You're render tripped a nerve. I've been sitting here staring at it for a while  now, trying to decide whether I should say anything. 

Although we never experienced anything like the 2nd WW, this dive reminds me of an encounter I experience many years ago...at the dead of night...diving for my mortar pit as 2 x 82 mm mortars detonated 10 meters behind me. Green tracers split the air from 3 directions from a force of approximately 120 soldiers. 60 mil mortars and RPG's shattered the dark sky around us, a small platoon force 0f 33 hardened young men...boys actually. A well trained bunch of youngsters, pinned down in a beacon base. Covered on 3 sides by the 120, 5 RPG positions, as many 60 mil mortars and 2 x 82;s. The bush line covering 1 wall offered cover to approximately 40 infantry men, firing at our bunker positions. The wall facing the approach to our beacon base, from our HQ, some 20 km away, was not covered., maybe in anticipation of re-enforcements arriving from that direction. 

10 brave, undecorated young men, in slops, tee shirts and shorts, ran over that wall and attacked the bush line and disrupted their anchor on pinning us down...and saved our lives. THANK YOU BROTHERS!


Approximately an hour after midnight, we'd broken their attack and chased them until first light. Their flight illuminated by our 60 and 80 mil illumination mortars. At first light we came head to head with a massive herd of cattle moving over their tracks, obscuring their escape. We returned to base and left the chase to the gun ships and Romeo Mike.

I fired approximately 107 x 60 mil motars that night, with hand sights and a foot base plate.. I put a diamond of 4 mortar around the enemy 82 mil mortar pipe, almost 1km away from my pit and rained more on their 60 mil positions. A particular night I won't forget. A particular night the opposition will never forget.

Thanks to those that serve! May God bless us and keep us sane!

Great render. It really took me back a spell.