Garry Garretts shares his extraordinary thirty-year journey serving with the RAF. Even before he was old enough to enlist, Garry had already been afflicted by the scourge of war, following the explosion of an incendiary bomb which left nineteen fragments snagged in his legs during the Blitz. Once conscripted, he chose to fly for the RAF, favouring flying over the idea of walking or sea travel! His training would send him all over the globe where he was given the honour of flying many aircrafts from the Tiger Moth, Dakota and the Vulcan. However, despite the many opportunities he was given for travelling and flying, he wouldn't see active service until the end of the war, as part of the Dakota squadron aboard the Wellington OTU. As a result, Garry felt dissatisfied with his experience during WWII. He would find more satisfaction in a post-war world where he would rise through the ranks, becoming a Flight Officer and  sent to transport supplies for the Berlin Airlift. He describes the difficult and concentrated process of flying during this period and the preliminary requirements for transporting certain supplies, whether they be flour, alcohol or machinery used to help restore electricity to a recovering Berlin. He shares knowledge relating to the growing tensions between the Russians and Americans which would eventually lead into the Cold War. Towards the end of his time in the Airlift, he recalls the British Air Mail Society wanting to commemorate the lives of young soldiers who risked their lives in the Airlift to feed starving Germans. Garry's story captures the redemption of those who were only able to make significant contributions in a post-war world, offers insight into the political circumstances that were developing between countries and reveals the bravery of those who put their lives at risk to help feed the people of a country that they once saw as an enemy.

Marcel Jaurant-Singer joined the French Resistance in 1941. In 1942, he was sent across the Pyrenees and was transported – with the help of Allied operatives – to England, where he would be trained as a Special Operations Executive (SOE). Upon arrival in England, Marcel was sent to Commando training in Scotland, before returning to England to complete his wireless training at Thame park – he managed all this despite not speaking a word of English. In March 1944, Marcel was parachuted back into France where he quickly established an undercover network. Marcel goes on to recount his life as a wireless operator, outlining the cat and mouse game of avoiding detection by German troops – including the need to cycle up to 60km per day! Marcel’s contact with London in the build up to D-Day resulted in him taking charge of arming and training 350 men to prepare for the invasion. He talks in detail of how they used the existing infrastructure of secret caves and hills from WW1 to carry out these operations. Marcel’s interview ends with a brief discussion of his experience working alongside female SOE agents. This completes a fascinating insight into the structure of secret operations in occupied France and the development of French resistance forces in the build-up to D-Day.

Kenneth French, also known as Ken, was born in Wandsworth, London in 1920. While at school he enjoyed being outdoors and playing sports and fondly remembers his headmaster taking students out on walks in the countryside. This is where Ken learnt to draw maps. After leaving school, Ken used these skills in his job in the War Office, drawing maps for the RAF. His experience there made him want to do more for the war effort, and he volunteered for the RAF in 1941. He started his training in Canada. On the journey there, he recalls guarding American prisoners housed in a make-shift cell in the bowels of the ship. He was stationed in Winnipeg for 4 months before returning home to continue his training. His first operation was a day trip to Emmerich on the Rhine, where he saw an ally plane go down and only one person survive. In another operation, Ken recalls recording 18 friendly aircraft being shot down, and remembers not being able to do anything to help. Over his 38 operations, he witnessed 99 aircraft shot down; still Ken reflects that it was ‘a very gentle’ tour of operations. Ken took part in day and night-time raids, he was always focused on getting the job done and getting his squadron home safely. Whilst carrying out operations in the sky he wouldn’t take notice of any damage done on the ground. But once the war was over and he was stationed in Hamburg, he could see the damage caused by Bomber Command and described it as ‘absolutely horrific’. Ken describes his time in the RAF as a job to be done and he was happy to have survived, putting his survival down to luck and ability.