Malaya as a conflict was different. Patrols often did not make contact with the communist guerillas (CTs) for days or weeks in the thick jungles.

These long periods between engaging the enemy meant soldiers would get careless and make mistakes. They also had to contend with boredom, leeches, jumping red ants and incomplete maps.

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As the Australian troops became more experienced in jungle patrols, they began to follow a new set of rules:

1. Reduce number of men to a minium.
2. Never go on patrol at the same time everyday, otherwise the CTs will know their danger time.
3. Never travel on the same track twice to avoid ambushes.
4. Never move at night.
5. Consider all rubber-tappers as spies.
6. Do not bunch up, each man to be as far as possible from the next one without losing site of the one in front.
7. Walk as silently as possible, with a light movement like walking on eggs.
8. Don't talk, unless in a whisper, [and only if you really have to].
9. Listen. A man walking through the bush will make some noise, Chinese or not.
10. Don't smoke.