Gerald “Gerry” Farmer grew up in East London and briefly experienced evacuation during the Second World War before returning home. At 18 he was called up for National Service and, by December 1951, found himself conscripted to the Korean War.

In his interview, Gerry recalls the long journey to Korea with the Royal Fusiliers, his responsibilities on Hill 159, and the brutal reality of the Battle of the Hook. He tells of saving the life of a Korean soldier, being wounded by shrapnel, and the lasting memories of those who did not survive. His return to Korea in 1981 stirred powerful emotions, contrasting the devastation he remembered with the rebuilt country he saw.

Gerry also offers candid reflections on the war itself: the harsh weather, unsuitable equipment, the disparity in pay between national forces, and his doubts about why they were really fighting. Amidst these hard truths, he shares lighter moments — camaraderie with Australian soldiers, a first taste of Jack Daniels, and even an encounter with Michael Caine.

His story is one of hardship, humour, and honesty about a conflict too often forgotten.

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.

Basil Chambers recounts his experiences stationed in volatile post-war Berlin. The severe winter of 1947 motivated Basil to enlist in the Royal Norfolk Regiment. He joined the Signals Corps where he trained to become an instructor, and on passing his exams was sent to post-war Berlin. Taken to barracks in the suburb of Spandau, Basil recalls open land, and a lack of building, that is except for Spandau Prison, which housed convicted Nazi war criminals. Basil recounts the surreal experience of watching Rudolf Hess take his daily walk. Identified as a sportsman, Basil tells of his eagerness to run in the 5,000 metres, despite not having ‘a clue what that was’! His desire to succeed means he can boast the rare accolade of victory at the Berlin Olympic Stadium! The souring of Western Allies and Soviet Union relations resulted in road, rail and water blockades by Soviet forces. The airlifts that followed, taking food and fuel into Berlin, introduced Basil to flying, albeit sitting on crates of cheese! Basil and his colleagues gained a rare insight into life in post-war Berlin. He describes a community dealing with power outages and food shortages, but his overriding memory is that of resilient hardworking people ‘really making an effort to get back on their feet’.