German prisoners of war being deloused by Corporal W Newman before interrogation, Castel del Rio, Italy, October 1944

Photograph, World War Two, Italy (1943-1945), 1944.

Lice infestation was common for soldiers who spent long periods in the front line in close proximity to each other, often without adequate washing and laundry facilities. As well as being highly irritating there was also the danger of contracting louse-borne typhus fever.

From a collection of British official war photographs relating to the 78th Division.