Trooper Jackson polishing his boots in barracks, Westbury, 1941

Photograph compiled by Major Wilfred Herbert James Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters), World War Two, 1941.

A member of 3rd County of London Yeomanry cleans his boots. The most common method for cleaning boots in the British Army was called 'bull polishing'. This involved rubbing polish into the leather with a cloth and a drop of water or saliva. There were many different techniques advocated including melting the polish and adding cigar ash to the mixture.

The unit's initial road and rail move to Westbury in Wiltshire occurred at the end of May 1941. According to the unit's war diary, on 1 June 1941, the Sharpshooters numbered 40 officers and 589 other ranks. It was equipped with 22 Cruiser tanks (including Marks VI, V and VIa), 26 light tanks, 10 scout cars and 7 personnel carriers, along with around 65 soft-skin vehicles and 17 motorcycles. The 3rd County of Yeomanry undertook training at Westbury until mid-August. It then moved to Avonmouth and embarked on the voyage to North Africa.

From a photograph album containing 620 photographs compiled by Major W H J Sale, MC, 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters).