Firestorm - 10. FS Chapter 10

As I watched the vehicle through the scope, I estimated that he was 2.5 kilometres away, when I called through the sat mike, “Ok Mike, that should do, I am estimating that is 2.5 kilometres, which is the longest that I have shot” I said. I noticed that Mike was ignoring me and travelling further away, before he stopped, and he set up a target in the middle of the track. “Ok, I have clear visual of the target, move away, tell me when you are in the safe zone, then I will load up” I said to the warrant officer. “Roger that Cub, I am taking the vehicle bush by forty metres, that should be a save enough distance, load when you are ready” came the reply.

I waited for ten minutes, watching the vehicle disappear into the bush, before I started to load up. “This is Cub, weapons are loaded, preparing to fire” I said over the mic, “Roger that Cub, you have a go, to fire” came the response, and I began to breath slowly, to relax, made some adjustments to the rifle, before slowly squeezing the trigger. After looking away after the shot, to see if there was any wind, I around me, as I suspected that I had missed. I looked through the scope to look at the target, and I saw my shot had hit the target, just four inches to the left of the centre.

“Owens to Cub, I have four inches to the left of centre, at a distance of 2995 metres, congratulations” I heard the warrant officer say, “Wow that’s a record for me” I responded, “It’s not a world record, but it is a new Australian record” the warrant officer replied, “Really? I had no idea what the Australian record was” I responded, a little shocked. “Harding to Owens, did I just hear right, that Cub shot a 2995-metre shot to target, with four inches from centre” came an unexpected voice.

“That is an affirmative sir, Cub is the shooter” Warrant Officer Owens replied. “Lt Colonel Harding to Cub, congratulations on achieving an impressive shot, keep up the good work, CO out”. “Owens to Cub, it looks like you impressed the boss as well, Ok, pack up and we will return to base” the Warrant Officer said to me. When we returned to the base and sat down for a cup of tea, I sighed loudly. “What was that for Cub?” Mike said to me, “Oh nothing really, everything that has been happening so fast, I haven’t really had time to stop and think.

Did you see the kangaroo that spring out of nowhere just after I took the shot, it nearly jumped inline of the shot” I said to Mike, who smiled, “Yes, I saw it, and I suggest you have a look at the back of the 4wd, for what I collected on the way back to pick you up” Mike said to me. I was a little confused at what he had just said, and I stood up and walked out of the building to the 4wd parked nearby. As I opened the back gate of the vehicle, inside was a dead kangaroo, and my mouth dropped open in shock, well I guess we can see why you were a little off target, and that now is a confirmed moving target” Mike said to me, as he motioned me to get in.

Five minutes later we disposed of the dead kangaroo in the base rubbish tip, before we headed to the administration base. “What have you two been up too?” the Major said to us as we entered the building, “Checking Staff Sergeant Benning’s shooting skills, out on a straight stretch of the north-east track” Mike replied, “Well Owens, you have just missed a call from Lt Colonel Harding, at Campbell barracks, he wants you to call him back” the major said before returning to his office.

Mike indicated for me to follow him, and we entered a nearby small meeting room, and closed the door behind, and sat down at the table, where there was a telephone in the middle, which Mike dialled the direct number to the Lt Colonel Harding’s office. “Owens here sir, I have Benning with me” Mike said as soon as the call was answered, “So Mike did you tell Cub about the moving kill he made?” the Lt colonel asked.

“Yes sir, I am still a little shocked that I had actually shit him, he jumped into my sights just after I had taken the shot” I replied, “How far away from the stationary target was the Roo, Warrant Officer?” the CO asked, approximately 15 metres before it sir” Mike replied, “Well done once again Cub, I will speak to you in a few weeks” the CO said and he ended the call.

For the next few weeks, Mike and I did a series of training scenarios, sometimes doing night training, and each day we would hike a bit longer than the day before, making sure that I stayed fit. On my last night at the Bradshaw base, Mike and I were having a cup of tea before we turned in for the night. “Well, I sent my report to Lt Colonel Harding just before dinner, he is very happy with your progress so far” Mike said to me with a broad smile.

“I may be good at shooting, but I am not sure that I could actually kill someone in cold blood, it just doesn’t feel right” I said casually, “Oh, I had no idea that is how you felt, that may cause some issues” Mike said to me, and that is when I realised that what I had said could create a big problem for me. I excused myself, and headed to bed, in no mood to socialise any more, and I fell into an uneasy and restless sleep.

At breakfast the next morning, Mike came and sat down next to me, “Good morning, just to let you know, you have a one on one conference call with Lt Colonel Harding at 0900 today in the conference room, in the meantime, after breakfast pack all your gear, and be ready for a flight out of here at 1030 for Darwin, the CO will tell you what is happening during the conference call” Mike said to me before standing up and leaving the room.

“Good morning Staff Sergeant, I have had a briefing from Warrant Officer Owens last night, and I must say that I am very disappointed, and after some thought on the matter, I have arranged for you to have a couple of appointments with an Army psychologist. So later today when you arrive in Darwin, report to Larrakeyah Barracks for some billeting, and information on your appointments will be waiting for you” the Lt Colonel said to me, “I am sorry about this sir, it has been on my mind for some time, and I guess when I killed that kangaroo, that jumped into my line of fire the other week, it hit me like a sack of potatoes” I replied.

“Very well, make sure you mention that to the psychologist, when you speak to them, bye for now” Lt Colonel Harding said to me and he ended the call. An hour later I was driven to the airfield by a Corporal at the base, and on enquiring where Warrant Officer Owens is, I was informed that he had flown out to Darwin on and earlier flight, as he had to return to Campbell Barracks.

When I arrived at the airport, there was no one there to meet me, so I caught a taxi to the barracks on the edge of the city, presenting my Army ID at the security gate, I was given directions to my temporary accommodation, and I walked to 1500 metres to its location. In my room, I found a manila folder with my name on it, and inside was two pages of information, on days and times for psychology appointments, one this afternoon, and one every morning for the next four mornings.

When I came out of the first appointment, I was a little dazed, when I began to realise that it was not in my nature to kill anything, let alone a human being. The psychologist informed me that shooting and later seeing the dead kangaroo, had triggered a flood of emotions, and over the next few days were worked through these emotions and fears of killing. The psychology appointments were extended for a further one week, and when the final appointment came to a close, I wondered what was going to happen to me next.

“Staff Sergeant Benning, I am going to be sending a report to Lt Colonel Harding in the morning, recommending that you be assigned to non-combat duties for the remainder of your term in service, and when that time is completed, you be given an honourable discharge on medical grounds, so you have any questions?” the psychologist said to me, “No ma’am, I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to try and help me through all of this” I replied. “It’s all part of my duties, now you are to be billeted here until a decision is made on where you are to be transferred, meanwhile, I have recommended that you be given 4 days of paid R & R leave in Darwin, that is all, good luck” the psychologist said to me with a smile.

With a 4-day R & R leave pass in hand, I returned to my billet, where I changed into casual clothes, and headed off the base to do some exploring of the City of Darwin. With it being mid-March, it was still the wet season in Darwin, so it was still very humid, with the regular thunderstorms and downpours of rain. I hired a car for the day, and took a drive south to check out Litchfield National Park, and on the way back I called in to see the Territory Wildlife Park and Crocodylus Crocodile Farm. Back at the base I showered and changed, before going out for dinner, as I remembered earlier in the day that today was my 18^th birthday.

A lot has happened since leaving home nearly two years ago, all in quick succession, which made it all a little unreal in a way. I went to a hotel for a pub meal and drink, but instead of alcohol, I decided to stick to Lemon Lime Bitters, which I had tasted a number of times and quite liked. As I finished eating my meal, I was about to take my last drink from the glass, when I was bumped heavily by a passing patron, but I decided to ignore it and continue with my drink. “Hey you, why don’t you watch what you are doing” the man that bumped me said.

One again I ignored him, and swallowed the contents of my glass, and wiped my mouth with the paper napkin, “I was talking to you, ya dumb wanker” the man said to me in an angry tone. I turned to him and smiled, “I am sorry for sitting here and minding my own business, when you bumped into me” I said to him, and he put his hand on my shoulder and turned me to face him. “Sir, I suggest that you take you hand off me, I have done nothing to you, I have just enjoyed a wonderful meal, and I intend to leave now, to head home” I replied.

The man grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and forced me to my feet, “I don’t like it when young pip squeaks, who think they know it all, start telling me what to do” the man said angrily, and I could see that he was moving to take a big swing at me, so I change my footing and adjusted my balance, and ducked as he swung, with his fist connecting with his friend who was standing nearby with a big grin on his face.

At the same time, I broke loose of his hold, and I walked out of the building, and started to make my way to a nearby taxi rank, when I was grabbed from behind and once again swung around to face the man, this time when he swung and I ducked, he came in contact with a passing police officer, who fell to the ground on his side, narrowly avoiding contact with the ground with his head. The police officers partner, grabbed the offending man, and began to struggle with him, barely able to restrain him, as the man continued to try and get to me.

Suddenly two more police officers appeared and they restrained the man who punched the officer, while the officer on the ground struggled back to his feet, and approached me. “Now what is your name, and what caused all of this” the officer asked me, as I watched the man being placed in the back of a police wagon, along with his mate, who was trying to avoid being arrested. I pulled out my wallet, and presented my ID.

“I am on a few days R & R leave until I am assigned a new posting, I was just finishing having a counter meal at the pub just there, when that man bumped into me heavily, I tried to ignore him, but he kept pushing for a response, so after he put his hand on my shoulder I said in a nice way, that I done nothing, suggested he take his hand off me, that I had enjoy a nice pub meal, and that I intended to leave now.

He then forced me onto my feet, and when he attempted to take a swing at me, I ducked and he ended up punching his friend, I broke loose of his grip and headed out of the pub, and began walking to the taxi rank, that is when he grabbed me again and swung me around, and once again took a swing at me, and when I ducked this time, he hit you as you were passing us” I explained. “I see, well from what you have told me, you did the right think, have you been drinking tonight?’ the officers replied, “Just two Lemon Lime Bitters, I wasn’t in the mood to drink alcohol today, even if it is my 18^th birthday today, I was seated close to the bar, so the bar staff will be able to verify my story” I responded.

“Very well then, I have your details, which base are you at?” the officer said to me, Larrakeyah sir” I responded, “Very well, you can go, have a good night, oh and happy birthday” the officer said to me with a smile. I caught a taxi back to the base security gates, and walked back to my billet, arriving just before another rain downpour, and I decided to turn in early for the night.

The next morning, while eating breakfast, a soldier came up to me and handed me an envelope. I decided to wait till I had some privacy before I opened it, so I continued with my breakfast. Once out of the dining hall, I dashed to the billet, getting soaked with rain in the process, due to another downpour of rain, and once I had dried off and changed into some dry casual clothes, I opened the envelope and the letter.

“Staff Sergeant Benning, it is by order of Lt Colonel Harding, that you report to Campbell Barracks at 0800 hours on Monday, to commence duty as a Firearm Training Specialist for the SASR – Special Air Service Regiment”, I was a little surprised by this, as I felt that Lt Colonel Harding, didn’t want to have anything to do with me again, after disappointing him, after all of the training he had given me. Heading over to the administration building, I presented the orders, and requested transport to Perth as soon as possible, and within half an hour I was booked onto an early afternoon direct flight to Perth, departing at 1415 hours.

Back at the billet, I packed my luggage, and called for a taxi and I made my way to airport, where I decided to wait there the four hours till my flight left. I called my Aunty to let her know that I was flying back to Perth this afternoon, and she said she would come to the airport to collect me, but I suggested that she wait at home, and that I would be there at around 5.30pm.

The four-hour flight was uneventful, which I was pleased about, and after collecting my luggage, I caught a taxi to my Aunt’s place, where she was thrilled to see me again. Over the next four days, I just relaxed and helped Aunty around the house and garden, and on my last day of leave, before reporting to base, after having spent the morning in the garden, I went for a drive around the city, so do some shopping, using my aunt’s car.

When I returned and found a brand new blue Toyota Fortuner 4wd Crusade parked in the driveway, I just presumed that it was a visitor, so I entered the house and took my shopping to my room, before heading to the kitchen, where I found my aunt on her own preparing dinner. “Whose vehicle is that out front?” I asked out of curiosity, “That would be yours dear, a late 18^th birthday present, compliments of your parents and me” aunty said to me with a smile. “Oh, wow that is awesome, thank you very much aunty” I said excitedly.

“You have time for a quick test drive, but be home in 1½ hours for dinner” she said to me holding up a set of keys in her hands, and I gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek, before receiving the keys, and I dashed outside, to take my new car for a drive. I took the car for a drive up the coastal highway of the northern suburbs, and returned down the freeway, the vehicle drove like a dream, it was just fantastic to have my own wheels.