...apparently the Americans were pretty anal about the length of grass on the lawn in case of fires.
He should have adopted the same tactic as some chaps on the F-4 course ahead of mine! They were sharing a house in Coningsby village and in the early summer, an anonymous complaint came through their letterbox, stating that if they didn't cut the grass on their front lawn, the Stn Cdr would be informed...
Who was B*****d B**l...
Being U/T F-4 mates, they thought up a suitable response. Thus VERY early one morning an ancient ATCO mower, which they'd borrowed from one of the staff navs, spluttered into life emitting clouds of oily smoke. The thing's silencer had obviously known better days as it made a most satisfying racket as every last square inch of the lawn was given a very careful and thorough trim.
Silence then settled.
Until they started on the back lawn half an hour later....
Oddly enough, they never received another complaint!