In 1965, Len Tyler entered the Army as a Junior Bandsman. By the time he left in 1994, he was the Director of Music of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Len’s love of music may never have started without Leicestershire’s ‘radical’ music programme, which provided free instruments, music lessons, and weekly coach journeys to children who needed them. Before leaving school at 16, with little knowledge of what he wanted to do, he stumbled across an army information wagon. Little did Len know that the recruiter behind the counter was in-fact a sergeant from the 4th Royal Anglian Band. As a Junior Bandsman, Len's first posting to Malta was also his first time abroad, where he married a Maltese girl. When their son was later born with medical complications, Len became the first student on Kneller Hall's pupil's course to receive his own quarters - a wonderful three-bedroom house in Hounslow. Len had an exciting time as part of the 'Golden 8', made up of the top eight players on the course. Together, they performed at high profile events like the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977. Later in 1992, as Director of Music of the REME, Len would also perform for the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, at the Royal Albert Hall, as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations. When he was deployed to the First Gulf War, Len worked on helicopter landing sites. Reflecting on his experience of entering a war zone, in this interview Len recalls how musical people often struggle to become military people, however he luckily adapted well.

Albert was initially an unwilling recruit to the Army Catering Corps wanting to join the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, but on being posted  he was on attachment to the 61st Light Regiment Royal Artillery. From the smell at disembarkment to the odd from of transport to the front, he describes the basic living conditions of an army camp and cook house and recalls fondly his Korean assistant, Jonna, who twice saved his life. He explains how he regularly served 45 men a roast dinner on the edge of no-man's land. He describes how the camp got the nickname 'Charlie Sound' and how sound was used to pinpoint enemy guns. Even in his role in the Catering Corps, Albert was still a solider. He describes an enemy attack on the camp. Having been trained as a Bren gunner, when the regular gunner is killed right next to him, Albert is forced to take over. In another incident he finds three unexploded mortuary bombs outside the cookhouse. He shares his memories of the Battle of The Hook at Samichen River, the last of four battles that took place from 1952-3. The battle was fought from 24-26th July 1953 and the armistice, ending the war, was signed on the following day, 27th July 1953. Once the ceasefire had been declared Albert stayed on for a number of months feeding the men, first at camp and later at Headquarters. Many years later he returned to Korea. In a museum he is approached by a young South Korean girl who says 'thank you for saving my country'  bringing tears to Albert's eyes.

This film captures Year 10 students from Wildern School, Hedge End engaging in a unique oral history project, exploring the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC). The project was run by Legasee with support from the WRAC Association and Adjutant General's Corps (AGC) Museum in Winchester. The workshops fostered critical thinking, curiosity, and enquiry as students developed their knowledge of some of the challenges faced by Britain and the wider world in the 20th century - one of the content requirements of the English National Curriculum for History at Key Stage 3. Through their research about the WRAC, and perceptive questioning of Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Sue Westlake, MBE, the students examined the complexities of life during the Cold War and the evolving role of women in the military. By connecting with lived experiences, students practised essential skills like communication, confidence, and evidence-based reasoning. With thanks to the staff at Wildern School for welcoming Legasee in, and encouraging their young historians to develop new perspectives on societal change, gender equality, and British military conflicts in the second half of the 20th century.