Open Writing

When I was in the army, serving in Germany, we were sent on military exercise to a wide-open bleak and forbidding expanse named Soltau. It was an extremely cold place. In winter the icy winds blew in from Russia.

At the time in question I was second in command of an armoured personnel carrier. The day had started off as usual, with my men cursing the cold as they got out of their sleeping bags to wash and cook their breakfast over small camp stoves.

After breakfast everything was stowed neatly away in the back of the vehicle. A few minutes later the radio crackled. We were informed by our superiors that we were to be ready to move in five minutes. The commander shouted ‘mount up’, and all the lads got inside the vehicle. I had a quick look around to ensure that nothing had been left behind, then closed the doors and climbed up top and got into the turret. Donning my headphones I looked around, ensuring that no military personnel was close to the vehicle. After receiving orders over the radio, I gave the driver the order to move out.

When all our vehicles were in position we were given the order to speed up. Soon we were racing across open grasslands where even small bumps in the ground could be felt by all in the vehicle. We hung on tightly.

Another order came over the radio. The vehicles stopped suddenly, sending the soldiers inside sprawling. I shouted 'Debus!'

Personnel from the other vehicles were getting out and taking up firing positions. I looked around, but I couldn’t see any of my men. I presumed that they had been very professional, debussing so fast that they were already in their positions. Other soldiers were moving off on foot. I was about to give an order to our driver to move our vehicle to a waiting area when I a tap on my leg. Looking down I saw my commander.

‘Lofty’, he shouted up in frustration ‘can you come down and open the door. It’s stuck!’

Talk about laugh. My sides were killing me as I climbed down and opened the door at the rear to let the lads out. The driver, who had joined me, said that sometimes the door wouldn’t close properly so he had given it an extra shove to ensure a tight fit. The lads had a lot of running to do to catch up to the the rest of the battalion.

"Good way of keeping warm on a cold day,'' I thought as I watched them disappear in the distance.

‘Come on, clamp hands,' I ordered, tapping the driver on the head. 'Let’s get this vehicle to the waiting area. And make sure that kettle is switched on. I’m gagging for a cuppa!’

If you think my stories are true, then they probably are.

If you think my stories are fiction, then just relax and enjoy the tales.

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