My memory is of the 'pungent odour' of Chinese food. We were certainly in the right place. The dim outline of the enemy trenches, bunkers and weapon pits silhouetted sixty metres ahead. Behind us, 3 Section under Lance Corporal 'Ken' Woodhart with my Platoon Sergeant John 'Mac' McNulty positioned themselves. Company Headquarters followed. 6 Platoon, behind them, moved northward to attack their objective. It was unoccupied enabling two of their sections to join the main assault force. 4 Platoon advanced to within 40 metres of the enemy. There was still no reaction. Then it happened. A mixture of 'burps' (Chinese sub machine carbines), potato-mashers (Chinese anti personnel grenades on a stick) and percussion grenades greeted us. We propped, some dropping to one knee to return fire. The platoon commander's job was to keep things moving so we pressed forward. We quickened pace firing from the hip, Private 'Ralph' Townsend's Bren gun on the left flank never sounded better. Still the grenades came, their white trailing tape being clearly visible. Corporal Ron Porto of 2 Section dropped two men, Privates Albert Charlfield and Keith Payne, into the blackness of the communication trench. One of them, Keith Payne, was later to forge a place in Australian military history, being awarded the Victoria Cross whilst on service in South Vietnam. They reported deep tunnels dug along the trench walls, into which grenades were promptly dispatched.
It takes intestinal fortitude 'guts' of the highest order, to drop into the unknown, the 'bottomless trench' of unknown enemy bunkers. There is no time to think about it. You jump, you hope, you move swiftly, you do your job, you get out. In this case on the end of a rifle dangled by a mate above. Behind us, shouts of 'CHOH-CHOH-CHOH' (beware) could be heard as reinforcements poured from the tunnel network of the main enemy position. Withering fire from the two Bren guns of Corporal 'Paddy' Crotty's section 6 Platoon, positioned for such an eventuality quickly dampened this enthusiasm. They went underground. Up front 4 Platoon cleared the objective disposing of all inhabitants, moved through it, reorganising thirty yards beyond. Casualties, two missing, (one Private 'Jim' Young was to return the following evening) and three wounded.
Back on the objective, Company Headquarters confronted the second wave. From the tunnel network came a further hail of grenades, Major 'Joe' Mann, twice being blown off his feet. Captain John Salmon our Artillery Forward Observation Officer (FOO), although peppered with fragments directed pre-planned fire tasks onto six areas located several hundred metres north, east and west of 'Flora'. The Chinese retaliated, mortaring our position, there was little point in staying, in fact our clear instructions were not to remain on the objective. The order came to withdraw. 4 Platoon leading down a spur to the east in an orderly manner, section at a time with 'Sam' Small and I bringing up the rear. It was 0420 hours. We had not taken a prisoner, our primary task. In hindsight, an almost impossible mission. The Chinese didn't make a habit of being captured or leaving their wounded. The confusion of a close contact can tend to take precedence.
Caution wasn't a major ingredient of the withdrawal. We moved swiftly, reaching the minefield gap in thirty minutes. Again the Chinese reaction was predicted correctly. They would anticipate that we had come from the western end of 355 mortaring and shelling accordingly. On the eastern end we were struggling with our wounded. Private 'Bob' Auhl, unconscious, strapped to a stretcher with rifle slings, was brought 'home' by exhausted mates, on their hands and knees, clawing every icy metre up that gap. I had taken my turn and can still recall our race against the mortars, which, by this time, had switched to our return route. Thankfully, though close, they were ineffective in allowing us to reach our forward defensive line (FDL) by 0630 hours unscathed, there to be greeted by an exuberant and a relived Commanding Officer. It was still dark and only then did I realise, very cold. In any action, the people who make the contact invariably receive the accolades. We certainly did. Spare a thought for the many unsung 'diggers' who supported us. The firm base personnel from 5 Platoon, the fighting ambush patrols from every company who lay in the snow for four hours, numb, unable to move. They too deserved our praise and our thanks.
Operation 'Fauna' was a success from many points of view. It is the story of a company, very well led by a great fighting solder 'Joe' Mann Distinguished Service Order (DSO), a story of total co-operations between 1 Battalion and 3 Battalions Royal Australian Regiment. It is yet another example of the discipline and courage inherent in every 'Digger'. For me, personally, it was the 'baptism of fire' for a young platoon commander and an opportunity to lead a seasoned team of professionals. To cement an understanding and some friendships, many of which remain today. It is not complete, for, as the forward platoon commander, I had little first-hand knowledge of the events, which occurred behind me. That matters not. If you were there that evening in any capacity you can feel justifiably proud.