In the hard bargaining of Piccadilly Circus, the flick of a cigarette lighter—giving the soldier his first glimpse of the woman’s face—could make or break a street deal. If some boys got too rough, the Commandos were capable of handling themselves. The French women walked with growling Dalmatians on leashes, and almost all streetwalkers carried switchblades. Vertical sex, a wall-job, as it was known, could be had for £2, about $8; a “quickie” in a shabby hotel room was prorated according to service rank. Most Commandos preferred wall jobs—Marble Arch style was their term for it.
