The screw-up that nearly took a life.
It was night when we arrived at the Kranji Ammo Base slipway, and
after launching the amphibious ferry equipment, we rested for the
night, in preparation for next morning Armoured Brigade - River
Crossing Exercise.
Dawn came slowly, and it was low tide that got half the platoon to
the innocuously 'dry out' swampy ground, and they trudged in firm
mud trying to catch the scampering crabs for lunch later.
Soon, an effeminated Lance-Corporal got his ankles stuck in the
mud, and the more he struggled the deeper he went - and soon he was
slowly sinking and the mud level reached just below his
kneecaps.
The other platoon mates placed one Assault Boat on each side of the
stucked soldier, attempting to pull him out of the mud, and in the
process nearly tore his arms out instead.
Everyone panicked, and tried to carry him out of the swampy mud by
the armpit, but the suction from the thick mud was too much.
With each failed attempt to lift the stucked soldier, he went
deeper into the mud, until it reached his waist.
Things got desperate as the tide slowly began to come in according
to tidal forcast, and the muddy surface began to have the seawater
mingling at the base of the Assault Boat.
The wrist watch alarm buzzed, and I was shocked at the situation
that began with an innocent hunt for crabs; and it was less then 45
minutes for us to start engines and get into position for the Start
of the Exercise.
The tide was coming in slowly but surely, and the soldier was
already sinking into the mud swamp, with only his chest above his
belt line showing.
After assessing the situation, the only way to save this soldier
was to overcome the suction at the source - from the feet and
below.
Shouting for hard cartons - from previous night's nite snack
packaging - I got the boxes torn open, spread the open carton out,
and placing it like a mat next to the trapped soldier, so as to
support and spread my 70kg body weight, as I lay flat on my chest
on the very soft, and sea water logged swampy mud.
Taking the standard SAF Jack-knife, in an attempt to cut the boot
lace and give the trapped soldier a chance to free himself from the
boots stucked in the mud.
The older contract service Technical Sergeants from Logistics were
all skeptical of my plan, and gave loud discouraging remarks, even
though their ideas to help save this soldier had failed in their
last half hour of effort.
Shouting for everyone to be silent, and for the Comms NCO to send
the code to the Exercise Commander for 'Exercise Stop' due to Life
Threatening Situation, and proceeded with the rescue plan.
Spreading the surface mud apart, my face was flat and placed deeper
onto the muddy depression, to reach further down into the mud, as
the soldier was slipping down with the mud reaching his chest and
nearing his collar bones.
My entire long arms reached deep into the mud, up to my shoulders,
as I lay flat on my chest.
With both hands I blindly felt for the boot laces, and tried to cut
it; but end up cutting my other hand, my thumb, and my
fingers.
I gave up the attempt to cut the boot lace, and decided on an
alternative.
This time to break the suction - by creating an 'air pocket' BELOW
the boots of the trapped soldier; and using my bare hands to lift
his boots from the underside, as he put pressure and stepped on my
hands, and with me lifting him up from below his feet.
Slowly but surely, it worked.
After 20 minutes he was clear out of the mud.
The effeminated Soldier was exhausted after the long struggle, and
the exercise proceeded with barely 10 minutes to reach the 'Green
Start Line'.
The exercise proceeded with the commander in a "new camo" uniform
that was quite different from everyone.
For those who may face similar Life Threatening situation, whether
you are in a Leadership role or not, this piece is a real life
experience for the record.
We will need to be CONSTANTLY ALERT to the SITUATION around
us.
We must be QUICK, LOGICAL and URGENT in our ASSESSMENT as our Eyes
absorb the situation.
We must listen to all the views and good counsel - but the FINAL
DECISION must be made based on our own Leadership Assessment.
When a DECISION is made, make all effort to accomplish it, and IF
OBSTRUCTION is encountered, slight variation must be made quickly
so as to reach the Final Goal.
