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This article is in response to a question from the WW2 Team on how we kept clean, with the short answer that it was sometimes with great difficulty and ingenuity.

In North Africa with the 21st Tank Brigade, it was relatively easy as we had our patented oil fired drums, fully utilised for all occasions on the basis of one gallon cold in — one gallon hot out, with which one can do wonders. Much the same principle applied to tea making with the Benghazi Kettle - on halting the tank it was possible to be drinking a steaming hot cuppa within 90 seconds.

The principles of these actions have now filtered through various manufacturers in the UK and they now have wall hung central heating 'boilers' issuing forth with what is required at minimum expense. Unfortunately the same does not hold in North America where we continue to store, heat and reheat water for all uses at a very high cost. The principles outlined with our African oil drums is just another 'Limey' idea — like the 79th Armoured Division's funnies! One day perhaps!

There were, of course, many tales of utilising the sand, which abounded and was used as a 'brillo pad'... and the camel dung used as shower gel... but not too many Marines bought that story!

In Italy we had different and much more sophisticated methods as we were attached to the Canadian Corps for fighting etc but not for rations. We were blessed on occasions with the arrival of a shower and underwear replacement unit, whereby we could luxuriate in a hot shower and have our underwear replaced by clean stuff. This had an immediate effect in the ambience of a Churchill Tank Turret where we could no longer blame the fumes from the guns.

Austria, of course, was even better as we managed to build a 12 shower head unit with changing room, complete with hooks, oodles of soap, shelves and other accoutrements for the purpose of remaining sweet smelling at all times. In a most generous mood we even allowed the local villagers the use of these facilities twice per week. This had a most unexpected benefit owing to the perspicacity of the Lance Corporal i/c the bathhouse, who noted that the village maidens would have their bath party on a particular afternoon. He also noted the initial construction of a hornets' nest in the changing room. Being something of a mathematician he multiplied 2 x 2 making the invariable 5, and so an evil plot was hatched, which he made known to other members of the squadron.

On this particular afternoon many of the squadron just happened to be in the area when the Lance Corporal pulled on a string which he had laboriously tied around the base of the now mature hornets' nest, causing it to fall on the floor, and sending the hornets in search of the perpetrators of the demise of their nest. At this point the door of the bathhouse flew open, sending a dozen village maidens into the open air in all sorts of undress including the full Monty! A resounding cheer went up from the Squadron!

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