A day in the life of a special force soldier

1972 as the day began the sun began to become like it always did in this part of the world hot, we did not mind we had the day off. well when I say we had the day of what I mean was that we were going to do a bit of target practice on a range about 40 miles away, it was a change we thought from all the patrols that we had been going on with the local young soldiers that we had been training. Most of us had been out in this part of the world for about six months, in a couple of weeks some of us would be going home to our loved ones, me included.

We did not wear uniforms well not like we were used to anyway I was just wearing shorts, a tea shirt, and Jesus sandals a bit unconventional but that what we were an unconventional body of soldiers who did not give a hoot about what was right and proper. Only back home would we were the uniform and that was only back at headquarters.

What did we care what the head sheds at other regiments thought when they saw us for the first time we were the elite of the British fighting army so they would have to like it or lump it what ever came first we did not care.

The two helicopters were waiting for us and with a cheery wave at the pilots we boarded, we had been know the pilots very well although they were officers they were OK they had been chosen for there ability to fly under any circumstance sometimes a most dangerous job. Although not one of us, they were the bravest of the brave and we respected every one of them. They were the ones that if we got in trouble would fly through hell and back to bring every one of us home.

As the sun got higher we rose into the air, we had done this many time before, going to drop of points in the mountains to flush out the insurgents, this time it was like we were going on holiday and there was a happy atmosphere as we checked our weapons. I liked to listen to Rock in those days and I had one of those old-fashioned recorders that we all had in those days, so I popped in a tape and put on my headphones and turned on the tape, soon I was dozing to the rock music.