The standard arm for the bottom rung signalman was the SLR (self loading rifle) L1A1. It was robust and a nusance as you had to tote the thing everywhere when your were on duty. Here a bunch of us were off on a clearing patrol.
A clearing patrol was an night spent sitting out in the scrub in ambush. If anybody should be trying to sneak up on the camp for a suprise night attack they were just as likely to run into a patrol like this set up in ambush position somewhere in the scrub.
A little bit of a firefight might be enough to deter the attack. It would, in any event, deny the attackers the element of surprise.
So here we are, heading off to be dropped at the gate in the wire.
The patrol leader, pictured here, was Corporal Harler.
A clearing patrol was an night spent sitting out in the scrub in ambush. If anybody should be trying to sneak up on the camp for a suprise night attack they were just as likely to run into a patrol like this set up in ambush position somewhere in the scrub.
A little bit of a firefight might be enough to deter the attack. It would, in any event, deny the attackers the element of surprise.
So here we are, heading off to be dropped at the gate in the wire.
The patrol leader, pictured here, was Corporal Harler.