Look out post, way out in front,

To observe, note enemy movement,

Report back, do not fight, just remain hidden.

Such a simple task by day,

In darkness a veritable nightmare.

The village occupied by enemy troops,

Camouflaged tanks, machine gun posts.

Little movement of men, not betraying their presence.

All logged and mapped, from the look out post,

In the ivy covered, derelict, broken down cottage.

An enemy patrol passing within feet

Of the watching men, the dark silhouette,

And the unmistakable smell of an enemy soldier.

Count them past, without a flicker of movement,

Wait for the last one, he always hangs back

Securing the patrol against any surprise.

The sound of shouts, rifle fire, running feet,

The patrol returns, but two men short.

Make a mental note to take care returning.

Two men on the loose could cause problems.

Had they booby-trapped the path through the wood?.

We return to the pick up point,

where we had been dropped 24 hours earlier.

Too tired to talk, we climb aboard, fall asleep,

Then hand in the maps, and report in full.

Our reward “Get some rest, we move out in 3 hours”