Skip over navigation

Back

Kriss Akabusi

Data Telegraphist

Share this veterans story:

Kriss gives a very honest account of his lack of appreciation for the role he might have to take as a member of the British Army. In his own words, 'i didn't realise that by protecting the Homeland, you often have to go overseas'. The Falklands Conflict brought this home in a way that still amazes him now.  


More veterans like this one

William Walker
William Walker was the oldest surviving veteran of the Battle of Britain. In March 2012 he gave an amazingly lucid and detailed account of his RAF servic …
Tony Pickering
Tony was a pilot in 501 Squadron. He was 19 when he flew his first sortie in the Battle of Britain and this was after just a few practice flights.
Tony Iveson
Tony Iveson gives a truly amazing account of his distinguished career in the RAF. He was one of the few pilots to fly in both fighter and bomber command …
Tom Neil
Tom was just 19 when he piloted his Hurricane in the Battle of Britain. He then went onto Malta where conditions were far worse for him and his squadron. …
Terry Carroll
When Terry opted to join the Dragoons over the RAF and the Navy he hadn't expected to find himself in Flail Tank creating a safe path off of Juno beach.
Terence Kane
Terence Kane gives an amazing account of his short Fighter career in the RAF. Short because he was on shot down over the English Channel not long after j …
Ted Verbiest
Ted is the first to admit he had a lovely war. He was one of the first in line when the recruiting office opened he found himself shipped off to Cape Tow …
Ted Hunt
At 91 Ted amazed us all with his encyclopaedic memory of his time as 2nd in command of 15 Rhino LST landing crafts on D Day. He not only provides a genui …
Stamper Metcalf
Stamper signs up for Bomber Command.
Sidney Mitchell
Sidney is a real character and despite his age still holds some very vivid memories of his time in the Signals including his call up.
Rusty Firmin
This is the first of 8 films about Rusty. It's the start of a career that will lead him to a 13 year stint in B Squadron of the 22nd Special Air Service …
Ronald Arnold
Ron Arnold was a dispatch rider during WWII. Prior to DDay he recalls riding around the eerily quiet towns of England's South Coast. After DDay it's an …
Robert Watts
Robert was on Landing craft at D Day. One thing that still lives with him trying to rescue Canadian troops from drowning as the weight of their kit pulle …
Rob Stirling
Rob Stirling joined the army to get away from a troubled home life. He's had more than his fair share of adventure.
Rex Sheppard
I went to Korea a boy and came back a man".  Watch Rex talk about his experiences in some of the worst fighting conditions since the Great War. We c …
Ralph Tyrell
Ralph Tyrell gives an amazing account of life as a 20 year old bomb aimer. '..it was my job to go and lay on my stomach, open the bomb doors and tell the …
Peter Noad
Peter was inspired to become a soldier when his Uncle used to let him play with grenades as a boy!  His long career spanned several intense tours of Nort …
Peter Dunstan
This is the first of 9 films about Peter Dunstan's life as a Royal Marine in WWII. It is an extraordinary account of service on-board the HMS Prince of …
Paul Farnes
Paul Farnes is one of the surviving pilots from the Battle of Britain. He was awarded 8 kills and a DFM. We spent an hour talking to him about his experi …
Patrick Hollins
Coastal Command was originally formed to protect convoys and Allied supply ships from attack from the enemy.
Michael Wainwright
Michael Wainwright is one of the Battle of Britain fighter pilots we filmed with the help of the Roger De Haan trust and Group Captain Patrick Tootal. Th …
Lyle Thomson
Lyle recounts his distinguished career in the RAF from the fifties through to the Falklands. His focus is on his time in the Falklands where he was part …
Lord Alan West
In this film Lord West gives us an overview of his long, illustrious and active career. He has an impressive C.V.
Len Manning
On his 3rd mission, Len was shot down over France on their way to the target.  Coned by searchlights, the pilot put the Lancaster into a dive but th …
Kriss Akabusi
Fascinating interview with a British Olympic athlete who reached the pinnacle of his sport through the support of the British Army. 
Ken Wilkinson
Battle of Britain Pilot shares memories of life in the RAF.
John Howard
John recalls leaving his wife and young family.
John Harrison
John Harrison was an ordinance officer on A Turret, HMS Belfast. He shares his incredible story of survival when he was working down below and the Belf …
John Edward Lee
John Lee watched the Battle of Britain from the ground and knew he wanted to join the RAF. He becomes a Navigator of a Lancaster bomber in 76 Squadron an …
John Bowler
John Bowler was a National Service Sub Lieutenant with the 1st Battalion The Welch Regiment when he went to Korea. He gives a fantastic account of his …
Joe Hoadley
Joe's gives an amazingly detailed account of his life in the srevices. Starting with stories about life in the Home Guard in Kent, trying to join up and …
Jimmy Taylor
Fantastic interview with Spitfire photo reconnaissance pilot who survives an engine failure over Holland.
James Bisiker
Jimmy Bisiker was a Royal Marine with 40 Commando in 1947/48. He gives a great account of his service and recalls the momentous chapter of history when …
Ian Hammerton
A very interesting interview highlighting some of the difficult tasks Allied troops faced on the D Day landings.  Ian was the commander of squadron …
Howard Tomlinson
Howard joined the army to get away from a difficult family life when he was just 17. It was a huge change of life and just what he needed.
Harry Eddy
Harry spent his time in the Navy aboard a Tank landing craft. He was one of the first onto Sword beach and survived the atrocious landings at Westkapelle …
Harry Card
Harry was a look out on HMS Swift. From his vantage point he witnessed some of the most incredible scenes of WWII.
Graeme Golightly
Graeme Golightly was an eighteen year old Royal marine Commando when the Falklands Conflict started.
Gordon Smith
Gordon Smith gives an emotional account of his military experiences during WWII starting with memories of the Blitz.
Gordon Jones
Gordon Jones flew in Bomber Command and confesses to being lucky. Very lucky. In his interview he talks in detail about the Lancaster bomber and his bel …
George Bell
In this film George gives an overview of his incredible career in the Navy and recalls his training on the HMS Ganges.
George Bayliss
A lovely old gentleman who survived [by the skin of his teeth] his time in the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiments in Italy during the second world …
George Barnes
George Barnes had spent his child hood playing around on the harbours and beaches of his native Cornwall. In 1950 he was conscripted and sent to Korea.
Geoffrey Wellum
Geoffrey Wellum shares his story about his trip to Malta with no bullets.
Geoffrey Steer
Geoff joined the army because he wanted to avoid the coalmines at all costs. Fate played him a cruel card.
Geoffrey Abbott
Geoff was RAF ground crew during the Second World War and worked on Spitfires in North Africa. A great character with some fascinating stories to share …
Gen Sir Mike Jackson
General Sir Mike gives an overview of his 45 year military career and what a career!
Frances McLaren
Frances has an amazing story to share. She worked for the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment which famously developed the bouncing bomb or 'high …
Dr Joyce Hargrave-Wright
Joyce was a naive 20 year old when she was sent to Bad Eilsen in Germany to work at the Berlin Air Traffic Control centre. She has some unique perspect …
Douglas Hassall
Another Chelsea pensioner and a very different experience of the war to George Bayliss. We pick up the story en route to Singapore. Douglas isn't long in …
Don McArthur
Don talks about his very first parachute jump and the regiments 'Para Dog' - Glen.
Colin Parker
Colin used to love watching the trooping of the colour but had assumed a life on the docks was his lot. That all changed when he went to an Army careers …
Catherine Avent
Catherine had romantic ideas of life as a WREN and she delivers a thoroughly captivating account of her life during the war.
Buster Brown
Going against his father's wishes, Buster joins the Navy. He confesses to being terrified at the possibility of going down the mines although as a skille …
Bryan 'Tab' Hunter
"Tab" was conscripted into the Paras in 1956. He talks engrossingly about the training and some of the scrapes he was involved in before he heads to Cypr …
Brian Bird
One of the few surviving WWII pilots to have flown both the Hurricane and the Spitfire. Brian has all his faculties and his memories of specific bombing …
Bob Stewart
Bob Stewart became better known as 'Bosnia Bob' when he found himself as the military's media man informing the world about Balkan Politics.
Bob Foster
A conversation with Bob Foster - Battle of Britain fighter pilot.
Betty Hutton
Betty was just 18 when she joined the WAAF. When she leaves 5 years later, she receives a mention in the Kings despatches. 
Bernard Parke
Bernard offers an amusing and insightful take on conscription in the fifties. He secured himself a place in the RAF in air craft movements at Beachy Hea …
Austin Byrne
Austin talks about life in Bradford during the early years of the war before he joins the Navy to do his bit as a DEMS gunner on-board SS Induna.
Alec Pulfer
A character who served on HMS Woolwich in the Mediterranean during the second world war. As most of the fleet was damaged or sunk in the Med he's one of …
Alec Penstone
This is the first of 8 films about Alec Penstone's incredible life as a WWII submarine detector.
Alec 'Ernest' Kellaway
Alec Kellaway began his career in the Royal Navy aboard the ill-fated HMS Hood. He is one of the few veterans we've met who has experience of the Spanish …
Alan Tizzard
As a boy Alan was mad about motor cars. Little could he imagine that at 18 he would be commanding a 32,000 horsepower tank on the Russian borders during …
Alan Johnson
Alan Johnson shares some very candid memories of his life on the Airlift.
Adre Jeziorski
In September 1939 Germany and Russia invaded Poland. Hitler ordered his armies to kill without pity or mercy, all men, women, and children of Polish desc …