Mastering sea-sickness and enduring rough waters was only the beginning of Bob Gale's military life at sea. Desperate to explore the world outside of a baker’s shop in Farnham, Bob describes his multiple attempts to volunteer in the military before he was offered a place in the Royal Navy. In 1942, he boarded the Duchess of Bedford liner bearing landing crafts (LCAs), where he experienced his first assault landing off the coast of Algiers in the dark. After narrowly missing an opportunity to take part in the invasion of Sicily thanks to a scarlet fever outbreak at HMS Pasco in Scotland, Bob was subsequently assigned to the oil tanker Derwentdale with a Canadian LCM flotilla. He spent a fortnight on Sicilian beaches, accompanied by rough Mediterranean seas, delays in movement, and limited provisions for him and his unit. Bob eventually found himself in Bombay, spending his time there guarding various facilities from mobs and strikes by the Indian navy.  When intense preparations for the Normandy landings begin, Bob recounts how he and his flotilla conducted nighttime exercises and large-scale troop landings from the secret HMS Cricket camp. A drill at Hayling Island tragically claimed lives due to strong currents, while another at Poole Harbor saw Bob heroically save a sinking landing craft by offloading weight and steering it ashore.

Catherine Avent recounts her memories of going from a university undergraduate to a beloved admin officer in charge of a one of a kind navy unit. Despite not having a naval background her romanticisation of the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) spurred her to join, her naval experiences shaping the rest of her life.   Catherine’s training involved tracking Morse code and sending out warnings on the occasion of interruptions, a vital task reserved for her unit to complete. Being promoted to admin officer came with a steep learning curve due to her new found responsibilities but by the end of her naval career she left well loved by her unit. The interview highlights how accidentally lowering her unit’s morale early in her career deeply affected her, causing her goal to leave the navy having done more good than bad. She knew how lonely and boring being a part of the WRNS could be so frequently took her people to the cinema to keep them happy. Catherine felt a great responsibility to protect her unit, especially during bombings and she left the navy being very proud of them all for surviving and proud of herself for achieving her goal. 

In 1941 at the age of 17, Joan Field applied to join the WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service). Keen not to become a cook or a steward, Joan was happy when the discovery of her perfect eyesight meant she was chosen to become a signaller and sent to HMS Cabbala to begin her training. Joan talks in detail about the instruction she received – including Morse code, semaphore, the phonetic alphabet and naval discipline – before her first draft sent her north to the pier signal station in Oban. Joan shares memories of life in Oban, and the stark differences she encountered when she moved to the remote Ganavan signal station shortly after her arrival in Scotland, recalling one particularly frightening encounter that made her glad of the pistol training all Wrens received. She also talks about the improvements to planning that came when the Americans joined the war, but recalls with some horror their apparent lack of discipline within the ranks. Joan’s story provides a particularly engaging insight into the life and work of a female signaller, and highlights her deep connection both to the Scottish Highlands and the vital role she played in the war effort.