Story 3 - Bug's Strikes a Blow for the
Drinking Digger
By Peter Brown, 110
Sig Sqn, South Vietnam
(18 Dec 1967 - 19 Dec 1968)
(18 Dec 1967 - 19 Dec 1968)
Insert: 110 Sig Sqn RR site on VC Hill.
Also used for VHF retrans.
VC Hill was our Radio Relay site
between Vung Tau and Saigon. The hill was almost totally occupied by
the Americans with small sites owned and operated by other allied
nations Australia being one of them. There were three of us on the
hill and they were responsible for maintenance of the radio
equipment (AN/TRC-24) (Part of the AN/MRC-69 Radio Terminal Shelter)
but mostly responsible for changing the generators, maintenance and
site security. We had three 10 KVA s, numerous drums of petrol and a
small hut to live in. This is his story as he told it and my
memory allows. The name of the ASCO stock manager may not be correct
but rings a bell so to speak.
‘RING’ ‘RINNNG’
‘RING’ one short one long
one short burbled down the party line `K’ phone. Or it
did if you remembered to put the batteries in and the humidity
hadn’t rusted it out. (On the whole, they worked pretty well).
Bugs thinks ‘yer so what
am I, bloody clairvoyant or something’ but actually says
“so how can I help you? ”. Cpl Major
continues “from ASCO you’ve heard of us ?” by now he must have had a
few interesting replies to this opening.
Bugs “nope”.
Cpl Major attempts to
explain “oh, ah - we’re the new Australian Services Canteen
Organisation we’ll be running the Australian version of the American
P.X.” Bugs quickly replies, before the office of
`listeners in’ can get pencils to paper, “The
meat heads are on to that sort of stuff, you could get arrested and
then you’d never make Sergeant ” he chuckles.
Cpl Major, wisely, lets
that one go and continues with his explanation “no, I don’t think
you understand we‘re an
official- organisation we’ll be selling radios, tape decks,
small items of extra rations, vegimite, biscuits etc and of course
we run the in country beer n spirits distribution” .
Bug’s interest rate goes
into over drive. (He was never slow especially when the booze word
was used), he pauses, to consider the vast concept –
so to speak..
Cpl Major begins to wonder
if the switch may have disconnected him ` click click’ the line
release switch is tripped rapidly (it drives the switchies nuts if
nothing else) “are you still there” he asks.
Cpl Major replies “oh you
don’t buy it we bill you”.
Bugs, lost again, says
“HUH” (beer without paying this guys taking the piss out of me).
Cpl. Major tries another
tack “perhaps if I explain”.
Bugs, “please”.
The Cpl continues, “we
have you as a registered unit entitled to a full canteen issue so
you can order from us and we’ll invoice you each month. Unfortunately
we don’t have transport as yet so you’ll have to arrange your own
pick up”.
Bugs realising, now, that
this guy this must be new in country and thinks he (Bugs) is the
orderly room for a complete military unit, contemplates the
possibilities. Well for a start, he should not explain
unit dispositions over the phone, security and all that. But
to keep the conversation going, whilst regrouping, he says
“for the record transport won’t be a problem”.
Cpl. Major replies
thankfully “good – how many are up there?”
Bugs’, expecting this,
nails the goods home gleefully (and technically truthfully) “about
three hundred give or take two or three”!
Cpl. Major sounds
thoughtful “oh - at two cans per man per day” sounds of mechanical
calculations and mental processes engaging –
pause – then “I know this is not enough but I’ll allocate you a
pallet load of beer a month and if your short I’ll get you some more
from unused allocations, would that be ok?”
Would it!
Bugs, not giving this guy a chance to think says, “fine, got
any VB?”
Cpl. Major replies sadly
“we can only give you half a pallet till the end of the month then
we can start the monthly issues”.
Bugs “1430 too early for
you?” (Considerate cove)
Cpl. Major explains “no
that’ll be ok just quote your canteen number to the yard man”.
Bugs hiding a chuckle
“thanks see you then”.
Telephones
a distinct `click’ as the handset is replaced and each party
winds the ringer handle to indicate the call is finished.
Switchboard operator quietly to his off sider “y’ll never guess what I just heard”!
Footnote 1:
Bugs got his beer
as did everyone detached to “The Hill”
Footnote 2:
It may be that this was not as much a
secret as we all thought. Whilst I was there, Mal
Stevens preceded me and explained the procedure and the need to
retain a low profile, a difficult position as we were on a hill.
However I digress, about half way into my detachment
the Yank (Hill) commander came across to see me to explain that due
to certain contingencies (of the War) their supply line had dried
out. Could I help?
Well I could of course. They
had transport and I had an account at ASCO, all legally transferred
to each (Cpl) 110 Sig Sqn detachment commander. The fact that
it was supposed to be his (account) had not escaped either of us.
We did get his beer and
I was invited to visit his club. I discovered that his
troops were a bit flat on our beer. But it seemed they
were just not beer drinkers despite
the apparent popularity that Australian beer held for US
serviceman. They may have been hard spirits drinkers and would
not change.
2013