Originally Posted by ilikeoldchangke
Men who would take over the retiring cohort who had been through the exact same journey as them. Men who were first conscripted to serve, before realizing that it was their duty to protect.
Lynette had proven her father wrong. With their heads turned and their chests out, the dragging sound of tired boots disappeared, instantly replaced by the determined digging of heels against the concrete ground.
It took barely two seconds before the heart thumping sound of hundreds of pairs of boots marching in unison fell in sync with such precision that it would make the most demanding sergeant major proud.
As the first company of men marched past her, Lynette kept up her salute and shouted to the next approaching company. “Bravo company!”
Again, Lynette expelled the words from her mouth like a sorceress casting a powerful spell, “Because you gave up sleeping in your beds, my family and I have the chance to sleep in ours!”
Lynette’s shouts swept down the line like the ripple from a shockwave and what followed was an immediate reply by the Company IC of Bravo company, “Bravo Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…… Pandang!”(Look right)
Lynette kept her salute up as another hundred pairs of eyes turned to face her. Even before the heavy thumping of boots from the first company of soldiers faded away, the second company joined in the medley.
An accompany officer marching alongside his men turned as well, jerking his chin up and returning the salute from a girl barely taller than the height of the weapon he carried.
“Charlie company!” Lynette shouted, a little breathless this time. She surprised the third company of marching men with a question this time, “What is today’s date?”
“15th of February!” Came the reply from the marching soldiers.
Nothing more needed to be said as the significance of that date sunk like weights cast deep into the hearts of the marching soldiers. Singapore fell on the 15th of February 1942 during World War Two.
“Charlie Company! Pandang Ke Kanan…… Pandang!”(Look right)
When Lynette spoke next, it was no longer a shout but she still projected her voice loud enough that the marching soldiers could hear what she wanted to convey. “Never again.” Lynette said.
“Never again!” Came the echo that drowned out the sound of waves crashing onto the beach along East Coast Park that night.
The ground trembling thumping of determined boots picked up in intensity as several noncommissioned officers ran up the line, wondering what was happening.
“Delta Company!” Lynette continued as the next company approached.
Jeff stood in the shadow of several large Raintrees a short distance away, looking at the back view of his daughter.
He wanted to stop her but he knew she would never stop until it was done. Until she had a chance to address every one of the men marching in that column.
He looked at the clear sky and the serenity of the park. It was hard to imagine that he was standing on reclaimed land. His phone buzzed and it was a message from Jane, his wife.
She was not going to be happy if she found out that Lynette was out and about at that hour. If not for the fact that Jane was out working, Lynette would be soundly asleep in her bed right now.
There were six companies of recruits passing out that day and by the time Lynette got to the last of the column, her voice was hoarse and her throat was parched dry. She drained the last bit of the water from her bottle as the rear guard followed by two safety vehicles came up slowly behind the marching column.
Too exhausted to say anything else, she just waved to the men bringing up the end of the line.
The Regiment Sergent Major, a gruff and no nonsense man wearing a red beret and carrying the same load and weapon as the marching recruits called out to Lynette, “It’s late girl, are you alone? Do you need help?” His loud voice boomed clearly across to Lynette like he spoke though a loud hailer.
“My daddy is here.”
She said and pointed behind her without looking. Jeff took one step out and revealed his body but not his face to the soldier.
He lifted his hand, a simple gesture to thank the soldier for his concern. The soldier returned a thumb’s up to Jeff before looking at Lynette as he continued marching without breaking pace. With the safety vehicle behind him, it looked as if the driver was trying to keep up with that man.
“That was a good cheer girl… A damm good one..” A brief smile flashed across his painted face before he gave Lynette a quick salute.
Lynette jumped off the bench and ran towards her father. “They did not ignore me! I told you they will not ignore me! See!” she laughed as she hugged onto her father who effortlessly picked her up.
“Let’s go home before your mother kills me for bringing you out this late.” Jeff said.
“Daddy, do you think we will win in a war?” Lynette asked in her innocent voice.
Jeff smiled and wiped the perspiration off the brow of his daughter. He had a lot on his mind, stuff that he could never share with Lynette.
“Baby… in a war…” Jeff paused.
“Yah?”
“Nobody wins.”
Lynette took a second to register her father’s reply but it was clear that she didn’t understand the significance of his answer.
“Then, then why do you fight…? Why do Uncle James, Uncle Boon, why do you guys fight?” Lynette asked, barely able to keep her eyes opened as she laid her head to rest on her father’s shoulder.
Jeff smiled and he held his daughter tighter, making sure she was comfortable in his arms as she rested.
Exhausted, Lynette fell asleep before she could hear her father’s answer,
“We do it… so your generation doesn’t have to…”
*
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25-05-2022, 11:37 PM
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