Chindit
Camp
2010
by
Emily AlberyS
un, friends, a field and fun - the
best recipe for a great Chindit
Camp! With spirits high we arrived
at the camp on the Sunday ready
to get our hands dirty. We put up
sleeping tents first (more effort for
some than others), and we were split into four
sections: blue, green, red and yellow, all with
designated leaders and all ready to get
competitive. Next task: to put up mess tents.
This could have proved difficult but with the
help of our experienced NCOs we got the job
done.
Tension was building as we were given our first
mission, Ground Cover. Split into pairs, each
with a map, we were sent off on a timed
orienteering course to get to know the area.
The quicker you were, the more points your
team were awarded - easier said than done.
Luckily all arrived back safely and we began
preparing supper, which we soon discovered
was for points too.
Each section had the pleasure of feeding and
entertaining one lucky NCO who then marked
them for their hospitality. To this day I don't
understand how you managed to burn that
custard Millie! As darkness loomed over us,
the first day came to a close with Ditch
Delight. Burrowing in deep ditches, but leaving
no trace, half the Chindits disappeared and it
was up to their rivals to find them. Hawk eyes
or blind as a bat, it soon became clear who
was which. A cup of hot chocolate and a debrief
from Mr Cole sent everyone to bed
wondering what perils the next day would
bring.
By 9.00 we were all dressed and breakfasted,
ready for anything. Blindfolded we got in the
minibuses and were dropped in the middle of
nowhere (or so it seemed), and set the task to
find our way back to base. After lunch and a
quick fieldcraft demo from the NCOs we were
sent on Hidden Danger. Followed by NCOs we
were sent far and wide looking for parachutes
and bombs. A 'horse fiasco' added Ralph
Lawson to the injury list with a horse trying to
bite his backside, ouch!
Our rucksacks bulging with ration packs, tents
and trowels, the wait was over and we were
about to be released into the wild for our first
24-hour exercise. Tents were quickly set up
and the role play began. For poor Yellow
section it was a long run up a very steep hill to
get signal for our radio call: the 'KCC' were
attacking and we needed information, and so
Scavenger began. Creeping up on NCOs was
our speciality by now, especially when our
winnings were in the form of edible treats.
As night closed in we cammed up and climbed
up trees to hide ourselves from the ambushing
NCOs, and though they made a good effort,
very few managed to make it in. It was only
once we had ambushed the staff, that we
realised they had taken our camp with a trick.
Upset that we hadn't seen them doublecrossing
us, we were determined to get them
back and tried our best to make it through
enemy lines to regain our camp, before packing
up and heading for base. Unfortunately for
Mr Shaw this was not so funny, as I caught my
foot in a pothole and twisted my ankle, so he
was forced to piggy back me up a rather steep
hill!
Aluredian
26