Well, Bert, this was my time in the upper echelons, having lost my last platoon commander during the MOUND caper, when I was acting sgt.

The company commander gave me 6 platoon for my very own, at long last. I took them from The Bowling Alley to The Hook, and we did the recce patrols for the company. Third stripe was on the way and all was well until, one day I stupidly let three of my less intelligent diggers go back to BHQ for some long forgotten reason. Perhaps it was I who wasn't too intelligent, they got on the grog back there and failed to return before dark and 'stand to'.

Thus me three men short in the trenches, them picked up by the MPs, and I've got a very angry battalion commander on my back. Bye bye sergeants stripes, farewell my own platoon, the bastards got 28 days each in the Canadian slammer in Seoul which was no picnic spot, and I was back to corporal acting sgt. again.

Cost me my army career really, I gave up the ghost following that. Such is life.

Thank heaven the cease fire was signed shortly after this episode. When we retired to our new positions behind the DMZ they began painting the rocks white, and I returned home.