Rampaging mobs of mullahs were out buring and looting.
Him and a small detachment of soldiers plus a JCO under his command manned a piquet.
My Nana remembers he was very nervous. He had no experience or training of facing such a situation.
I remember him telling me how 😟 he was he would make a wrong move and get his men killed.
Him and his JCO decided they would have no choice but to open fire once any mob moved beyond that point. They would try to scare off the crowd but if that failed they would open fire and try to save themselves.
My nana's soldiers were nervous - the senior JCO being the one keeping everyone's courage up.
They fired in the air again and again. Motioned for them to stop. They kept coming.
The mob was a large one.
Then he took out his side arm and shot that mob leader right in his head.
As he had wagered - the entire mob panicked and started to retreat helter skelter as that man hit the road.
He'd saved his men and held the post he'd been asked to hold.
And I was just wide eyed.
Never forgot it.
Always remember that when I see these animals running riot.
He fought the Afghans.
He fought at Kasur in '65. Gave the adversary some serious hell where the unit lost it's CO.
But truth be told I think he was proudest of that one action more than all the other combat he faced.