As a young man desperate for adventure, Fox volunteered for Korea with the Gloucestershire regiment and recalls his excitement at fighting with the UN Army. Told that he would be home by Christmas, Bill remembers looking forward to his national service. Bill describes his arrival in Busan, which in 1950 was still a quiet harbour, and his following journey North. He reflects upon the words of his colonel and the quietness that enveloped their long, slow movement to the front line. As they moved North and into battle, Bill describes how they also began to face bitter cold Winter and the realisation that they would not be returning home that Christmas. In this interview, Bill recalls his first encounter with the enemy, the tactics of the Chinese army, and the battle of Hill 332 by the Imjin River which resulted in his capture as a prisoner of war. He details the horrific conditions of the camps and the peace talks that finally gave him hope of freedom.

John Booth gives a gripping account of his service as a Wireless Operator for the Royal Signals during the Korean War. In 1950, after following in his family's footsteps as a grocer, John decided to volunteer for the Royal Signals as part of his National Service. He began his training at Catterick Garrison, lasting six months before being sent to Harwich where he joined the newly formed 1st Commonwealth Division. In 1951, he found himself boarding the Orwell, setting sail for Korea to join the war effort. John recalls seeing a substantial amount of smoke in Pusan upon their arrival, believing it was related to the conflict, though this was not the case. Reaching the frontage, his crew was placed near the Imjin River behind the infantry line, attached to three mortar batteries. His responsibility was to receive signals for chosen targets and call the batteries to fire at said targets across the battlefield. He reflects on the difficult living conditions of their camp: from cold tents to limited washing facilities, compounded by the fact they received no downtime in Korea until the end of their service. Despite these inconveniences, John maintained a dutiful air throughout. Reflecting on his experience, John was content with his contribution to the war, remembering the support and gratitude given by the Korean people for helping them during a tumultuous time. His interview gives insight into the bravery and loyalty demonstrated by British soldiers who volunteered to provide succour in the Korean conflict.

George Reynolds tells the story of his military career, where each memory is as engrossing as the next. Following in his father’s footsteps, George enlisted in the army in 1937. Not long after, in 1939, he was off to India, where he had become both a stand out signaller and a skilled equestrian.   By 1941, his regiment found themselves embroiled in battle against the invading Japanese army. Troubling times followed; the Japanese succeeded in their occupation, George among the 80,000 taken as POW.   He was first put to work in a Singapore prison, where he detailed his starved but tanned condition, a result of outdoor work. After being shipped off to Taiwan in 1942, George recalls his torturous experience in a copper mine, where he faced the threat of beatings, malnutrition, and sickly skin, all at a level he had never seen before.  I’m sure you’ve gone through a roller coaster of emotions engaging with George’s story, but he closes on a powerful note. Following his liberation by the American Navy in 1945, George was plunged into a moral dilemma – how was he supposed to feel about the people who had hurt him?   To hate them, he says, was akin to a “cancer eating away at him”. At once, there and then, he decided to “forgive but not forget”. This ultimately underlines the hardiness and determination of a soldier, who, after seven long years away from home, was favoured to live to tell the tale.