Sylvia joined the WRAC in 1974 in hopes of working with animals and also learning to drive. After completing her initial training at Guildford, she began her specialised training with the police after performing well in her aptitude test. Unlike some other veterans, Sylvia remembers feeling she had a choice regarding her trade and as a result thoroughly enjoyed her experience with the military police. Belonging to squad 7405, she recalls the complex physical and mental training she had to complete in order to become a ranked military police officer. Although never weapon trained, she was taught how to engage in unarmed combat and endured NBC training procedures. In this interview Sylvia provides an insight into the feelings of WRAC women existing under the shadow of IRA threats. Discussing the Guildford bombing of 1974, she recalls the constant fear that hung over those serving in the army in their shared realisation that everyone was a target. She also describes her desires to push against the restrictions on female horse riding, and was eventually posted to Aldershot as the first female rider to join the military police mounted troop. Sylvia's interview provides an interesting and powerful account of one of the many ambitious women who served under the WRAC, and showcases the importance of documenting these women as army veterans.

At only eighteen and determined for adventure, Sue accepted her place at the WRAC college at Camberley in 1971. Being born into a military family Sue knew from a young age that she would join the army. In her interview she recalls the discipline and regimen of military life, but most importantly her pride at wearing her WRAC uniform. After Commissioning, Sue spent her first ten years in the WRAC recruiting, training or selecting women to be either WRAC Officers or Servicewomen. She was also involved in the training of Warrant Officers, Senior and Junior NCO’s and the selection of WRAC Junior Leaders. Sue reflects on this period with great fondness. Her extensive experience led to her selection to command one of the big three WRAC Companies. Sue was sent to Rheindahlen, Germany, and put in charge of 250 Servicewomen, a role which in many ways marked the pinnacle of her career. Remembering the Guildford bombing, Sue discusses its deep resonation with the women around her and the impact of other IRA attacks which she continued to feel through until the late 1980s. After leaving Rheindahlen in 1989, Sue went to work in the WRAC Directorate. Following the disbandment of the WRAC in 1992, Sue embarked on a seventeen-year career in the Adjutant General’s Corps. When that ended, Sue decided to commit her time to the WRAC Association to ensure its traditions and camaraderie lived on. She became its Vice President and Chairman of Trustees for Eleven years (2003 - 2014) and was awarded an MBE for her services to female veterans in 2014. She is now a Life Vice President of the WRAC Association and continues to give her time and experience to the Charity. A brilliant interview, we thank Sue for being an example of the many trailblazing women of the WRAC.

Sharon's interview provides an insight into the life of an ambitious woman who pushed against gender boundaries at the time. Having always wanted to join the military, Sharon thrived on the discipline at Guildford and felt proud to wear her uniform. She describes however, the difference in treatment towards men and women within her chef trade training, and how she felt as if the expectations of women were far lower than that of their male counterpoints. Sharon also describes her first posting to Ireland with the Army Catering Corps and the harsh reality of serving during this dangerous period. She later recalls her return to Belfast in 1988, where she was an unfortunate victim of the bombing and reflects on the trauma, she, and others alike, faced on that tour. Sharon also describes the conditions she worked in at the nuclear bunker in Wilton during the height of the Cold War. She only cooked with rations, tinned goods and remained underground for entire shifts. From this point onwards she continued to rise in her corps and as a result became the first female chef to serve officer residences, where she catered for individuals such as Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Reflecting on her time with the WRAC Sharon maintains that she feels forever connected to the female corps, but recognises how it restricted women's opportunities at the time.

After an unsure start to her career, Sandy soon realised she was talented at using the teleprinter and was immediately taken to the signals centre to begin working in communications. Sandy describes the rapid developments in technology and machines she oversaw whilst working for the Royal Signals, and remembers the complex relationship British intelligence had with American intelligence when co-working with satellite shuttles. She also recalls the adversities of being a woman in the army, not only regarding gender discrimination, but also the manner in which the SIB invested lesbianism amongst members of the WRAC. Sandy sadly describes her own experience with the investigations team, and due to being accused of same sex relations, was forced to leave the army instantly. This interview provides important insight into not only the highly vital roles women played within the WRAC, but also the range of issues they faced. Reflecting on the WRAC Sandy states that although she is proud to have served her country, she never felt like her life was truly hers.

An adventurous and extroverted young woman, Pauline joined the WRAC at seventeen years old after outperforming boys at her school in an army assault course. She knew in that moment that she would excel in a military career. Following her six weeks at Guildford she was posted to Blackdown to train as a supply clerk with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. She wanted to be a Physical Training Instructor but was advised to go into stores whilst placed in holding for an opening in physical trades. She remained in her first role as a store supplier before she was posted to Rheindahlen to supply local army bases. Being from Guyana Pauline describes the anxiety she felt in certain environments regarding racial prejudice but reflects fondly on her time in Rheindahlen due to her being surrounded by many women of different ethnicities. During her three years in Germany, as well as managing stores, she was also told to watch for Russian number plates or report suspicions of IRA or Cold War tensions. In this interview, Pauline recalls her upset at her forced leave due to her pregnancy and describes the many good soldiers the army lost due to this very reason. Like many other women, she felt she had more to give and these opportunities were taken away. Although Pauline speaks passionately about her time with the WRAC, her journey also highlights the issues with the treatment of women in the army.

At only seventeen years of age Pat joined the WRAC and was soon posted to Shoeburyness as an Experimental Assistant in Gunnery. Pat discusses the high level of classification she experienced whilst working as an EAG and how on her arrival she had to be cleared with the secret atomic at the highest grade of security. She goes on to further describe how all aspects of her life had to be investigated in order for her, and other soldiers, to engage in the top secret work at this posting. Pat reflects fondly on this time period and speaks passionately about her role as an optical measurer. After a few years Pat married and was forced to leave the army as there were no opportunities for marital couples to be posted together. When asked to reflect on her time with the WRAC Pat was grateful for the skills and experiences she was able to take with her from her time in the military, however, struggles to view herself as a veteran due to the glass ceiling that restricted opportunities for women in the army.

Originating from a military background, Mary knew she wanted to join the army and officially signed in 1978 when she left school. After excelling in her assessments, she chose to join the Royal Army Pay Corps knowing that they had bases all over the world. Following her initial training at Guildford, Mary was posted to Brighton where she worked on translating army promotions into symbols in order for occurrences to be coded into computer systems. She was then moved to Krefeld in Germany and placed in a pay team with two other RAPC individuals. She remembers her time in Germany as the moment in which she, like many others, became aware of the IRA threats and realities of life in the army. Having joined the WRAC towards the end of the 1970s, Mary reflects on the changing nature of women's roles and remembers the introduction of weapon training. She describes the extensive NBC training in Krefeld, in particular 'Active Edge' exercises which were intended to mimic Russian invasion. Mary describes the relationship between technological development and pay duties, and her developing awareness of the discrepancy in pay. With the disbandment of the WRAC she went for commission and became the only female RAPC. Her interview is an inspiring and authentic account of one of the many trailblazing women who broke the system.

Having grown up in Ireland during 'The Troubles', Marion joined the army to escape and begin life somewhere different. However soon after arriving at Guildford, she was injured in the bombing of the Horse and Groom pub in 1974. Marion recalls being aware that something was wrong but before she had time to react the bomb had exploded and she was left injured among the chaos. She describes how following this incident she was held back from completing her trade training and interrogated by army officers on suspicions of her being involved in the attack. In her interview she states that her treatment by the army during this time is something she held resentment towards for many years. She went on to complete her clerical training and was subsequently posted to Blackdown, Bicester, then Rheindahlen. In Germany an opportunity arose for Marion to become an army welfare assistant, where her role consisted of mostly dealing with war-affected and bereaved families. Although this position was extremely difficult, Marion found it rewarding but knew that it was soon time to leave. Reflecting on her time with the WRAC, Marion felt proud to be a veteran and values her connection to the female corps.

As a child Margaret travelled around the world with her father who was in the Royal Navy, therefore when she settled in England, joined the WRAC as a means of continuing her travels. Margaret joined in 1975, and as the first intake of army recruits after the Guildford bomb, she described the unnerving atmosphere and extreme safety precautions that were at place during her first six weeks of training. Having previously trained as a hairdresser, Margaret continued this trade and was quickly posted to Northern Ireland where she ran her own hairdressers in Aldergrove. She describes the horror of the bombings, shootings and overall violence in Ireland and her experience with PTSD following this posting. When asked to reflect on the WRAC, Margaret states that although she enjoyed the confidence being in the military gave her, she felt resentment towards the manner in which her career was so easily terminated as a result of pregnancy.

After seeing the WRAC in a magazine, Loraine was inspired to join the army and in 1973 arrived at Guildford. Determined to work with animals, she was quickly posted to Mulgrave where she began her specialised dog training. Loraine describes how following graduation, each woman was given a 'line' to maintain. She recalls the strict disciplinary environment of the kennels and the limited positions for women available. Although members of the WRAC were in training with dogs, they weren't officially allowed to train dogs - only handle them, as this was an overtly male profession. Following her years at the kennels, she left to work in a veterinary hospital on promotion. Devastatingly, she was forced to leave on conditions of marriage but after divorcing years later, was able to rejoin the WRAC with the encouragement of other women around her. She provides some interesting insights into the changing climate when she returned to the army in 1984. After becoming a qualified instructor, in 1988 she was promoted to a professional horse coach and groom at the Saddle Club in Hong Kong. In this interview, Loraine describes the disbandment of the WRAC as a societal indicator that not only were women's roles changing, but they were moving beyond a restrictive system.

At only seventeen years of age, Lieann joined the WRAC so she could travel and see the world. Lieann describes working hard at Guildford and her amazement at the rate in which young women transformed into soldiers within only six weeks. After excelling in her aptitude tests she was posted to Catterick to train as a data telegraphist. Lieann discusses developments in technology and the transition to computers in 1989. She also describes the introduction of weapons training across WRAC trades, and how she could feel the change happening within the female corps. During her time in communications, Lieann was posted to the nuclear bunker in Wilton and recalls the enhanced security measures in place during Cold War exercises. She was then posted to the Falklands and later Cyprus where she re-badged with the Royal Signals. At this point the WRAC had been disbanded and Lieann permanently signed on to the ninth Signal Regiment. During her time in Cyprus she fell pregnant and continued to serve until her last few weeks. She was one of the first women to serve in the army whilst pregnant, and although this marked an important moment in military history - Lieann describes the lack of emotional, financial and even uniform support offered to her during her pregnancy. A woman who truly pushed boundaries, we thank Lieann for her brilliant interview and her candour surrounding women's experiences within the WRAC.

From a young age Katherine knew she wanted to travel and when offered the opportunity to join the Royal Corps of Transport, she signed with the army. At nineteen she left for Guildford and speaks fondly of her time at the training base, in particular her passing out parade which she describes as an incredibly surreal experience. Although her trade training was postponed due to the Mill Hill Bombing in 1988, she soon became part of the team at Bovington Training Centre that drove new officers fresh from Sandhurst who were on their Tactical Exercise Without Troops (TEWT) training. Later she was moved to Rheindahlen 68 Squadron where she met different soldiers from the UN and NATO and remembers this as the best tour she served whilst in the army. During this tour she witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and contributed to the peacekeeping duties in Czechoslovakia. In 1991 Katherine recalls troops being sent to Iraq and the importance of her work behind the front lines in the rear party. She provides great detail of one particular mission which developed from an initial twenty-four hour drive to an almost three week task of shipping ammunition to the Gulf. From here she was posted to Northern Ireland where she worked as both a driver and searcher for IRA bombs. Following the disbandment of the WRAC Katherine returned to work in Germany with the onset of the Bosnian war, and worked as a driver until she left in 1995. Katherine's interview offers an insightful overview of different experiences of WRAC women and gives an authentic account of the many adversities women faced in the army.