An MFC carried all the normal gear – plus a radio, plus a spare battery, plus antennas. The pack was so heavy it was turtle time to get it off the ground. You’d put the pack on the ground, lie on it, put the straps on, roll onto your belly and then – using your hands – climb up a sapling or your weapon and get onto your feet. 

On the first tour I was part of the infamous bayonet assault up the beach at Vung Tau. The company commander had this brilliant idea that when we got to Vietnam we would do a bayonet assault up the beach. When the landing craft ramp was dropped, we had landed in the middle of an American base. There we were, slouch hats on, holding our rifles with fixed bayonets, and the Yanks were standing around taking pictures of us. An American said: ‘Put those God-damned pig-stickers away before you hurt someone!’