On the same day a 16-year-old Harry Card was turned away from the Army for being underage, he was signed up to the Navy by a passing chief petty officer, and so began his death-defying military career. Harry joined HMS Swift, an S-class destroyer, in late 1943 and set sail on the Arctic convoys. He describes the Arctic’s mountainous seas in terrifying detail, and recalls various hair-raising moments of his service including submarine attacks, clearing ice from the ship’s masts, and Operation Tungsten: the Navy air raid that targeted the German battleship Tirpitz. Later on in the war, HMS Swift was on the front line of the D-Day landings. Harry vividly recalls the opening bombardment as they sat poised off Sword Beach in Normandy, before describing the exact moment the ship was struck by an oyster mine and split clean in half. Despite the sinking of the Swift, Harry survived and was given six weeks to recover, after which he set sail once more.  This time he was on HMS Odzani, heading for the Far East where he embarked on further convoy duties and assisted in the liberation of Hong Kong and Singapore.

Jeff 'Bunny' Warren provides a compelling account of his service as a Gunner aboard HMS Antelope during the Falklands War. Raised in Birmingham, his upbringing was landlocked, having no knowledge of the navy. He was inspired to join, following a family boat trip in Weymouth where he caught sight of all the warships stationed at Portland Harbour. After finishing his basic training at HMS Ganges, he was given the choice between Sonar Radar or Gunnery positions. He proceeded with Radar but as the years passed, his disposition leaned more towards Gunnery. Only a few months after switching, war erupted in the Falklands. When his crew set sail on HMS Antelope, they found themselves needing to fulfil some prerequisites relating to Ascension Island before going further south. Even before reaching Ascension, they figured the war would end before they finally arrived. Jeff details their preparation for a potential attack in South Georgia. Unfortunately, the only thing to hit them was disappointment upon discovering that this particular battle was already won, leaving prisoners for them to escort back to Ascension. They would finally see action after the Antelope was sent to San Carlos. Jeff remembers the battle like it was yesterday; the firing of guns as a raid of Skyhawks descended upon their position. At one point, he became a sitting duck in his attempts to fix the gun magazine which jammed. Sadly, they had to abandon ship following the penetration of two inactive bombs which eventually triggered. Before returning home, Jeff assisted the crew aboard MV Norland in the security of POWs. He recalls a mystery surrounding an inmate who wore a marine uniform and the circumstances behind why it was in his possession. Some years after the war, he received devastating news that he was to be discharged following a medical examination that revealed problems with his hearing. Despite this regrettable end, Jeff's display of bravery would be remembered after already being awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1982, something he didn't feel worthy of receiving. Jeff's interview captures the passion instilled in those who dream of joining the Royal Navy as well as the substantial achievements and the harsh realities one faces when choosing such a career path.

Ann Fellowes was still a young woman when she joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service during the Second World War. Between 1943 and 1946 she trained as an air mechanic, entering a world of engines, aircraft and naval air stations that could hardly have been further removed from her previous life.

Working alongside male mechanics, Ann and her fellow Wrens had to prove that they were capable of doing the same demanding work. She helped maintain aircraft needed for active service and later supported the training of Fleet Air Arm pilots learning the difficult art of operating from aircraft carriers. It was physical work, sometimes undertaken through the night, and brought her into close proximity with the everyday dangers of wartime flying. Yet her wartime service was only the beginning of an extraordinary journey. After leaving the Wrens, Ann trained to work with children, a decision that eventually took her to South Africa. There, amid the growing realities of apartheid, her life took another unexpected turn. In 1956 she returned to Britain and entered the religious life as Sister Veronica — beginning a new chapter that would ultimately last more than sixty years.