A group of us was picked out to take part in a "Guard of Honour"at "A" Echelon area back behind the lines approximately ten milessouth.

We went in a truck with our Lieutenant Crowe to practice drill allday with other troopers from other countries and to polish and'blanco" our webbing and pouches, rifle and bayonet etc.

It was an easy day with fine and warm weather making everythingpleasant. "A" Echalon was a giant parade ground complete with asmall airstrip. The next day Syngman Rhee the President of SouthKorea was going to arrive by light aircraft to inspect the UnitedNations soldiers on parade. These men were from many countriesthat were helping his country to stop the North Korean andChinese invaders.

After tea we had a general chit-chat before going to bed at 9.00p.m., looking forward to the "Big parade" the next day.

THURSDAY 21^st MAY, 1953.

We climbed out of our stretcher beds the next morning at 6.00a.m. The Lieutenant walked in to our sleeping quarters - helooked white and ashen and very sad. He announced to us in ashakey voice that Pte. Ronald Rackley and Sgt. Keith Foran hadbeen killed the night before. The sad part was that the "bosses'higher up than the Lieutenant would not let him go to the funeralparade for these two soldiers that he had got to know back inAustralia. The Lieutenant had to carry on with his part of theparade for the President.

We moved out at 8.00 a.m. to assemble for the BritishCommonwealth Parade opposite the airstrip, I watched for theaircraft to land. It was a U.S. Airforce Beechcraft 'TwinBonanza" all aluminium colour 5-6 sealer light aircraft - with alittle bit of red trim outside. After the motors had come to a stopthe right starboard side door was opened and the Presidentclimbed down the two or three short steps and all the officerssaluted him and all walked to where we were standing at attentionready for his inspection. I looked straight ahead at eye level to seewhat the President looked like and as he came past I got quite asurprise. I had to look down as he was only about four and a halffeet tall - a real little* guy.

After this inspection of about ten minutes he got back into the'Twin Bonanza" aircraft and took off into the 'wild blue yonder'disappearing into fine warm weather.

After all this excitement we had dinner then went back to the frontline in trucks, had tea, did the usual 'stand-to' as darknessdescended with rain not far away. I went to bed at 9.15 p.m. withwarm thoughts of the day and sadness for Keith Foran and RonRackley, killed in a mine-field the night before while on a patrolwith Jack Barden and other men.

* Syngman Rhee was born 26th April, 1875, which made him 78 yearsold at the time I saw him, no wonder he looked small!