LLong before the S.A.S, called Nui Dat their Own,
the
hill was just a feature of bamboo, overgrown.
Until in nineteen sixty six,
when Tigers set the pace
For Delta company Tiger five, the hill was our home
Base. Led by Maj Greenhalgh
in the clearing of the hill
it took a mighty effort, hard work and lots of
skill.
A base from which to operate, a self secured zone
a place to rest
a little, a place we could call home. Yes
this was home sweet home for us when not on operations
looking down from Nui
Dat across the thick plantations.
An observation Post on top, with a 50 cal,
as well
Sandbag walls and Bunkers, we were safe as hell. Our
time in base was limited, for we had a job to do.
Patrols and village clearing,
well...that was only two.
Lying wait in ambush, and many waits were long
before
there was a sighting and a battle with the Cong. Operation
over and time to rest and chat
waiting for the choppers, then home to Nui Dat.
To
wait more battle orders and sometimes shed a tear
Postmortems of our actions
and a very welcome beer. We
had built a little Boozer from bamboo and some tarp
lost a lot of precious
blood cause bamboo spikes are sharp.
choice of beer,,,, well,, there were two
Budweiser or a Swan
the only other option was maybe having none. At
the entrance to our boozer was placed a buck bulls horn
with a lacey bra from
Vung Tau our Booza's name was born.
" Bull n Bra " we called it and
raised our old bush hat
The " Bull n Bra Booza ",,,, stood proud
on Nui Dat. Many a story was
written and many a tale was told
round the drum that was used for an esky to
keep all the amber stuff cold.
Stories from back home in Aussie and a sing
song to take away pain
for soon it was put all your gear on and back in the
jungle again. Homes, are not
forever and this for us was true
we sadly had to leave the hill to establish
the Horse Shoe
We left a lot of memories on the Hill at Nui Dat
and the
Bull n Bra boozer,,, well,,, there alone it sat. The
S.A.S claimed Nui Dat and called the place their own
While we the rightful
owners found another Home.
Renamed Sas Hill forever more is another battle
scar,
because it's home to Delta Tiger Five, and Home of The Bull n Bra. Xmas
Day 1966 at the Bull n Bra,, yes thats me on the right with a tinnie Copyright
© M C Lyons
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