- Messages
- 2,656
I did a Remembrance Day service last November and was talking to an old veteran. Quite unprompted he told me a shaving-related story.
In the days before the Normandy landing the chap went for a wash and a shave. He had just arrived at a toilet block when two higher ranking soldiers told him to come to their hut and stay with the maps (plans for the D-day invasion which couldn't be left unguarded). So he dashed up to their post leaving his shaving kit behind in the washroom. Of course, when he got back it had been nicked.
Then, on the beach after the invasion, he was taking cover (= hiding!) behind a large armoured vehicle. As this went on for a while he rubbed his stubble and decided he needed a shave. His mate was there with him and reached into his kit and lent the man his razor (ah, those pre-HIV / health-and-safety / litigation days). My man then had a shave using his mate's razor and seawater from a pool on the beach. No soap, no brush, salty water and all conducted under enemy fire. After that he felt good enough to break cover and run up the beach to the next forward position. (Ah, the power of a clean shaven man!)
I was amazed as I hadn't mentioned shaving at all and this tale poured out of him with a real sparkle in his eye.
In the days before the Normandy landing the chap went for a wash and a shave. He had just arrived at a toilet block when two higher ranking soldiers told him to come to their hut and stay with the maps (plans for the D-day invasion which couldn't be left unguarded). So he dashed up to their post leaving his shaving kit behind in the washroom. Of course, when he got back it had been nicked.
Then, on the beach after the invasion, he was taking cover (= hiding!) behind a large armoured vehicle. As this went on for a while he rubbed his stubble and decided he needed a shave. His mate was there with him and reached into his kit and lent the man his razor (ah, those pre-HIV / health-and-safety / litigation days). My man then had a shave using his mate's razor and seawater from a pool on the beach. No soap, no brush, salty water and all conducted under enemy fire. After that he felt good enough to break cover and run up the beach to the next forward position. (Ah, the power of a clean shaven man!)
I was amazed as I hadn't mentioned shaving at all and this tale poured out of him with a real sparkle in his eye.