Having lived through WWII as a child, Michael was conscripted at age 18. He trained as an anti-tank gunner in Norfolk and then sailed for Korea on the Emperor Orwell in late August 1950. He and his compatriots were among the first British regiments to go to Korea. He tells of the journey to Korea, stopping in Egypt, Ceylon, Singapore and Hong Kong. Life on board ship involved training on what to expect, as well as practice on the 17 pounder anti-tank gun. Michael describes a 24-hour train journey to Britannia camp after arriving in Pusan. From there he tells of day-to-day life, fighting trench warfare, primarily on 355 hill (Kowang Sang). Conditions were very challenging; they lived in a constant state of alertness, remaining in their clothes and boots as they had to be prepared to fight at a moment’s notice. Suffering frequent mortar bombardment and attacks by the PVA, Michael describes in detail the measures they had to take to counteract these attacks and the importance of keeping going despite the fear. He returned home after two years and tells of his frustration that the Korean war appears to have been forgotten.

Born and raised in Sheffield, Yorkshire, Ann had a practical streak and a good sense of adventure. In the late 1930s, after reading about the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) in a Territorial Army magazine, she and her close friend Lois Ragg decided to join. The organisation appealed to her — hands-on, disciplined, and useful. She trained in map reading, engine maintenance, and gas attack procedures, and took part in pre-war camps, one memorably inspected by Princess Alice. When war broke out, Ann was called up to Northern Command in York, later serving with the 2nd Air Cavalry Division near Nottingham. When the FANY became part of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), she stayed on, completing officer training in Edinburgh and earning her commission. Her wartime service took her across Britain, from northern headquarters to the southern coast, including a key posting in Dorset where she managed transport and logistics for anti-aircraft units, a demanding job she handled with steady efficiency. Later, she transferred to the Education Corps before her discharge in 1945. After the war, Ann’s resourcefulness found a new outlet. She co-founded Decor Studios Limited in London, producing lampshades at a time when the city was rebuilding and reinventing itself. She later married and settled into family life, carrying with her the same calm capability and sense of purpose that had defined her service years. The publication of this previously unseen interview was made possible thanks to a grant from The Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity, to mark 80 years since the closure of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in January 1946.