Title: Not everything is as it first seems

Subject: A young Soldier on patrol.

1980 was the year I was sent to Ulster. I no doubt like many on here, experienced many funny, but also some serious stuff at times. One time, I remember our platoon being sent to, 'The Kitchen Hill Factory' in Lurgan, we went to provide protection for the Engineers who were dismantling the army base there, as it was closing after some years (so in effect we were the last troops to leave).

I recall, we were there for a week or so, but over that time, we provided foot patrols around the base and in and around the Kilwilkie Estates, supporting the UDR and RUC, we had some fun but that's another story. The base was empty apart from approximately 50 of us that included us the RE and a few cooks.

Kitchen hill was once occupied to battalion strength.

Anyway, one night I was walking around the empty barracks which was very strange and eerie as this place was a hive of activity some weeks before, and I recall seeing all the empty beds with pictures of page 3 girls and stuff above them.

It was around 9PM and all of a sudden all hell broke loose, the tannoy called for the QRF, which I was part of, to report immediately to the loading bay. One of our guys was waiting there, he looked shook up, and he had just come down from the Sanger and reported that he had been fired at from behind the base. The three bricks quickly got going and deployed out of the base on foot.

It was pitch black with no street lighting; the street we were heading for was 100% derelict terraced houses and was directly behind the base. My heart rate increased with both fear and excitement as we slowly made our way toward the position, not a sole, not a car, just complete silence, I know it sounds funny now, but I was more scared of the silence. The road was only perhaps 150 meters long but it must have taken 20 minutes to cover it, as we were more concerned that it was a 'come on'.

Eventually, we arrived at the top of the road where there was a street light and on a piece of waste ground nearby, we saw a small fire with an old tramp sat in front of it. Our OC questioned him whilst we went to ground, and the old man mentioned he threw something on the fire that made a bang. Which
as you can imagine we all found rather funny.

We will never know for sure, as our colleague in the Sanger still swore blind he heard the crack going over! Anyway, great site and I will visit again.

Webmasters Note:
The author of this piece has used some terminology that I refer to as “Army Speak” in order to assist those readers who are unfamiliar with these terms the following explanations may be of use:

“RE” (Royal Engineers)
“QRF” (Quick Reaction Force)
“Sanger” (Fortified guard or lookout post)
“Bricks” (Small foot patrol normally of 4 soldiers)
“OC” (Officer in Charge)
“Crack going over” (Distinctive sound of a high velocity round as it cuts through the air, normally heard as it passes before the actual bang of the gunshot is heard)