Chase Bridge School

A short film to celebrate the visit to Kneller Hall by the superbly well behaved pupils [and teachers] from Chase Bridge primary school.  Thanks very much to the volunteers and veterans [Len Tyler, Roger Swift and Sally George] for taking the time to make this fun and educational visit possible.

Ralph Brill

Ralph Brill is a serving WO Class2 Band Sergeant Major of the Irish Guards. Originally from a non-musical family in South Wales, Ralph is now recognised as one of the very best Cornet players in the British Army. He provides lots of fascinating detail on what it takes to perform at the very top.

Roger Tomlinson

Lieutenant Colonel Roger Tomlinson traces his life’s journey for us; going from the schoolboy fascinated by a Guards band on parade, through the musician learning all the instruments, to, as the Army’s principal Director of Music, being tasked with probably the most painful decision an army musician might have to take. Along the way he also had to deal with unwanted whisky, a horse that wouldn’t canter, choppers coming the wrong way, and the sound of a bullet whistling past at close range.

Geordie Thomson

Geordie Thomson a lad with a military music background got ‘the music bug’ playing in the local town band alongside his Dad and his uncle. Offered a music bursary to university he turned that down to join up. In this film he speaks of his regrets of not getting ‘sand in his boots’ but the pleasure he got from the music, and the friends, he made in the Army.

Sally George

Sally George (née Door) was a cornet player and member of the WRAC band from 1976 to 1982.  She discusses her experiences studying at Kneller Hall and her following posting in Guildford as a member of the band.  Reminiscing about playing in the all-female band, she discusses the role and importance the band played.

Paul Collis-Smith

Paul Collis-Smith is a Major and a current Director of Music in the Army Corp of Music. With a military musical career that has spanned more than 28 years, he speaks of his love of the trumpet as a child to becoming a trustee to the museum at Kneller Hall. He found himself on the frontlines of Bosnia and Afghanistan, and yet finds himself building bridges through music with other nations.

Stuart Hall

Stuart Hall was a musician in the Grenadier Guards’ band attaining the rank of Corporal before returning to civilian life. Joining the army in 1973 at the age of 16, Stuart, a trombone player, found himself training at Kneller Hall.

Roger Swift

Major Roger Swift tells us how a young man, who trained as an engineer actually spent fifty-three years as an Army musician, leading some of its premier bands and being a part of the force’s triumphs and tragedies. Roger remembers how music could say “We’re sorry’’ and how he found out that the monarch has a sharp eye for a uniform.

Louis Davies

Louis Davies is a former member of the Corp of Army Music. After joining the army, he was stationed at Kneller Hall; he later found himself joining the Royal Marines Corps of Drums however the influence of his time at Kneller Hall never diminished.

Len Tyler

In this film, Len Tyler tells us how, as a musician in the Army, he fell in love with the tuba, having flirted with the trombone, how he kept quiet at Pirbright, how the ‘Golden Eight’ became the ‘Golden Nine’ and of the time he smuggled a sousaphone. Along the way he learnt some Maltese, found his favourite note and almost deafened the Duke of Edinburgh.

Brian Bird

"I shall never forget I turned the aircraft on a straight line... and I was on my way on my first trip over the German lines and it was really, quite the most dramatic experience I've ever had in my life"

Dennis Grogan

Dennis Grogan talks in detail about his time with 1903 Air Observation Corps. These flights, were equipped with Austers, and operated from an airstrip which was constructed for them by Canadian Army Engineers prior to their arrival in Korea. It's a great account about a little known chapter of the Korean War.

Stuart Holmes

Stuart Holmes flew Sunderland Flying boats with 205 Squadron during the Korean war. He provides a lot of interesting detail about his life at Iwakuni.

John Cumming

John Cumming served with the RAF in Korea. Initially he was involved in aircraft movement.

Vic Urch

Tim Elkington

Wing Commander Tim Elkington admits to an uneventful childhood. He's also equally modest about a very eventful life as a Second World War fighter pilot. Aside from action at the Battle of Britain, he also served in Russia, the Atlantic and India...

Ken Plowman

Ken Plowman provides a detailed account of his time as an airman. He set out to be a fighter pilot but his timing was wrong so he settled for gliders.

Chloe Russell

Mark Harding

Anthony Bouman

Charles Bull

Charles Bull provides an interesting account of his time onboard HMS Kenya. He worked in Payroll.

Ron Yardley

Ron Yardley gives a great account of his life onboard HMS Belfast while she served in the Korean War.

John Pound

John Pound served in the Royal Navy on a C-Class Destroyer – HMS Charity. The ships primary role was to patrol the west coast. It was a busy time and John recounts it well.

Frank Bewley

In the Korean war, Frank Bewley served onboard HMS Glory as an Aircraft Engineer with 821 Squadron.

David Carpenter

David Carpenter served with 41 Independent Commando in Korea. It’s a fab account and he also has a wonderful photo album which are available to view if you sign up to become a Member.

Dorothy Runnicles

Dorothy Runnicles provides a fabulously opinionated account of her service with the WRNS. She was an evacuee would go on to become a pacifist.

Kittie Perry

Kittie Perry provides a comprehensive account of her time in the WRNS. She was a Air Mechanic - Engines who loved her work on the Spitfire.

Sister Veronica

Sister Veronica provides a fabulous interview full of fun and detail. She served with the Women’s Royal Naval Service as an Air Mechanic – ‘Engines’ and was attached to the Fleet Air Arm.

Harold Addie

Harold Addie gives an emotional account of his time as a Wireman on LCT501. Early on D-Day, they were responsible for landing the Canadians onto Juno

Margaret Moorcraft

Margaret Moorcraft gives a detailed and engaging account of her service in the WRNS as an Armourer. Thanks to Celia Saywell for putting us in touch.

The Bugle Calls

Listen to a collection of 90 high-quality recordings of Field Calls for Mounted Corps and Infantry in camp and quarters.

Tom Griffiths

Tom Griffiths started his military career as a boy bandsman in the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment and retired as Major, Director of Music, at the Grenadier Guards.

Wendy Lewis

Wendy Lewis details why she wanted to join the WRAC as a musician so she could continue her hobby, the cornet. But as well as a hobby the Army brought her a hubby, a fellow musician.

Stuart Marsh

Stuart Marsh was a WO1 in the Corp of Army Music. He played the drums for the Blues and Royals for many years and was often on the Drum Horse.

Ralph Brill

Ralph Brill is a serving WO Class2 Band Sergeant Major of the Irish Guards. Originally from a non-musical family in South Wales, Ralph is now recognised as one of the very best Cornet players in the British Army. He provides lots of fascinating detail on what it takes to perform at the very top.

Frank Renton

David Smith

David Smith joined the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards on the 14th of September 1976. It’s a date he remembers well because David admits that the army, and in particular the band, gave him a purpose and confidence to his life.

Harry Hawkesworth

Harry is one of the Glosters that was captured at the Battle of the Imjin. Despite his charming demeanour, 65 years later, the memories still cause...

John Pritchard

In Korea, John Pritchard was a craftsman with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers [REME].

Neville Williams

Neville Williams provides a detailed account of his time as an Assault Pioneer in The Welch Regiment.

Chase Bridge School

A short film to celebrate the visit to Kneller Hall by the superbly well behaved pupils [and teachers] from Chase Bridge primary school.  Thanks very much to the volunteers and veterans [Len Tyler, Roger Swift and Sally George] for taking the time to make this fun and educational visit possible.

Pegeen Hill

Pageen Hill had a remarkable young life working in the Red Cross. She travelled to some seriously inhospitable places

Shelley Cooper

Shelley Cooper is the mother of Kingsman Anthony Cooper who also features in our archive and was recorded as part of Chorley Council’s project, “Sacrifice: Stories of Bravery & Resilience after Recent Conflicts Project”. She gives a very honest account of the impact Anthony’s injuries have had on her and the family.

Donna Rowe-Green

Donna Rowe Green has been a horticulturist all her life and she knows the benefit of spending time outdoors.

Margaret Jackson

Margaret Jackson was PA to Major-General Sir Colin Gubbins who, prior to becoming SOE’s Director of Operations and eventually Head of SOE, had formed the Auxiliary Units, a civilian force to operate behind German lines if Britain was invaded. Margaret ?rst joined Gubbins in Paris, when he was leading a mission set up and liaise with resistance movements run by the Polish and Czech authorities in exile.

Mildred Schutz

Mildred Schutz was in a reserved occupation when she joined the FANY in 1941. Initially she served as a secretary at SOE HQ on Baker Street.

J-L Cremieux

Jean-Louis Crémieux-Brilhac joined the Free French Forces in London and became liaison officer between the Free French, SOE and the BBC.

Joan Taylor

Joan Taylor [nee Tapp] was an WTS FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) with the SOE. She worked as a wireless operator, receiving and sending coded messages to agents in the field. She was stationed in England, Algiers, and Italy. She provided Legasee with some nice photographs of her time with the SOE in Massingham. You can view these if you become a member.

Bob Moloubier

In this revealing interview, the world renowned saboteur and weapons trainer, Bob Maloubier shares detail about his life in SOE and Force 136

Doreen Page

In 1944, Doreen Page was studying German at London university. When her call up papers came through, language skills were in high demand