miraculously found my way. not the ideal place for a soldier to be found. no, all my kit piled up in my mini. we were a bit naive in those days. but i remember arriving and being told to get my uniform on, and i d be commanding my platoon. you knew you would have been the target of the ira. for sure, yes. we were going to an ambush on the road towards the pass, which was very notable, veterans will know very well. it was an extraordinary thing to do, and my company commander listened to the orders i gave. my platoon sergeant was very much there to make sure they were decent orders. but you were thrown in at the deep end, and it was one of those circumstances where you sink or swim. but i think the system around you wanted to to succeed. but you did succeed as what something people call of political soldier. you get drafted in to makie plans for politicians.