleaning first our automatic rifles. Then all of our other equipment such as the webbing material that all armies seem to use for transporting hand grenades, bullets and other things that should never get wet. Advantage was taken to wash ones underwear. Then a weeks leave. Where did we spend our week. Why at outpost four of course.