After testing out the army and the air force as a cadet, William Sheppard settled on a career in the navy and completed his training at HMS Collingwood. After passing out, he joined HMS Onyx in 1943 and remained with the same ship until 1949. William talks about his duties aboard the Onyx, remembering the good fortune that excused him from many of the more tedious jobs to be done, and recalls the constant challenge to keep warm faced by the crew as they sailed the Arctic seas. His story includes details of the sweeps commonly used by the Onyx when trying to detect mines, and he tells of the horrors he encountered when the ship arrived in the English Channel ahead of the Normandy landings. William also recalls catching sight of a ship full of German maidens en route back to harbour, wryly commenting on the lack of any similar provision within the British navy.

Jeff 'Bunny' Warren provides a compelling account of his service as a Gunner aboard HMS Antelope during the Falklands War. Raised in Birmingham, his upbringing was landlocked, having no knowledge of the navy. He was inspired to join, following a family boat trip in Weymouth where he caught sight of all the warships stationed at Portland Harbour. After finishing his basic training at HMS Ganges, he was given the choice between Sonar Radar or Gunnery positions. He proceeded with Radar but as the years passed, his disposition leaned more towards Gunnery. Only a few months after switching, war erupted in the Falklands. When his crew set sail on HMS Antelope, they found themselves needing to fulfil some prerequisites relating to Ascension Island before going further south. Even before reaching Ascension, they figured the war would end before they finally arrived. Jeff details their preparation for a potential attack in South Georgia. Unfortunately, the only thing to hit them was disappointment upon discovering that this particular battle was already won, leaving prisoners for them to escort back to Ascension. They would finally see action after the Antelope was sent to San Carlos. Jeff remembers the battle like it was yesterday; the firing of guns as a raid of Skyhawks descended upon their position. At one point, he became a sitting duck in his attempts to fix the gun magazine which jammed. Sadly, they had to abandon ship following the penetration of two inactive bombs which eventually triggered. Before returning home, Jeff assisted the crew aboard MV Norland in the security of POWs. He recalls a mystery surrounding an inmate who wore a marine uniform and the circumstances behind why it was in his possession. Some years after the war, he received devastating news that he was to be discharged following a medical examination that revealed problems with his hearing. Despite this regrettable end, Jeff's display of bravery would be remembered after already being awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1982, something he didn't feel worthy of receiving. Jeff's interview captures the passion instilled in those who dream of joining the Royal Navy as well as the substantial achievements and the harsh realities one faces when choosing such a career path.

"You could say I had a fortunate life really." Dick West recalls his time as an Engineering Artificer (ER2) during World War II in the Royal Navy, following in his father’s footsteps. Follow his journey from Chatham Tech (A.K.A Collingwood) through to his first posting in Portsmouth to Torpoint (Cornwall) all the way north to Scapa Flow. His time on the Destroyer called Oribi and the Sheffield “Shiny Sheff” (cruiser). Dick recalls life in the mess on a boat, the roles he had in supporting the Cruiser and places they visited and friends they made along the way, including Canadians. From Scottish ports, to Icelandic fronts (Akureyri, Hvalfjordur), to the Arctic Sea Battle of Scharnhorst alongside the Belfast and The Norfolk, fighting off German tanks in Italy. Dick recalls a lot of spent time in the Arctic Circle but also making stops in the Med and North Africa before finishing in Canada and the USA (picking up parts from General Electric).