Never Quite a Soldier
David Lemon
The Parade Square was nothing more than a patch of flattened waste ground, tucked between two fields of half grown maize. My starched shirt felt uncomfortably soggy against my back and I could feel a big lump of nervous uncertainty in my stomach. Morning parade was an essential part of company routine among Black Boots and one hundred and sixteen fighting troopers were lined up for my inspection. Suddenly, the war was real. This was no longer a question of moving colored pins on a map board or listening in on distant reports of action. Whether I liked the idea or not, I was a Company Commander in the BSAP Support Unit.
Our base was deep in the operational area and my future decisions might well mean life or death to many of the hard-bitten fighting men on that dusty parade ground, At that moment, they were all looking at me with thinly disguised contempt, no doubt taking in my spectacles, my thinning hair and the newness of my camouflage uniform. I was a uniformed copper who had been put in command of their destiny and they were waiting for me to prove that I was good enough to lead them in a combat situation.
Company Sergeant Major Lazarus a lumbering giant of a man - crashed to a dusty halt in front of me, saluted and roared his greeting. Charlie Company all present and ready for your inspection, Sah."
2000 1st Edition Paperback - NEW (Signed by the Author) Comes with a copy of our Audio CD Kum-A-Kye, the record made by the Band of the B.S.A. Police (retails at $12.95)
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