Keeping an eye on what our opposition were up to, you could hear and sometimes see a mortar or mountain gun fire from his territory. Then there was a chance for our counter-battery support to put one in his lap.

Interesting story goes with this pic. The watch Iwas wearing was an American service issue, which I aquired from a recentlydeceased Chinaman whilst on a daylight raid with the Durham LightInfantry. I had been attached to them when 3RAR was on reserve at area 6or Camp Casey. They were on 355 and I was with B coy down on the forwardposition near Cloncurry, a small hill below 355 (Little Gibraltar), roughly half way between the forward positions of 3RAR and the Chinese, and 227 (John). (Why did I always end up there?) SomeChinese had been spotted in a bunker on Cloncurry, and they were desiredas prisoners. The Americans came up with a very loud speaker system, andChinese speaking person and tried to bluff the Chinese into surrendering.That was a load of crock naturally, so we merry lads from B coy. DLI weresent out to bring them back alive of course.

The platoon I was with drewthe short straw and had to go after the lads in the bunkers, the rest ofthe company got into blocking positions between us and 227 the mainChinese feature. To cut a long story short, the blokes in the bunkers hadno intention of surrendering. So following a heated argument between themand us, they withdrew deep into the bunker system and called in theirartillery etc. This caused a sudden change in plans for the DLI, and astategic if undignified withdrawl began. Whilst extricating myself and inthe company of four DLI lads, I spotted this watch on the wrist of aChinese chap who had no further need of it. Being one to never let abargain pass by, I squatted down and retrieved said watch. The same momentI did that a 75mm mountain gun shell landed amongst my DLI cobbers and gotthe four of them.

Thus the watch saved my life I guess, yet hadn't been solucky for the previous two owners. Alas it was stolen back home in Oz manyyears later, and still keeping excellent time.