Coming from a musical and artistic family, John was attracted to military service as an opportunity to become a professional musician. He joined the Staffordshire Regiment, and after arduous basic training, joined the military band. He focused on the cornet and the double bass and describes his development as a musician. He puts his success down to hard work; he wanted to become a professional musician in a military band and he would do whatever it took to achieve this. He was then given the opportunity to train at Kneller Hall, which he describes as ‘the mecca for army music’. He practised hard and won a prize for the most improved musician on double bass as well as best double bass musician for that year. Following graduation, he spent time in Northern Ireland, then Gibraltar. Eventually he became an instructor in the Prince of Wales division and from there back to Kneller Hall as a student Bandmaster. Having graduated, he became the first black bandmaster and went to the Cheshire Regiment and from there to Bosnia and the first Gulf War. He describes his time with the Cheshire Regiment, during which he received a commission before retiring in 2000.

Harry Hawksworth joined 1^st Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment, spending his first 18 months after basic training in Bermuda. After returning to the UK, the battalion was warned off for Korea, so completed training at Thetford and then deployed by troop ship, a journey taking over six weeks to travel via places like Gibraltar, Sri Lanka and Singapore. The battalion initially marched to the Yalu River without encountering any enemy forces, but then withdrew to defensive positions on the Imjin river, where they were attacked by the Chinese from 22-25 April 1950 until they ran out of ammunition and surrendered. As the NCO in command of the company’s 2 inch mortar, Harry provides insights into the harrowing battle and its aftermath: his company was driven off a small hill, withdrawing to Hill 235 (now Gloster Hill); the Gloucesters’ bugler playing every bugle order he could remember to confuse the Chinese, who relied on bugles to pass orders; dismantling their weapons prior to surrendering; the 6-week march into captivity; escape, recapture and punishment; losing two of his best friends during two years in captivity.