In this interview Judy recalls joining the WRAC as a way to begin her career and move out of her family home. Judy completed her initial basic training at Lingfield, which was the predecessor of Guildford, before she was posted to Worthy Down to specialise as a pay clerk in the Royal Army Pay Corps. Reflecting on her training, Judy remembers being amazed at how quickly she transformed from a young girl into an adult woman. She also describes the experience of working with fast-changing technology, and how later in her life she realised how instrumental her work in data processing became with the arrival of the first computerised consensus. Later, Judy was posted to Aden and remembers the excitement of flying over the pyramids. Here she was taken to the Singapore lines where she worked with the binary code. When asked to reflect on the WRAC, Judy felt frustrated by the lack of options made available to women at the time but also extremely proud of the work she had done.

CONTENT WARNING This interview contains some strong language and graphic descriptions of war casualties, wartime violence and fatalities that some readers may find upsetting. If you are affected by these topics, please consider seeking support from a trusted person or organisation.   Tom Howard’s interview offers a vivid, deeply personal account of his varied and often perilous military service. He begins by reflecting on his transition into the Army and initial training, before being posted to Northern Ireland during a period of intense unrest. He recalls arriving at Musgrave Park Hospital on a day marked by 18 car bombs and describes duties defending police stations and participating in Operation Motorman to dismantle IRA barricades. His reflections include a disturbing revelation that a former friend had joined the IRA. After earning his wings through P Company, Tom joined the 7th Parachute Regiment, taking part in covert operations and jungle training in Malaya. Later, as a medic with the Army Medical Corps, he was deployed to the Falklands. There, he helped establish a field hospital under daily bombardment. Despite severe personal sacrifices, including two failed marriages, Tom remains proud of his service. His testimony is marked by courage, honesty, and resilience.

Bob Sullivan joined the Royal Engineers in 1942 and soon volunteered for the special services as a paratrooper where he was assigned to number 3 parachute squadron Royal Engineers. Bob dropped into Normandy on June 5^th 1944, his squadron destroyed bridges along the river Dives to secure the allied left flank and then retreated to Breville to reinforce 9^th battalion who had taken a gun battery. Bob details life on the front line for an engineer in Normandy, this involved; building fortifications and gun batteries, going on patrol to detect mines, and laying Somerville tracks – whilst also repelling the German counterattack from the trenches. In December 1944, Bob was re-deployed to the Ardennes to identify and lift mines. Innovative glass and carbon fibre mines, combined with the freezing temperatures made this a torturous experience for Bob and his squadron. He left the Ardennes in February and shortly afterwards his squadron was disbanded, Bob transferred to number 1 troop and was sent to the Rhine in March. Upon landing he suffered a severe mortar wound to his leg, thus ending his military involvement in Europe. After a 5 month recovery period back home Bob “returned to the airborne” and was deployed in Palestine for a year. Bob delivers a uniquely extensive recollection of his experience in WW2, but more than anything the former paratrooper wants to highlight the memorable friendships he made during his service.