Sharon's interview provides an insight into the life of an ambitious woman who pushed against gender boundaries at the time. Having always wanted to join the military, Sharon thrived on the discipline at Guildford and felt proud to wear her uniform. She describes however, the difference in treatment towards men and women within her chef trade training, and how she felt as if the expectations of women were far lower than that of their male counterpoints. Sharon also describes her first posting to Ireland with the Army Catering Corps and the harsh reality of serving during this dangerous period. She later recalls her return to Belfast in 1988, where she was an unfortunate victim of the bombing and reflects on the trauma, she, and others alike, faced on that tour. Sharon also describes the conditions she worked in at the nuclear bunker in Wilton during the height of the Cold War. She only cooked with rations, tinned goods and remained underground for entire shifts. From this point onwards she continued to rise in her corps and as a result became the first female chef to serve officer residences, where she catered for individuals such as Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Reflecting on her time with the WRAC Sharon maintains that she feels forever connected to the female corps, but recognises how it restricted women's opportunities at the time.

Colin Parker details his experience with PTSD as well as his tragic fall from invincible Coldstream Guard to being left for dead in the Middle East. Slaving away day after day at his foundry job pushed Colin to actualise his childhood infatuation with the Armed Forces and join the Coldstream Guards. This particular regiment had a violent and prideful reputation due to moulding their recruits to feel like nothing could hurt them, something Colin experienced first hand.  Colin initially found it exciting to be on the battlefield until he was surrounded by Middle Eastern tribals and gravely injured by their mortar fire, the two teenagers soldiers under his command at the time not making it. Laying in the crater thinking about his family one last time Colin was fully convinced he had died but miraculously he survived.  After the attack, Colin had to relearn how to walk and talk and was then medically discharged and forced to deal with his new found PTSD alone. Having to accept that the army viewed him as expendable was extremely difficult for Colin; he felt so small and powerless after being discharged, he had lost everything and they did not care. Due to the way the Coldstream Guard trained him Colin never believed he would suffer from PTSD, but now he was stuck constantly relieving the stress and fear from that day over and over. 

Gus trained as a wireless operator in Kent before joining the 53rd Welsh Division, where he worked on telephone switchboards. His role was vital, ensuring clear lines of communication between Army Generals and his commander. Gus remained with the Division as they prepared for a pivotal moment: boarding a Liberty ship that carried the entire divisional headquarters to the Normandy beaches on 12th June 1944, D-Day plus six. During the Normandy campaign, Gus’s work was crucial—and dangerous. One of his tasks involved working near Hill 112, a strategically important area under constant threat from German artillery. Gus and his team had to locate a signal post under the cover of darkness, as daytime attempts risked being targeted by enemy fire. The danger of the job was brought home when a convoy Gus was travelling with was bombed, tragically killing an officer in the vehicle behind him, Captain Dunbar. At the Divisional Headquarters, Gus worked tirelessly to relay critical signals and updates, helping to coordinate efforts in what became a turning point of the campaign. Gus’s story goes beyond the role of a telephone operator—it’s a testament to resilience, teamwork, and the critical part he played in bringing the war closer to its end.