At Kroonstad and Bethlehem there wasn't much distinction made between junior officers. A one pip didn't salute a two pip, and everyone was on first name terms. I thought it was like that everywhere until a bokkop lieutenant walked into the duty room one morning and gave me a parade ground salute. Surprised the hell out of me.
But I digress.Sort of. I'd just spent 3 weeks on holiday (I stretched it a bit with public holidays, and Major JJ van der Merwe being nice to me), and had arrived back in camp at about one in the morning. Just in time for about 3 hours of sleep. The place was swarming with new guys who had just gone through leadership training at Kroonstad. They must've arrived while I was on leave. Even worse, when I arrived in the mess for lunch they had taken over my favourite table. One of them, a young blonde haired pseudo-surfer whom I hadn't met yet, piped up at me over lunch "Hey Phil, while you were on leave I stood in for you at guard duty, it's your turn tonight!" My first response was the standard "Fok U, luitenant". I think it's the only time I ever pulled rank on someone. But for some reason it really pissed me off.
I didn't make too many friends from that intake...
Google earth image of 2 Field Engineer Regiment
