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© John Hunter
D Company
2nd tour |
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After Church
Parade we had the rest of the day off to
ourselves when I get this beaut idea.
The old company from the 1st battalion
had left behind this old safe. So smarty
here goes and gets a saw, hammer and
nails; we are going to cut a trap-door
in the floor of our tent ... We do have
floor boards.
We cut the
said
trap-door, in the said
floor. Then dig out the said
dirt. The said
hole is about 3x3x2 feet deep. After
removing the said
dirt from the said
hole, we then place the said
safe in the said
hole, fill around the said
safe in the said
hole with dirt. Making sure that the
door of the said
safe is facing upwards to allow easy
access to the said
safe. Now making the said
trap-door to cover the said
safe in the
said hole was easy. The
trick to overcome the problem of the
said trap-door
covering the said
safe in the said
hole from squeaking when walked on, was
by nailing the said
trap-door covering the said
safe in the said
hole at 45° allowing easy access to the
said nails by
using said
pair of pliers.
With all
that done the next thing to do was to
try out our handy-work. No dry runs
here, only the real thing. So, two
Diggers armed with money head for the
canteen to purchase two cartons of the
finest amber ale. Next step was to
scrounge up some ice, that too was easy,
you just need to know the right people.
Then came the big test. We placed the
said beer in
the said safe
in the said
hole. You beauty! 48 cans with ice! No
problem, easy. Next step; how to get the
water out? I knew you would ask that ...
simple; use a mop head. The next
question; did it keep the beer cold?
Just ask the blokes who drank it; too
bloody right it did!
I'm not real
sure it was the best kept secret,
but it would go close. I never found out
if my platoon commander knew about the
safe, or if he turned a blind eye. My
sergeant knew, as he would have one with
us.
And that is
the story how the safe became alias ...
the fridge in the
said hole under the
said trap-door.
Dedicated to
the men of 12 Platoon Delta Company 5
RAR
South Vietnam 1969-70
TALES FROM THE TIGER
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