I recall a story of an old friend of mine Mick who was the Brigadier’s operator.
On one exercise he was driving into location, and ran over a rabbit. Seeing a tiny bunny rabbit standing next to the lifeless body of it’s mother, he was overcome by remorse, and decided the only honourable thing to do, was to look after it. A home was quickly made from a compo box, and numerous carrots were purloined from the cookhouse tent.
The news of the bunny soon spread, and all the lads soon beat a path to the brigadier’s tent, to see the newest arrival to the squadron. The tent soon filled with well wishers, and Mike decided to call it Peter Rabbit. It was at this point that the Brigadier entered the tent, and much to his annoyance asked ‘’what the hell is going on’’?
Mick soon realised he would have to explain, and blurted out the story. ‘’We have decided to call it Peter Rabbit’’ and, in the hope that he wouldn’t be told to get rid of it added ‘’And thought it could be the squadron mascot’’.
The Brigadier looked into the compo box and said ‘’ I hate to disappoint you, but it isn’t a rabbit, it’s a young hair, it’s a leveret’’.
Mick taken by surprise, blurted out ‘’In that case sir, we will call it Kenny ………..Kenny Leveret’’
We all had to leave the tent to put on dry trousers.
