As a young man desperate for adventure, Fox volunteered for Korea with the Gloucestershire regiment and recalls his excitement at fighting with the UN Army. Told that he would be home by Christmas, Bill remembers looking forward to his national service. Bill describes his arrival in Busan, which in 1950 was still a quiet harbour, and his following journey North. He reflects upon the words of his colonel and the quietness that enveloped their long, slow movement to the front line. As they moved North and into battle, Bill describes how they also began to face bitter cold Winter and the realisation that they would not be returning home that Christmas. In this interview, Bill recalls his first encounter with the enemy, the tactics of the Chinese army, and the battle of Hill 332 by the Imjin River which resulted in his capture as a prisoner of war. He details the horrific conditions of the camps and the peace talks that finally gave him hope of freedom.

Eric Peters joined the army on New Year’s Day, 1945, at age 17. Initially sent to Markeaton Park, Derby, to the General Service Corps, he was persuaded by a friend to join the Black Watch and later, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was posted to Germany to manage records of soldiers. After a brief period, Eric was posted to India during the war of independence. He arrived in Bombay and took a six-day train journey to the North West Frontier. One night, while sleeping in the back of the barracks, Eric and his battalion heard shouting, fighting, and gunshots. The next morning, they found that everyone in the streets had been slain. Soldiers on horseback quickly escorted them out of the town. This traumatic experience has stayed with Eric ever since. After leaving Karachi, Eric's regiment was split, and he was assigned to the Argylls. He was then posted to Palestine, Egypt, England, and spent 18 months in Hong Kong before heading to Korea. Upon arrival, they found only a 30-mile perimeter of South Korea left. Eric fought throughout Korea, from Nakdong and Tagu to the North Korean capital. The soldiers, ill-equipped for the bitter winter, ate American rations of beef burgers, frankfurters, coffee, and cocoa—Eric loved the food. During a night mission, Eric was tasked with scouting a nearby village. His commanding officer assured him that his group would be the only one operating that night. After completing the scouting and crossing back over the frozen river, they encountered a group of soldiers. Remaining alert, they approached and asked for the password, which the soldiers correctly provided. It became clear that his group was not the only one operating that night, Eric was very angry. As the Chinese joined the war, Eric was preparing to leave Korea. After his departure, he was stationed in Hong Kong for 12 months before returning home. Upon arrival, the streets of Edinburgh were filled with people applauding their return. Eric describes the Korean War as an experience—not a pleasant one, but a part of life.

Reg was called up to the army in February 1942 and posted to the infantry. While in Dover he recalls shelling from German long-range guns across the Channel. In July 1944 he joined his unit south of Caen and saw death close-up when four men near him were killed. During the Battle of the Falaise Gap he remembers the stench and decay from the hundreds of human and animal corpses. By now his battalion had suffered fifty percent casualties and was brought back up to full strength. One time an infantryman jumped out of his trench and ran toward the German lines and was killed, a condition they called ‘Bomb Happy’. On Christmas Eve 1944, his unit was ordered to support American troops engaged in the Battle of the Bulge. When his unit reached Germany the fighting became even tougher, although the population preferred the western Allies to the Soviets.