Rev. George Beach of Port Dufferin, N.S., says this incident took place at No. 4 RAF Air Gunnery School at Walney Island in northwest England during WW II:

The station warrant officer, a regular known as Little Willie throughout the RAF, was not happy with the performance of a firing party at a funeral drill.

“I’ll make it more realistic,” he said. “I’ll be the corpse.”

Once again, Little Willie gave the orders, then marched between the two ranks and lay down on the grass. Looking up, he said: “Now, your heads is right. Your hands is right. Your weapons is right. But you ain’t got that look of regret that you ought to have.”