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2/20th Battalion A.I.F. |
JAPANESE MOPPING UP The Japanese were still in depth behind us, having completely overrun our positions. They were now attempting to mop up any stragglers and the badly wounded.
After crossing the drain I was leading our party, just automatically taking lead. As I stepped around a large coconut tree, a machine gun blast ploughed up dirt at my feet. I reversed rapidly behind the tree for cover. The chap following with the Bren gun took care of the Japanese machine-gunner, and we proceeded.
Shortly after we came to a Chinese squatter's house. A person was still in the house. We did our best to convince him to come with us, but he refused. He was afraid he wouldn't last long. He gave us water. It was glorious and cold. As we hadn't drunk or eaten since the day before, it was now midday or later, it was the best drink I had ever had.
Shortly after, we came to the south-west corner of Tengah Air Force Base. Swinging around it, as it was already in Japanese hands, we went right.
Suddenly, I spotted smoke ahead and pushed Sid flat to the ground, going down too. Instantly, a sniper's explosive bullet exploded between us. I ended up with another wound - in the face from fragments. (Nice fellows, using illegal explosive ammunition!).
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Copyright © 2002, Elliott McMaster, "Glen Ora", Nabiac, New South Wales, Australia, 2428. Original content in these Web pages is copyright. Apart from any use permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be produced by any process or any other exclusive right exercised without written permission from the copyright holder. This Web was prepared by the Great Lakes Historical Society Ltd, C/- Great Lakes Museum, Capel Street, (P.O. Box 23), Tuncurry, New South Wales, Australia, 2428. |
