Following completion of an apprenticeship, Peter signed on as a regular in the Army for three years in 1951, because it meant he could choose where he wanted to serve. After training, he served in the Royal Army Service Corps as a driver. He tells of a posting to HQ Southern Command and from there being sent to Korea. Like many others, he explains that he hadn’t heard of Korea before this. Embarking at Southampton on the Empire Fowey, he and his compatriots travelled first to Japan. He recounts the journey from Japan to Korea, travelling through Hiroshima and seeing the crater, following which he was parachuted into Seoul. He was posted to the 26th Field Ambulance Division and drove both ambulances and transport. He tells of the poor conditions of the roads and the impact of the weather on their work, including that their trucks would freeze during the winter if not looked after properly. At the end of the Korean War, Peter tells of his brief foray into athletics, running for the battalion. He was then posted to Hong Kong. He expresses frustration at the lack of attention given to the Korean war in comparison to other wars.

Major Freddie Hunn's extensive account offers a profound insight into his remarkable military service. Driven by limited job opportunities and influenced by stories from his friends, Freddie was inspired to enlist in the 12th Royal Lancers, an armoured car regiment, in 1937. Over the course of the Second World War, he served at the forefront of some of its most pivotal campaigns, from the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France to the unforgiving deserts of North Africa. When war broke out, Freddie was deployed to France with the BEF. What began as a period of relative inactivity during the harsh winter of 1939-40 quickly turned to chaos as the German Blitzkrieg unfolded. Freddie and his regiment endured a continual retreat to the coast, witnessing the devastation of strafing Stuka attacks and aiding in the evacuation of thousands at De Panne. Freddie’s journey continued with a convoy voyage across the Atlantic to North Africa, where he became a "Desert Rat." There, he faced daily threats from shells, relentless Stuka bombings, and gruelling conditions: in particular the limited water supply. He witnessed firsthand the toll of war, as many comrades succumbed to the debilitating effects of shell shock amidst relentless bombardments. Among his extraordinary experiences were leading a daring attack on a German convoy near Benghazi and navigating a minefield in Tunisia. From the chaos of Dunkirk to the pivotal Battle of El Alamein and countless close calls, Freddie’s service was marked by extraordinary bravery and incredible luck. His reflections not only shed light on the realities of war but also pay tribute to the courage, sacrifices, and profound cost borne by those who served.

Stories of the Korean war by the men who experienced it.