Why "hate" instructors stealing rifles? Part of every army's
life, to teach trainees to be alert.
There was once where I crept up to a soldier in my platoon. It was
100% stand-to in the first light in a harbour position. He was
sleeping but pretending to be in prone position alert. I took his
bayonet and then jam it between the carrying handle of the M 16
into the ground. I then took a few steps back and threw a pebble on
his helmet. He woke up with a start ! And he tried to pick up his
M16. It was stuck to the ground. For a second or so, he was really
puzzled why he can't pull his rifle up from the ground... then he
realised the bayonet was holding it back. Then he realised someone
did this and he was looking left and right and finally saw me
squatting a few feet behind him. Needless to say, he got a
bollocking from me but no punishment ---- don't believe in this. He
learnt his lesson - a puzzling and embarassing one, and probably
stuck with him for the rest of his NS life (hopefully).
