Indian Ocean Invasion - 2. IOI Chapter 2

“That is fine sir, I can do that, and there are only two flights per week into Christmas Island from Perth I believe, so I will have plenty of time to notify you or the AGSV” I responded.

“By the way, I was looking at the list of recipients for awards, that was published internally yesterday, and your name is on the list” the Lt Colonel informed me, “Really sir, I had no idea” I replied shocked.

“Yes, you can add it to your Conspicuous Service Cross, Australian Defence Medal and Active Service Medal” the Lt Colonel replied, “What exactly is it that I am receiving sir?” I asked, waiting impatiently for the Lt Colonel to reveal what it is that I am being awarded.

“The DSC – Distinguished Service Cross, congratulations” I was informed, and I stood there shocked at the news, “Err, are you sure that it is the DSC, that is a very high award?” I asked.

“Yes, that is right, I might even have the pleasure of pinning it on you if I can get one here before you leave, report back here later this afternoon, and I should have a reply from the AGSV, regarding your trip,” the Lt Colonel said to me, and after a salute and shake of hands, I left the CO’s office still stunned.

When I arrived back at Kylie’s apartment, I made myself a cup of tea and sat in the lounge, still feeling a little shocked at the news that I had received, and I jumped in shock when my mobile rang. Looking at the caller ID is as if it was Kylie, so I answered it.

“Hello, you, where did you dash off to so early this morning?” she said to me, “I had to report to the nearest defence base, to inform them of my planes to travel, it’s all to do with the high-level security clearance that I have, so I have to get approval to travel anywhere off the mainland” I replied.

“Yes, I understand, I have to do the same with my NV1 clearance” Kylie replied, “I am one level up from you, because of my training with ASIS. I used to be top level, PV clearance, but now I am with the Naval Diving Clearance Team, they dropped it down one level” I replied.

“Wow, I didn’t realise that you were involved in the spy stuff” Kylie stated, “Yes, but it is not as exciting, as you think it is, but let’s drop that subject now, I can’t say any more” I answered.

About half an hour later, the doorbell rang, and when Kylie didn’t move, having arrived home only ten minutes earlier, I reluctantly stood up to answer the door, where I found a teenage boy standing there. “Hello, you must be Uncle Lewis, I am your nephew – Mitch Hughes,” the teenager said cheerfully, holding his hand out in greeting, and I shook his hand, before Jeremy stepped out from behind the wall, smiling broadly.

“Jeeze Jem, don’t do that,” I said as I tried to calm down, and stood back to let them in. Once Kylie had introduced herself to my nephew, we all sat down. “So, nephew, I hear that you are in a bit of trouble at school?”I said to Mitchell, “Yes, and I admitted to my dad last night, that I did it because I had overheard mum and dad talking about this planned trip to Christmas Island, so I swore at the teacher, so I could get suspended and go on the trip” Mitchell admitted.

“I nearly didn’t let him come with me last night, but my wife wanted me to take him, so here we are” Jeremy added, “So, you are coming too?” I asked, “I am, but only for two days, I have a chartered plane coming to pick me up on Monday morning to take me back to Perth. My friends and I only get to our lodge twice a year, so this is a bonus trip for me” Jeremy said.

“Look, I can’t tell you too much, but I have to go back to Campbell Barracks today, to see if I am allowed to go?” I informed my half-brother, “What, why are you possibly not allowed to go, after everything that I have done to organise this trip” Jeremey roared as he stood up.

“Look mate, you know I am in the Navy and have been since I was 17 years old, I have a very high Australian Security Clearance, so it isn’t up to me, to just jump on a plane and leave the mainland, I have to go through channels in two departments for approval” I explained.

“Oh… well that stinks, I thought with your injury, that you can go anywhere you want, I didn’t realise that you have to get permission” Jeremy replied in a calmer voice as he sat down in the lounge chair.

“I am sorry brother, but being in the defence force, there are rules, and they have to be followed, on a lighter note though, I learnt today, that I was recommended for an award, regarding my last deployment.

I cannot tell you anything about it, apart from what you already know, about me being in Afghanistan” I announced, “Oh, you didn’t tell me this earlier, when you returned from the barracks” Kylie said to me, “Yeah, well it is still a bit of a shock to me, it wasn’t anything that I expected” I replied.

“What are those ribbons on the chest for, Uncle Lewis?” Mitchell asked me, “Well the green and gold striped ribbon, is the Conspicuous Service Cross, for gallantry, the red ribbon with the two narrow angled white lines is the Australian Defence Medal for service in Afghanistan, the green, red and grey striped ribbon is the Active Service Medal, for service in Iraq, and the one that is black with a red stripe is the Australian Operations Medal for Special Operations.

The new one, that I will be receiving soon, is the Distinguished Service Cross, which is a white ribbon, with a red stripe in the middle” I replied.

“Wow, that is wonderful Lewis, I am so proud of you,” Kylie said as she leaned over and gave me a full kiss on the mouth, which caught me by surprise a little, as I blushed a little as she straightened up, and I heard Jeremy chuckle, at what they had just witnessed.

“Is that why you are in dress uniform because you have just come back from the base?” Jeremy asked me, “Yes, I went to see the CO, who I served with once, on my first tour of Afghanistan, he was the one who informed me of my newest award” I replied.

“How many tours have you done, and what does the two wide and one narrow stripe mean on your shoulder, Uncle Lewis?” Mitchell asked me, “Now, I do know the answer to the second question, your uncle is a Lt Commander, which is a middle rank with Naval officers” Jeremy replied.

“Yes, that is right, two ranks down from a Captain, and two ranks up from a Sub Lieutenant, and I have completed three tours in Afghanistan, and one in Iraq” I replied. “Wow, that must be horrible being over there,” Mitchell said, but I said nothing in reply.

Jeremy pulled out a sheet of paper from his inside jacket pocket and laid it out on the coffee table in front of us all, was a map of Christmas Island. “Right, as you can see from this, the main settlement is in the Northeast corner of the island, the cleared area just southwest of the settlement is the mining operation, and as you can see, the airport is just east of there, and the casino and resort are located on the east coast.

Swell Lodge is located here, on the northwest coast of the island, over 18 km from the settlement, and the nearest clearing, is the detention centre, located nearly 4 kilometres east of it by road, but the centre has been closed for a few years now, so it is empty. From the centre to the lodge, it is an unsealed gravel road for one kilometre, then it is a narrow bush track to the Martin Point carpark, and from there it is a 400-metre walk to the lodge.

The lodge consists of 4 eco tents, raised one metre off the ground on a platform, with a biodegradable toilet, fresh water tank, plus solar and gas lantern lighting, it has a small covered patio area and a fifty-metre short walk to the beach.

Because it is in the National Park, everything, including food is transported to the lodge by road and on foot, or via barge on calm days. What Parks and Wildlife do not know, is that my three friends and I have built and special place, that only us 4 know about, and you will be shown it when we get there” Jeremy announced.

Later that day, I returned to the apartment, with the good news, that I was permitted to travel to Christmas Island, but I was not permitted to go into a foreign country, and I must return to Australia, at the earliest possible time to complete physiotherapy, and to have a medical assessment, to see if I was fit to continue in the Navy. I had already telephoned Kylie, and she had passed on the good news to my half-brother, who was equally pleased.

I decided to spend the rest of the afternoon, doing some shopping, mainly at an Army surplus store, an Adventure supply store, and a camping supply store. At these three stores, I bought some supplies that I would usually be issued to me if I was working in the field in the Navy, but it was mostly Army surplus supplies.

I bought two sets of everything that I needed, I was able to find Navy coloured fatigue trousers, shirts, and caps, two water bottles, water purification tablets, and hunting knives, with hooks and lines located in the hollow handle, I also two sets of snorkelling gear, two compasses, two lightweight ground sheets, and some thin rope, to create emergency shelters, and I bought three weeks of emergency rations, plus two sets of camp mess kits.

I decided that if I needed anything else, I would get it from the general supply store on Christmas Island. Early the next morning, Jeremy, Mitchell and I boarded our flight for Christmas Island, which is a three-and-a-half-hour long flight, arriving on the island in the late morning, where it was nice and sunny, and very hot and humid. I was glad that I was wearing just long shorts and a cotton open-neck shirt, and sandals, as the hot air hit us before we even stepped off the plane.

Jeremy on the other hand was wearing business trousers and a shirt, and black business shoes, which I could tell he regretted by the look on his face as he stepped out of the plane. Mitchel was dressed in board shorts and a t-shirt with thongs, and he was happy with the hot weather outside.

Once we had collected our luggage, we exited the terminal, to find a mini-bus parked at the front, with “Swell Lodge” written on the side. “Good Morning, Mr Hughes, welcome back to Christmas Island,” a young man who appeared to be of Malay descent, who got to work, to load our luggage into the back of the vehicle, as we climbed into the vehicle.

“Ari, this is my oldest son – Mitchell, and my half-brother Mr Shaw,” Jeremey said making the introductions, “Very pleased to meet you both, I will be your host during your stay, please let me know if there is anything special that you would like, while you are here. I believe young Master Mitchell is staying with you sir, and Mr Shaw has his cabin?” the driver said to us.

“Yes, Ari that is correct, I will only be here for two days, I have a chartered flight taking me back to the mainland on Monday Morning” Jeremy replied. “Ari, nenek moyang kamu dari Malaysia?” I asked the driver in fluent Malay, “Ya Tuan, Dari dekat Plentong, Jonar, dekat, Sungai yang memisahkan Malaysia Dari Singapura” the driver replied, explaining that his family comes from a place near the river that separates Malaysia from Singapore, and I said this to Jeremy and Mitchell.

“Where did you learn such fluent Malay, Mr Shaw,” Ari asked in good English, “I have a degree in Asian studies, which includes fluency in two languages, Malay and Japanese” I replied honestly, and both Jeremy and Mitchel looked surprised at this information.

I have a feeling there is a lot more to that story than just that” Jeremy commented, but I didn’t say any more, just giving a slight hint to my brother, that others are listening, and Jeremy nodded his head in understanding.

“We are about to pass the turnoff to the Detention centre, which is also the end of the sealed road, from there on it is a gravel road and bush track” Jeremy informed us. Twenty minutes later after a slow and rough trip, we stopped at a carpark.

“This is the end of the road, the lodge is a 400-metre walk from here” Ari announced, “We will help with our luggage, we don’t need Ari to do all the hard work, we are going to keep him busy as it is” I suggested.

With Ari leading the way, and Jeremy after him, we walked about 400 metres, when Jeremy stopped for a moment, “Let me catch my breath, I am a little out of shape” Jeremy said as he retrieved his handkerchief and wiped his brow, “as you can see the National Park is very thick and wild, so I suggest you stick to the footpaths” Jeremy commented as he looked towards his left and upwards.

I did the same wondering what he was looking at, “Look carefully and you will see it” Jeremy whispered, as Mitchell walked past and kept following Ari. I did as I was instructed and at first, all I saw was a thick jungle, but then something caught my eye, it looked like a hibiscus flower, but it was high up off the ground, which seemed strange, and I was about to ask Jeremy about it, but he had continued walking.

When we arrived at the first Eco Cabin, I was surprised to see that it was like a large tent, in the middle of the forest, but looking inside the tent, there were all the modern luxuries, including a flushing toilet and water.

“This is your cabin Mr Hughes and Master Mitchell, the other one is 50 metres further back, on a little side track,” Ari said as he began to lead the way to my accommodation.

“As you can see sir, it is very modern and spacious, the barbeque on the patio has a full tank of gas, and so do the lanterns, the kitchen is stocked up with a variety of breakfast cereals, fresh fruit, UHT milk and fresh bread in the pantry, with some milk in the fridge, along with two BBQ meat packs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, eggs, and juice, I hope you enjoy your stay, I will be back, to deliver your dinners at 6 pm,” Ari said before he left me to get settled.

About fifteen minutes later, Jeremy appeared, “So what do you think, it's basic, but it has everything you need,” he said to me with a big grin, “Yes, just a bit of a surprise, that it is in the middle of a jungle with wonderful views of the ocean” I replied, “Come on bro, let’s take a walk, Mitch is taking a short nap before lunch,” Jeremy said to me, as he led the way out of my cabin, and headed back towards the carpark, but we stopped a short while later.

“This special place is that what you were showing me earlier?” I asked, as I looked up and soon spotted the hibiscus flower again, “You got it, bro, my friends and I built a sort of tree house, it is 6 metres off the ground, and you can see the ocean through the tree tops, when you get into the right spot, it has the lower half walls all around. We need to go another twenty metres on, till we get to the spot, where we go to get to the tree house, so as not to create a visible track” Jeremy said, as he started walking again.

When he stopped again, I could not see anything at all except a lot of trees vines, and ferns, then suddenly Jeremy was holding onto what looked like a vine but was a thick rope with a piece of wood attached to the bottom of it, and he swung into the forest, and landed on a large fallen log, before he swung the rope back to me, which I easily caught, and I followed him, swinging into the forest and landing on the log.

“Very clever, a good way of not having any tracks at all” I commented, as Jeremy attached the rope to a tree, to use later, before walking along the length of the log to the end, where there was another rope.