Jim Grundy tells of his memories from his service during the Korean War. From humble beginnings in Eccles, Lancashire to the perils of Korea, between Busan and Daegu. Born into a poor family, the early years of Jim’s life were difficult and he was glad to join the army as part of the Army Catering Corps. He adjusted to army life well, after the struggles of initial training, which he recalls and in 1949 was sent to Aldershot – his first time leaving Lancashire, before being stationed at Rhyl. It was here that the army discovered that he had trained previously as an undertaker; he was assigned a very special job and dispatched to Korea, to work as a body hunter. Jim describes his first impressions of arriving in a new country and the amicable relationship between British troops and Koreans. He talks with pride about the work done by the small group of five unarmed men, of which he was a part; who worked closely together, helped each other and established a close bond.  The work was emotionally testing, the conditions horrendous. Particular emphasis is given to the appreciation these men received, despite not being on the front line. An arm injury from an incendiary shot, put an end to Jim’s time in the Korean war and allowed him to return home. Jim’s story is one of fortitude and friendship in a heartbreaking job.

For the first few years of the war, Leslie Fernandez was an Army Physical Training Corps instructor who trained SOE candidates in Hertfordshire and Manchester (parachuting). He was then invited by Colonel Munn to become an operative, deploying to SE France in July 1944; when the American landed there in August 1944, his group moved to Italy to help the partisans prevent the Germans in Italy from interfering with American operations. He provides a hugely detailed and modestly understated account of SOE operations (he does not mention his Military Medal or Croix de Guerre), starting with selection for different roles and his insertion by parachute, weighed down by weapons and equipment. He focuses heavily on little-known operations in the mountains between France and Italy, gathering explosives from his cache in a bakery, blowing up roads and negotiating the surrender of 80 Germans to 5 SOE. He also talks about the challenges of communication and receiving resupplies in harsh conditions where they were often isolated, as well as the psychological pressure of warfare and seeing people executed. He has fond memories and recalls the bravery of those involved, especially as he married a woman from the region, who was a courier.

Tom Cromie’s free spirit sparked initial ambitions to be an RAF fighter pilot, but so did every other nineteen year old, so instead he joined the Royal Artillery as a soldier of the 231 Mortar Brigade. His story starts with the invasion of Sicily as a dispatch rider and Tom shares fond memories of practicing trick cycling on his motorcycle in quiet lulls. But his part in Sicily was cut short when a Bren Gun Carrier reversed over his leg, breaking it and sending him back home to England, not before, however, a remarkable moment in which he shared a cigarette with a terrified German who lay in the bed next to him in hospital. Tom then shares his memories of the D-Day landings as a field gunner, and recounts his lucky escape from almost drowning off of Green Beach. Another injury ends his part in the Normandy invasion and unable to return to his brigade, he eventually volunteered to be sent out to the Far East, ending up in India. Tom’s story is one full of character and gives glimpses of lightheartedness and humour into the terror of WW2 invasions.