MR G Studholme's recollections (LET, September 30) reminded me of the time, prior to joining the Fleet Air Arm in the Second World War, when I was a member of Great Harwood Home Guard based in St Hubert's Lodge. I was 16.
To prepare for the expected invasion of England, we engaged in various exercises.
One night exercise in particular comes to mind when it was reported that German paratroops had landed in fields between Great Harwood and Rishton. The platoon sergeant was Sergeant Jack Burrows.
After leaving our transport vehicles we slithered on our stomachs through fields, passing a number of cows lying down chewing their cud.
Everything was going well until I crawled through a 'pat' of cow dung.
For the remaining three hours of the exercise, I stank to high heaven with other members of the patrol deliberately evading me.
This experience led me to volunteer for the Fleet Air Arm and not the Army!
ROY MARTIN, Kemp Court, Blackburn.
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