We managed to light a cigarette quite frequently by pulling a blanket over our heads to shield any reflective light, but in cases where one of us was already smoking, it was a simple matter to hght one from the other while simply keeping low and out of any sight of any potential enemy. Sometime during the night, someone even brought us a mug of coffee. At around 3-OOam I think, Peter was reporting all quiet by phone to Company Headquarters, when I sensed movement next to me. It was an Asian accent that asked me for a cigarette, I replied something like "Go to Hell!" thinking it was one of the Koreans who were attached to all Commonwealth units and which we called KATCOMS. They were under there own unit's jurisdiction and pay conditions and were frequently asking us for cigarettes. They also, on this occasion, were not permitted to be so close to the action for reasons obvious in that they could be mistaken for enemy. In the heat of the moment however, I assumed that maybe they were being used to resupply forward positions or take around coffee or whatever. I eventually handed over a cigarette, saying "Keep down and get a light from Peter's smoke!" Off he went, and I quietly said to Peter, "Bloody "katcoms" don't they know to stay away from forward areas?" Peter agreed so we thought we would bring it up in the morning.
Following the night's activities (and inactivities,) I casually mentioned to a NCO from Company Headquarters about the "katcom" being up in the observation pit during the night, burning cigarettes, and his reply stunned me. "There would have been no katcoms near you last night as they had all been moved to a rear position pending any attack!" (which eventuated a day or so later) Peter and I just looked at one another and we often spoke about it between ourselves...Had we unwittingly had a smoke with a Chinese soldier? Had he been lost and stumbled into our nearby trenches? Was it an intentional attempt at an intelligence finding mission? We didn't pursue the matter any more and rarely mentioned it to others, neither being willing to admit to "fraternisation", nor stupidity, nor naively, even to this day, I can only ask, "Who the hell was it ?"
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Keith H. Hasler New South Wales AUSTRALIA 18/03/00 |
