Situation Report On A Reconnaissance Expedition Poem by Gert Strydom

We went to reconnoitre enemy positions
being dropped from very high by parachute
in a dark moonless night
and I couldn’t even see the stars
as I came down to the ground
and there wasn’t any sign of light
up to the horizon.

After landing we grouped together
following a compass
walked miles and miles north east
saw the rising sun
walked right through the day

and did not find any enemy,
found no activity or any sign of man
crossed some small rivers marked on the map

saw a lot of crocodiles, some hippopotamuses
came across a lion kill
where they lay snarling at us
and as hiking through the bush go
this was excellent
as we saw almost all of the big five first hand,
while moving between them
and came back alive
but in a strategic military sense
it was of no value.