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Muddy Waters
Written and donated by The Sphinx And Dragon
Regimental Journal
.....Wells, a south countryman from
Sussex, lay on his back chewing a long straw. Usually referred to as 'Ken'
he was in fact Pte Kenneth J Wells, Royal Berks Regiment, from the town of
Littlehampton in Sussex. Of athletic build he was sturdy with dark hair and
eyes, his complexion turned sallow, if not yellow, from the daily dosage of
mepacrine taken by everyone on Burma to avoid malaria.
.....Despite the noise of battle in the middle distance, Ken was in good humour
for he had just returned from a successful patrol with his corporal and three
other men and was enjoying a break for R and R. They had seen and reported
on enemy activities some two rules away. Ken had shot one Japanese sentry dead
before the patrol withdrew with valuable information of the Jap position. Their
skill and avoidance tactics had once again beaten the Japanese at their own
game.
.....It was 3pm on 28 January 1945, hot and windless. The patrol had already
brewed tea in their mess tins and scoffed some bully beef and biscuits. All
were finding time for a well earned kip lying in the shade under the scattered
jungle and scrub which covered this defended area.
.....The next patrol would be someone else's turn. Someone else would run the
chance of being shot up or ambushed. Killing the enemy wherever you could had
to be measured against your own chances. It was Ken's big fear. Ambush and
counter-ambush, he had already had experience of both. Now he was happy resting
in the company area; he might even have time for a letter home. At least until
tomorrow no more patrols for him.
.....Ken and all of them knew how easy it was to be shot up in this mobile infantry
battle. Casualties miles out on patrol were not easy to get back - if they
were hit, they all knew the probabilities. Some of the non-smokers could smell
the Japs before they got to them but nothing was certain. It was a mug's game
searching the countryside in small reconnaissance patrols. He supposed it had
to be done but the information they usually got never seemed to Ken to add
up to much.
P 1 :: P
2 :: P 3 :: P
4 :: P 5 :: P
6
Pte. Kenneth James Wells