JonS Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 (edited) The Gun Position, no matter where it is or how briefly occupied, is home to all who serve in an artillery regiment, regardless of rank. In the speech and language of the gunner lies evidence of this. He is forever talking about “going up to the guns”or “going back to the guns,” “moving with the guns” or “leaving the guns” to go somewhere. Always, the guns are his point of reference. For carrier crews spending most of their time with the infantry, the gun position may exist only as a map reference that is forever changing. But in this transitory world it’s important to know it’s there – that you have a place which you can identity, in much the same way people identify with a village or a town in Civvy Street. When on rare occasions you make it back to the guns, it truly feels like you are returning to your home town. Everything looks as familiar as Main Street. All the faces are friendly and you could put a name to most of them if you had to. Many call out greetings and inquire, “How you doin’ – okay?” And when you tell them, Okay, and ask how things are with them, they tell you it could be a lot worse. And have you time for a cuppa – they’ve just whipped up a fresh brew? You get the feeling that you are visiting a very strange place – one of the most welcoming places you will ever visit in your whole life – even though you are conscious that tomorrow, or before today is out, this field will be abandoned, never to be seen again by you or any of these fellows. How strange that something that has no permanence by way of form or location should become fixed in your mind as something of substance, something reliable to be counted on in this shaky, impermanent world, an island of stability and order in a churning ocean of disorder, an ultimate refuge to which you can withdraw if everything else disintegrates: home. George Blackburn RCA Ubique. Edited July 15, 2015 by JonS 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IronCat60 Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 That has to be the most profound piece of writing that explains perfectly to anyone who has not served in the military about how a unit can come to feel like family. The biggest rock to hold on to in the chaos of combat is your unit. It gives you sense of place, purpose and family when you need it the most. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Splinty Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 As is the squad for the infantryman. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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