George Bayliss shares his experiences serving in the Territorial Army with the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiment. Having worked with explosives in a firework factory he was assigned to the pioneer platoon, working in a close-knit battalion to clear mines. George recalls his training clearing mines, how dangerous this work was, and describes experiences of shelling whilst living close to the Germans. He recounts his preparation for the Battle of Cassino, marching across the river whilst being shelled, and then being in front making a safe passage through the minefield for the rest of his company and shares personal anecdotes of singing hymns and writing letters to his wife. He details horrific injuries he saw inflicted on his young colleagues and how lucky he was to escape serious injury. As the war comes to an end George explains how he was posted to a REME (Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers) unit and waited for demob to be sent back to England and his happy reunion with his wife.

Richard Donovan's military journey with the Royal Welch Regiment began in 1951, when he narrowly missed deployment to Korea and instead embarked on an adventure in the Caribbean. Stationed at Park Camp in Jamaica, Donovan enjoyed the sun-soaked island life, even encountering Hollywood legend John Wayne on a beach. However, his time there wasn't all leisure; his regiment was tasked with internal security, facing challenges such as riots, a devastating hurricane, and disturbances in Grenada and British Guyana. After serving as an instructor, Donovan was finally sent to Korea, but fate had other plans. Just as he arrived, a peace treaty was signed, and his battalion was rerouted to Malaya. Here, he engaged in the harsh realities of the Malayan Emergency, conducting dangerous jungle patrols with the Ghurkhas against the Malayan Races Liberation Army (MRLA). Donovan's vivid accounts reveal the grueling tactics employed to weaken the MRLA, terrifying encounters with wildlife, and a near-trap sprung by two POWs. Leading a platoon through the dense jungle, Donovan's experiences included tracking a rogue elephant and surviving friendly fire incidents. Reflecting on his service, his only regret was retiring too early. In later life, he became a dedicated historian of the Royal Welch Regiment.

Dennis Bowen retells how as a naive teenager he joined his heroes in the army motivated by the harm World War 2 was having on the UK, the realities of war shattering all of his childish expectations. Initially being too young to fight he served as a demonstrator but due to the lack of action and the overestimation of his own abilities the job felt like a complete waste to him.   Upon reaching 18 he was sent to France as part of the D Day invasion force and was finally among the British soldiers he had always idolised. Whilst Dennis found himself trembling with excitement the older soldiers remained blasé, the realisation of how much experience he truly lacked immediately hitting him. He was shocked to witness them reflexively kill German soldiers before they could even try to surrender but overtime he also found himself treating them more like moving targets than people.   Dennis felt no longer human and like the battle would never end as everything except fighting was leaving his mind; there was no time for hunger, fatigue or pain, only fear, anxiety and excitement. Occasionally the thought of giving up did slip through but the fact none of his fellow soldiers had done so forced him to keep going as to not let them and especially those who had died down. When serious injuries temporarily left him unable to fight Dennis was so angry to be out of the battle he felt none of the physical pain as potentially letting everybody down was so much more distressing to him.