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‘In October 1940 we were moved to a primitive set of hut on the edge of woodland. The first priority was to build latrines which were constructed according to the military manual. A clump of trees sensibly screened the ablutions from the accommodation. While this siting was logical it took no account of the habits and habitat of the local wildlife.’

Bill painfully recalls the cost of this mistake.
‘It is unnecessary to go into all the gruesome details but the lesson was quickly and very painfully learnt. Never to go to the toilets after tea. Jerry may have had his dive bombers but the midges at Leuchars were just as vicious.’

This story was submitted to the people’s War site by a volunteer from CSV Oxford on behalf of the late Bill Harvey. It is a transcript of his own diary and several interviews. He gave written permission for the material to be edited and published.

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