The Cadet Corporal (4 page)

To his added embarrassment Andrews and Halyday both snickered and made comments about the girls. “Shut up you two grots!” Graham snapped. “Hurry up you girls! We are late.”

To his ears came the trampling of boots and the mutter of voices. Another section was heading their way from the opposite direction. That did not surprise Graham as he knew from experience that the officers usually sent one section each way around a course. “Hurry up,” he called to Dianne, “There is another section coming.”

From in the dip he heard a gasp of alarm and noises of talking and hasty movement. Then Dianne and Kirsty hurried back to them, their torches flashing. This drew torch beams from the approaching section.

“Who's that?” called Cpl Crane from 3 Platoon.

“Four Section,” Graham replied. To Dianne and Kirsty he snapped, “Turn those torches off!”

Crane wanted to stop and chat but Graham shook his head impatiently. “We are late. No time to talk, sorry. Start going Lucy.”

For the next few minutes they walked steadily west through open bush. As they did the cadets kept chattering to each other, despite Graham several times telling them to stop talking and to be quiet. At the next check point CSM Cleland was waiting. “What was all that noise and those torches about?” he enquired. “This is supposed to be a field exercise, not a nature ramble!”

“Yes sir,” Graham replied, but he gave no explanation, just burned with shame. Instead he got ready to work out the next leg. Once again Roger held the torch and Graham worked as fast as he could, well aware of the minutes slipping by. While he worked another section came trampling in out of the darkness. It was Gwen Copeland's. That sent a stab of anxiety through Graham. ‘Gwen is probably the section from our platoon on the opposite course and she has only two legs to go and we have five. I had better get a move on if I want to get around in time.'

As Graham completed his calculations a cadet came and stood close to him. “Hi Graham. How's it going?”

Graham looked up. It was Barbara Brassington, a lovely red-headed Year 9 girl. Graham had helped rescue her from two prison escapees a few weeks earlier and he had a special affection for her. “Good,” he replied, then found he was tongue-tied. All he could do was gesture and then blush.To save himself he completed the calculation, hotly aware that Barbara was standing watching.

“That was quick!” Barbara cried as Graham finished the sum.

Kirsty reached down and took the compass from Graham's hand and placed it in the beam of Roger's torch. “Two ninety eight degrees is it?” she said, twisting the milled vane to set the compass for the next leg. “I'll take the compass this leg,” she added.

Graham looked up in surprise, just in time to catch a glimpse of Kirsty giving Barbara a hard stare. ‘Oh dear!' he thought. ‘Is this what I think it is?' His ego easily allowed him to accept the thought that Kirsty might like him, but that she was jealous of Barbara was altogether more unsettling.

“See you later,” Graham said to Barbara, then instantly regretted it as Kirsty flashed him a look. To divert the conversation he asked CSM Cleland who was at the next check point.

“Lt Hamilton with a safety vehicle,” CSM Cleland replied.

“Thanks CSM. Come on Four Section. We'd better move or we won't make it in time,” he said.

CHAPTER 4

NIGHT NAVEX

CSM Cleland's checkpoint was in the dry bed of a small creek. From there the section walked North West across a grassy flat, across another small dry creek, then up a long, gentle slope that was bare of trees. A sparse covering of grass on sandy soil offered smooth walking. By now their eyes had adjusted to the starlight and visibility was quite good. The dark shapes of a few scattered trees in the distance were the only vegetation. Graham quickly realized that a tree on the crestline ahead of them was their next objective but he resisted the temptation to point this out to Kirsty.

She obviously worked it out for herself, particularly when the flicker of a torch showed under the tree. “That big tree is the next check point,” she said.

Graham agreed and they walked quickly on. He was pleased when they covered the distance in only five minutes and no-one caused any problems. Lt Hamilton, the unit QM, was there with the Company Quartermaster Sergeant, Coralie Bates. Also there was 2 Section, Cpl Costigan. They were departing as 4 Section arrived.

“Who's that?” Costigan called.

“Four Section,” Graham replied.

“Huh! Late and lost probably!” Costigan replied in a sneering tone.

The fact that they were late caused Graham to flush with shame and annoyance. With an effort he ignored the comment and went over to Lt Hamilton. Lt Hamilton was a slim officer in his late twenties. He had a moustache which he continually stroked, a gesture Graham found irritating. ‘Fancies himself with the ladies,' was the rumour.

As quickly as he could Graham worked out the next leg. Lt Hamilton added a spur by saying, “You had better get a move on. It is nearly twenty one hundred. It is only fifteen minutes to the cut-off time.”

That sent Graham's heart rate soaring with anxiety. ‘This is only the third checkpoint,' he thought. With feverish haste he worked out the next leg and showed his sums to Lt Hamilton. The OOC nodded and said they could go.

“Let's go Four Section,” Graham said, while quickly setting the compass.

“I'm tired. I want to stay here,” Andrews replied.

“No way, not unless you are really sick,” Graham snapped back. “

“I am sick,” Andrews replied.

Staff Sgt Bates stepped forward. “No you aren't Cadet Andrews. You just want a ride back in the Land Rover. Get moving.”

Andrews grumbled but he moved. Graham handed the compass to him. “Your turn, now get moving.”

There were more grumbles but Andrews took the compass, lined it up and, to Graham's intense relief, started walking. “Thanks,” he whispered to Staff Sgt Bates.

The next leg took them north across the gravel Canning Road and on over the wide, flat top of Bare Ridge. As they crested the rise Graham noted a bright cluster of distant lights. So did the others.

“Oooh!” Lucy cried. “What are those lights?”

“Charters Towers,” Graham replied, naming the town.

“Is it far?” Kirsty asked.

“Twenty or thirty kilometres,” Graham replied.

“Oh, as far as that,” Dianne said, the disappointment clear in her voice.

“I wish I was there,” Lucy added.

“Me too!” Halyday cried.

“Never mind gaping at the bright lights of the big city,” Graham said, “We are late, so keep walking”

“I'm tired,” Dianne replied.

“And I'm getting a blister,” Andrews added.

“So walk fast and we will get home quicker,” Graham said.

With a steady flow of grumbling the section continued on over the crest to a gully where they found the 3 Platoon staff, CUO Mitrovitch and Sgt Yeldham. A glance at his watch told Graham it was 2107hrs. ‘Only eight minutes to the cut-off time,' he thought anxiously.

Even so CUO Mitrovitch gave him the next leg to do. Graham set rapidly to work. This time it only took Graham three minutes to do the calculation. As he showed it to CUO Mitrovitch she nodded with approval. “Very good, that is the quickest so far, and you even got it right.”

Before Graham could answer her Kirsty bumped against him and said, “That's Four Section Ma'am, the best!”

That led to some good natured teasing while Graham gave the compass to Roger. “Go flat out Roger,” he said. “We have three legs to go and only about twenty minutes.”

They set off up the slope out of the gully. This led them through a stand of gum trees. The bare ground was covered with small stones and dry leaves and sticks so their progress was quite noisy. So was that of another section heading towards them.

The other section appeared as dark shapes among the trees.

“Who are you mob?” called a voice.

Graham's heart sank. Cpl Bannister, Pigsy's section.

“Four Section,” Graham replied.

At once Pigsy called back, “Kirk, the gutless wonder! I'm surprised you were even game to leave the fire in case a Yowie Man got ya!”

Andrews replied to that. “There aren't any such things as Yowie Men, or Drop Bears!”

Jeering, mocking laughter erupted from the other group. “Might not be Drop Bears but the Yowie Men are out there,” Pigsy said. “They will get ya if ya ain't careful.”

“Shut up Pike and stop making up stories to frighten the new cadets,” Graham retorted. To his added annoyance both groups had stopped walking and were now about ten paces apart.

“Oh yeah, who's gunna make me?” Pike replied in a sneering tone.

“Me,” Graham answered. He found he was trembling and that his lips had gone dry.

“Huh, you and what army?” Pigsy taunted.

Roger spoke up for the first time. “This army.”

That caused more cruel laughter and Moynihan's voice called back, “If it isn't the fat little fag!”

That hurt. Graham knew there had been a few rumours about Roger over the years and he also knew Roger was very sensitive about his weight. To end the confrontation he said, “Keep moving Roger. We want to finish.”

Roger growled but obeyed. As they began to move Waters called out a crude comment. To which Pigsy added an even cruder one. That embarrassed Graham. He hated crude talk in the hearing of girls. He called angrily back, “That's enough of that sort of talk. There are girls here.”

“You are all sooky girls in that section!” Moynihan jeered.

The sexist comment and crude swearing really stung Graham. He shouted angrily, “Why don't you control your section Cpl Bannister?”

It was Pigsy who replied. “Shut up Kirk and mind your own business or I'll smash you to pulp. Now clear out, you pack of mincing queers.”

Rather than aggravate the situation Graham made no reply. The section walked quickly on through the bush. To Graham's relief he heard the other section go trampling off in the opposite direction. “Sorry about that,” he said to the section.

“That's alright,” Kirsty replied. “Wasn't your fault. Anyway, we've heard worse.”

“They are gross animals,” Lucy added.

Suddenly Pat tripped. The section had come out into an area that had once been scraped for gravel and there were several small erosion rills. As Graham turned Pat struggled to his feet, muttering and swearing. He rubbed his knee.

Graham helped him keep his balance. “You OK Pat?”

“Yeah, push on. We want to finish this. If we move we will still do it,” Pat answered.

“Yes we can,” Roger agreed. “And I reckon Pigsy's mob won't because they probably have three legs still to go.”

Graham turned this over in his mind but could not decide. He knew each section went a different route, with zig zags all over the area from check point to check point. But it was worth trying.

The group hurried on, although Andrews still grumbled about blisters. Two minutes later they came to a road junction. From the map Graham knew that the road to the left went to the junction of two rivers, the Canning and the Bunyip. The other road ran north to the Canning and crossed it to a cattle station on the north bank. At the road junction was a Land Rover and two OOCs: Lt Maclaren, the unit 2ic, and Lt McEwen, a pretty lady teacher in her twenties.

Lt Maclaren shone a torch on them as they arrived. “You people are out of time. You had better just walk home along the road,” he said.

Graham looked at his watch. It was 2118, 3 minutes past the cut-off time. His heart sank but he made an effort to win. “We only have two more legs to go sir and one of them takes us home. Can we please go on?”

“There might not be any at the check point when you get there,” Lt Maclaren replied.

“Can you find out sir, please?” Graham asked. It now seemed very important to him to get right around the course and, even more, to beat Pigsy's section.

Lt Maclaren studied the exercise plan and the said, “I will try. You're next checkpoint is ‘Foxtrot' and the OC is there. I'll see if he will wait.” He picked up a radio handset and called. To Graham's relief Checkpoint ‘F' replied at once. Lt Maclaren said, “I've got Corporal Kirk's section here and they want to come home through your check point, over.”

There was a pause and then he heard the OC's voice. “Yes, if he is quick. He only has one more leg after us. Send him on and tell him to be here in ten minutes, over.”

By then Graham had his notebook and map out. Roger clicked on his torch and Lt Maclaren read out the Grid Reference. “It is a power pole on top of a rise,” he added.

Graham found it and made a mark on his map. “About four hundred metres,” he said. As quickly as he could he drew the pencil line and got to work with his protractor. As he did Kirsty pressed against him but he barely noticed. In two more minutes he had the bearing. “Eighty seven degrees.” He stood up, adjusting the compass. “Who hasn't had a go?”

“Dianne,” Roger told him.

“Here, quick,” Graham cried. He passed the compass to Dianne and then leaned close to check she was holding it correctly. As he did so he fretted at the time. 2125! Where did the minutes go? As soon as it looked like Dianne was facing the right way Graham gave her a push to start walking.

“I'm staying here,” Andrews then said.

“No you aren't,” Graham replied. “Come on. We are on the way home now.”

“But I've got blisters!” Andrews moaned.

To Graham's relief Roger, Pat and Kirsty all chipped in. “Oh make the effort please. We want to get around as a section,” Kirsty asked.

Andrews grumbled but started walking. Graham heaved a big sigh and then concentrated on the navigation. The course was through another area of dry open bush which was easy to walk through and it was only as they crossed a small dry creek bed that he realized he hadn't even thought about snakes for most of the time. Nor had Andrews made any further comment about being scared.

Within five minutes the section was up on another low ridge and came out into a powerline clearing. Graham looked left and right to see if he could see the people at the check point. “Left,” he said, walking quickly that way.

Capt Conkey was waiting at the pole with two other people. To his mild dismay Graham saw they were his own platoon staff: CUO Masters and Sgt Grenfell.

“OK Cpl Kirk,” Capt Conkey said, “It is right on twenty one thirty and I want to be back at camp by twenty one forty. Take us home.”

The thought of having to work out navigation in front of the OC, his platoon commander and sergeant, sent Graham's stomach into a flutter of nerves. He took out map and notebook. Now teamwork helped. Roger held the torch and Graham studied the map. Once again Kirsty crouched beside him and pressed against him. ‘That is very nice,' he thought, ‘but I wish she wouldn't do it in front of the OC!'

A careful study of the map showed Graham that if he just walked south he would come to Sandy Ridge. He also noted that the ridge they were on led up between two creeks to a vehicle track which led to Sandy Ridge. ‘It will be easier going if we walk a dog-leg,' he thought, but he wasn't sure if that was what the OC wanted. ‘I'll risk it,' he decided. ‘Be easier than struggling across the head of those gullies in the dark.' He remembered seeing the top ends of the gullies and noting they were quite steep and rocky.

He did not even bother to do the sums to calculate a magnetic bearing, just estimated. ‘It won't matter. It is only about 300 metres and we must come to that other track anyway,' he reasoned. He set the compass on 75 degrees and handed it to Halyday.

“Your turn. Do you remember how to use it?” he asked.

“Think so,” Halyday replied. He turned to face what he thought was the right way but Graham saw that he was actually facing North. Feeling very conscious of all the important eyes on him Graham got Halyday to turn the right way. “Now keep the North Pointer between those two dots.OK, let's go.”

Graham was sweating now, anxious not to muck it up in front of the OC and CUO Masters. The group set off up the grassy spur. ‘Only six minutes to go!' Graham thought anxiously. He tried to hurry Halyday, walking beside him and constantly peering at the compass to check he wasn't going off course. After about a hundred metres he realised they were walking along a cattle pad which seemed to follow the very crest of the gentle spur uphill. He was tempted to tell Halyday to just follow the cattle pad but resisted that. ‘Better not, not with the OC watching,' he reasoned.

It took four stressful minutes to reach the vehicle track. By then Graham was becoming anxious because they were angling slowly towards the slope leading down into a gully on the right and they were meeting small outcrops of rock which slowed them down. Perspiring with effort and anxiety he strained his eyes in the starlight to see. Just as he was wondering if the track no longer existed he noted two faint wheel ruts through the grass. Once again he sighed with relief.

“OK Halyday, just turn right and follow the track,” he said.

“What track?” Halyday asked.

Graham could not believe that Halyday could not see the lines in the starlight. He pointed. “These two wheel ruts.”