Patrol briefing in the C.P. June '53.

Patrol briefing in the C.P. June '53.

Myself and Fred Goodare. More like a pair of bandits if you ask me.

Defensive Fire Zone Fred and I appear to be working out the patrol route using a 'local battle map'. He may be taking notes of suitable defensive fire zones for the area to be visited. All of these DFZs were code named and marked on all the Brigades maps, probably division level as well. Thus if needed a quick radio call for help from perhaps the mortars, saying the target and code name would result in a barrage dropping hopefully in the area. That being where the Chinese may be threatening the patrol from. The furnishing is your basic ammunition crate and a board, plus two candle power lighting. Fred has chosen to wear his bandana this evening in the Bowling Alley area.

Defensive fire relied upon the patrol commander knowing where he was. Here is an annecdote regarding Eddie Wright on one occasion where that wasn't so ...

"Little yarn about him on a recce one night, 3 man job and he with the radio. A large Noggy patrol appeared in their vicinity and the Lieut. (Lieutenant [later Lt.Colonel, MID] Duff) called an artie strike designating the strike code word for the area the recce patrol was still in. Eddie objected and told him that it was wrong, Duff wouldn't listen so down comes the artie right on top of our lot. In the midst of the chaos, Eddie's voice came up on the radio.

'Would you please lift the barrage, we are being embarrassed by it.'

Shells falling all around them, Duff in a panic, and cool Eddie came out with that. Funny lad!!"

Brigade correctly understood that Lieut. Duff had mis-designated the DFZ and the patrol would require a change of underwear, if they survived ...

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