RAOC 30 COY, MILADOCAMP
DEEP TRENCH LATRINES
As Remembered By Alan Clarke
 |
I suspect that there would have been a Royal Engineers manual with a section headed “Latrines, deep trench, for the use of” but this building would not have won any awards from the Royal Institute of British Architects. The structure was simple; lengths of timber framing, corrugated metal sheets to four sides and roof, two doors, anti-fly mesh (optional) and seating made from softwood that would be, in time, splinter free.
It was, in its day, essential, functional, and in many ways a centre for social intercourse. Groups of up to ten personnel could, at leisure, discuss the important issues of the day, read to all and sundry news from home, exchange tobacco products and pass on well thumbed, dubious magazines that should have carried a health warning
It was not always a cheerful place to be in, of course. Many will remember the poor bods struck down with the “thruppenny bits” who wanted nothing more than peace and quiet while they wished away their last hours on this planet.
The DTL at Milado Camp was to come to an untimely end. It was about mid morning in June 1954 that the fire bell (I say fire bell, it was one of those metal triangle things) rang out and all personnel emerged from offices, stores, from under vehicles and from hiding places known only to seasoned skivers. We were all drawn to the flame and smoke engulfed building, by now beyond salvation. The RSM shouted a lot and we emptied water and sand buckets to the wreckage. Our main concern, naturally, was who would be detailed to start digging the next one.
The cook corporal was disturbed from his slumber (having been on early breakfast duty) by the noise and the strange odour now drifting over the tent lines. He was seen sniffing the air and was heard to mutter “I don’t remember authorising Filet Mignon aux Oignons Gratin Dauphinois for tiffin”.
The OC now made his appearance, inspected the debris and concluded
that this was a very serious incident. Was this a carelessly discarded fag
end or match, or something more sinister, terrorist action perhaps? He quickly
summoned the RMP and SIB to investigate. Sadly, they had nothing to go on!