A
Anonymous
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An Infantry WO2 was posted to England on Ex Long Look. While in the Old Ilse he attended a Junior Officer Promotion Course, on actual battlefields in France.
At one particular place, after the Instructors has given their usual instructions about troop dispositions in 1943, the course set about developing their individual plans of attack. The Australian WO curled up under a tree and went to sleep. The training staff were less than impressed, but allowed him this latitude.
When the obligatory hour was up, they called the course together and one by one, went through the attack scenario. Eagerly they awaited the Australian.
When it was his turn, he stepped forward and with one arm, pointed out his battle plan. "I would form my seven men up here. Fix bayonets and charge straight down this hill and onto the bridge, sweeping through to the other side. Then I would reorg and move back onto the bridge to make sure I could hold it."
The Instructors were highly amused and showed their mirth gladly. Then one said quite seriously, "Warrant Officer. That sort of thing would never work. The machine gun emplacements would cut you to pieces the moment you crested the rise. You would merely provide target practice for the mortar pits and if by any chance you did manage to get to the bridge, the platoon of Germany Infantry would be on you like a terrier. I'm sorry my colonial friend - it just wouldn't work."
"Jeez, how about that then?" replied the Warrant Officer, "It's strange you know, it worked in 1943 when I did it and your mob gave me the Military Medal for it!"
At one particular place, after the Instructors has given their usual instructions about troop dispositions in 1943, the course set about developing their individual plans of attack. The Australian WO curled up under a tree and went to sleep. The training staff were less than impressed, but allowed him this latitude.
When the obligatory hour was up, they called the course together and one by one, went through the attack scenario. Eagerly they awaited the Australian.
When it was his turn, he stepped forward and with one arm, pointed out his battle plan. "I would form my seven men up here. Fix bayonets and charge straight down this hill and onto the bridge, sweeping through to the other side. Then I would reorg and move back onto the bridge to make sure I could hold it."
The Instructors were highly amused and showed their mirth gladly. Then one said quite seriously, "Warrant Officer. That sort of thing would never work. The machine gun emplacements would cut you to pieces the moment you crested the rise. You would merely provide target practice for the mortar pits and if by any chance you did manage to get to the bridge, the platoon of Germany Infantry would be on you like a terrier. I'm sorry my colonial friend - it just wouldn't work."
"Jeez, how about that then?" replied the Warrant Officer, "It's strange you know, it worked in 1943 when I did it and your mob gave me the Military Medal for it!"
