The Final Stand

Ex Pegasus Ended on Wednesday. It was the last outfield mission that i will partake in 4 SIR. I'll be going away for Company Tactics Course in Advanced School before I clear my leave prior to ORDing in June 2.

The Exercise was one that i had wanted to put in my heart and soul in order to make it a success, and it was indeed. The impermeability of our defence was upset by minor mistakes here and there, but we did succeed in holding out our foes - 1SIR, long enough to delay them beyond their re-organisation time. 2 hours and 45 mins was the time that we held out on our objective - Mathilda Hill. Even though we were out numbered and out flanked on numerous occasions, we did managed to re-consolidate and fight a stubborn delay battle on our final stand - locality Mango, overlooking the security of a doctored link bridge that my company was tasked to hold.

I was severed in position from the rest of my company when my foes sneaked up on our soils and cut our forces into two at dawn. With me were two other men, whose eyes betrayed their fear, and indeed i was scared too. We were then surrounded by companies of enemy troops, who knew not our presence amongst them. We crawled and we sneaked our way past their Bravo, then Charlie Company. We were inching closer and closer to our final prepared stand when we were spotted by a sentry.

"Hey! there's someone out there!" shouted the sentry.

"Who's that? Is it an enemy?" added another.

We were dead, i thought. I looked back at my two guys, who were clever enough to stoop down in silence. I stole glances at them and i saw wide-eyed fear. C'mon! think of something!

"Hey! i see him! Hey you! Who are you?"

I proned down immediately, making sure that my differing uniform was not discerned in the semi-lighted vegetation, and blurted out: "Hey, you! Where are you from?"

"Charlie! And you? Where are you?"

"Over here!" I waved unhesistatingly upon request; the slightest pause will garner their suspect.

"You know where Bravo is? I'm looking for my Platoon Commander!" A lie, but a good lie.

"Eh, i don't know, why don't you move further up in front?" The two sentries turned to leave.

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Re-org!"

"Can i come?" Then i saw nothing of them two save for their departing shadows against a rising sun in the East. Phew, that was close! Now that we have bought some valuable time, i have got to think of a way to get us out of here.

The sun crept up against the horizon and soon our positions would be exposed. And my god-damned weapon was giving me lots of problems; it just would not load the rounds! I attempted another go to remedy the situation when i heard the approach of a section of enemies. They are clearing our immediate flank!

"Comb this slope! Make sure nothing is there... Hey! i found something!"

One of my men fired his weapon at the enemy frantically. Shit, don't do that! But it was too late.

"He fired at me! It's an enemy!"

"Run!" i got up from my covers and made a dash for it. But when i stopped, i was left with just one man.

"Faizal, where's Ronald?" i whispered in the silent jungle air.

"He's taken, the enemy got him."

"Okay, you see that opening? We are going to make a dash for it to our Company HQ. You ready?"

"Ready Sir."

"Ready, GO!" i burst into the open and dashed down the main axis. Never looking back, my legs bore me as fast as i can past several enemy positions. One by one they took up their rifles and fired. But they missed, for the laser detection device on my body did not pick up their fired lasers.

"Stop him! Stop!" shouted someone, but i was never intending to obey. My sole task now is the get to my HQ alive, which i did. Just in time as well, for my officer commanding was no longer around.

"Dzhul, where's OC? Who's in-charged here?" I asked my Sergeant Major.

"OC's away. That leaves you in-charged here, sir."

"Ok, what have we got?"

After Sergeant Dzhul gave me a quick brief on the situation, i was brought to Platoon 3 PC - Vincent, and i was glad that he had his reliable Machine Gun with him. Platoon 3 holds the final stand at Mango, which was segregated by two concerntina wire obstacles across the axis - perfect delay lines. Platoon 2 was then under assault in the frontage but they just will not withdraw to Mango; a folly that will cost us deeply. For it will soon surface that a single MG will not suffice in defending a platoon from a company attack on two flanks.

After a quick brief and deployment of forces, we laid in wait for the crunch. By then, Platoon two was no more. In the quiet of a Wednesday morning, we waited.

"This is it. You will hold this ground, gentlemen. And you will fight for each other, and die for each other on this locality, do you understand?" i issued my last prep talk, to which some answered with a resounding 'yes sir', and some did not. That didn't matter, as long as they understand fully that their task now is to simply stand and fight courageously.

The attack was swift. The enemy flooded over us in matters of minutes, but our MG did well in pinning them down, if only for a while. A gradual displacement due to overwhelming enemy penetration eventually resulted in the attrition of my forces. . Lying in the middle of my final stand, my weapon was stuck again. Looking over the ridge at me was an enemy Sergeant. He saw my plight, and was taking great pleasure in lining me up for an aimed shot. No way was i going to grant him that pleasure. I dumped my rifle aside and immediately sprinted up to him before he could focus his scope on me. With a yell, i gave him a close-line, WWE style. i was going to grab his rifle to shoot him when the Umpire shouted, "Hey! No physical contact!"

Alright, i thought, i can live with that. I sat back and smiled at the shell-shocked soldier, gave his helmet a slap and stood up, declaring my death.

Then i saw that all who have fought with me at Mango were dead too. Lying in the middle of the locality, they were waving to me. With a sigh of relief i took a seat amongst them and just then, OC appeared. A bit too late i reckoned. Anyway, the guys did well and i'm proud of them, for Mango was held for another 45 mins during that firefight. It was indeed a good learning experience for my company and me in issuing field commands and making decisions. i'm glad that things went our way in the end.

So that ends my involvement in Alpha Company, 4 SIR for outfield exercises. i will miss working with the guys and commanders. They are a wonderful bunch of people.