One occasion the patrol had to observe a club on the outskirts of the city that was believed to be used to store weapons or explosives. Once in position so that we could observe any strange comings and goings it was imperative that we could see what we needed to see but not be seen. These patrols were purely for reconnaissance and not for attracting attention to ourselves.

Throughout the few hours we were in position the music from the club was blaring out so our being discovered by a slight noise was not an issue. The problem was in courting couples approaching to closely if they wanted some privacy from the club. We were not noticed and as the music stopped and the club closed we moved away from the area without being seen. Of the music that was being played I shall forever visualize that evening whenever I hear ‘Come on Eileen’ by the Irish band Dexy’s Midnight Runners, it seemed to be getting played every third or fourth tune. Perhaps it was somebody’s favourite.

Another occasion we had go through one of the parks in the city and then into the cemetery. Stories had been circulating that graves were being dug and before they were used for the normal purpose they were being used to store weapons. We arrived and spread ourselves about the cemetery concealing ourselves the best we can when one of the patrol said he heard a sound from along the footpath. A few whispered replies were sent back over the radio about the location and what it could possibly be. Eventually a teenage girl came into view and the patrol leader decided he had to discover what she was doing in the graveyard in the early hours of the morning and asked for her ID. It turned out it was innocent enough, she was using the path through the cemetery as a short cut home after a night in the city centre. It was not a short cut I would have considered taking when I was that age, and certainly not in that city.