Bill Walworth discusses his early career in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. At the time of the Argentine invasion of South Georgia, he was studying at the Staff College in Greenwich but knew that tensions were escalating. He joined the stores ship Saxonia in April 1982, shortly after the sinking of HMS Sheffield and describes how wartime conditions altered the ship's operations. Adaptable to life aboard the Saxonia with its 28 crew, Bill details the ship’s role in storing and organising supplies. He recounts the Saxonia’s challenges, including the impact of the Atlantic Conveyor’s sinking and difficulties anchoring in South Georgia. Upon returning to Ascension, Bill drafted reports about the Royal Fleet Auxiliary [RFA] and began a distinguished career, reflecting on how the Falklands conflict shaped the RFA’s future role in the Royal Navy.

Mildred Schultz recalls how she grew up on a farm and went to school in Walton-on-Thames. She attended a business college in Kingston and from there worked at a shipping company in Cobham. Even though her job was protected, she volunteered and joined the Inter-Services Research Bureau. She explains how she went to work at S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) headquarters in Baker Street London, realising she was working for the resistance movement, reading and destroying reports. Asked if she would travel abroad, Mildred said ‘yes’ and undertook FANY (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry) training at Chicheley Hall in Bedfordshire. From here she was sent to Italy for further training on a boat and describes how they were pursued by U-boats, bombed and machine gunned. In Italy she became the PA to the man in charge of maps and equipment, and then worked as an assistant to the Admin Captain Amos. She recalls spending a snowy Christmas in Monopoli and then onto Siena to the Headquarters of Number 1 Special Force, taking a perilous jeep journey up a mountain road with boulders near the front-line with guns aimed at them. On a lighter note, Mildred remembers a makeshift Christmas service under a derelict chapel with many nationalities, some of whom had escaped from Prisoner of War camps, and also Germans who had escaped and given up, all singing carols together.

Teri and her husband live in Devon and I was lucky to meet her. Mark's experiences led to PTSD, and he suffered five strokes. Teri is a great character and she defined PTSD so succinctly. Mark now plays wheelchair rugby, and Teri plans to teach art therapy with Help for Heroes, but their struggle to have a normal home life has been a long one. She supplied some photos which are worth a look.