Marsie Taylor had a varied and fascinating war. She moved to London with her parents in 1939 and immediately joined the Mechanised Transport Corps because she wanted to contribute to the war effort. She recalls the effect the sights and sounds had on her, driving a Light Rescue Team through bombed-out streets in Lambeth. She vividly recalls receiving the BEM from the King for recovery work on the night of 15 October 1940. She joined the WRNS in 1942 when the bombing reduced, spending over a year in Norfolk House where she typed operation orders during planning for the invasions of Sicily and Normandy. She comments on the enormity of the secrecy, because she held BIGOT clearance, so knew the time and place of the landings. Once the planning finished, she moved to the naval HQ at Southwick House in Portsmouth in readiness for D-Day. She recalls hitchhiking in uniform back to London and working on artificial harbours. She was later commissioned and spent the last months of the war as an assistant to the captain in charge of an air station near Aberdeen.

In 1941 at the age of 17, Joan Field applied to join the WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service). Keen not to become a cook or a steward, Joan was happy when the discovery of her perfect eyesight meant she was chosen to become a signaller and sent to HMS Cabbala to begin her training. Joan talks in detail about the instruction she received – including Morse code, semaphore, the phonetic alphabet and naval discipline – before her first draft sent her north to the pier signal station in Oban. Joan shares memories of life in Oban, and the stark differences she encountered when she moved to the remote Ganavan signal station shortly after her arrival in Scotland, recalling one particularly frightening encounter that made her glad of the pistol training all Wrens received. She also talks about the improvements to planning that came when the Americans joined the war, but recalls with some horror their apparent lack of discipline within the ranks. Joan’s story provides a particularly engaging insight into the life and work of a female signaller, and highlights her deep connection both to the Scottish Highlands and the vital role she played in the war effort.

Bernard Cohen tells a fascinating account of his time as a Naval Airman during the Korean War. He began his initial training in Corsham, Wiltshire at the naval establishment, HMS Arthur. Following this, he served aboard HMS Illustrious for his Seamanship training and at HMS Gannet in Northern Ireland, he learned Firefighting and Air Traffic Control. Eventually, he was posted to serve aboard HMS Glory, spending much time in the Mediterranean before being deployed to Korea where he joined the war. As a member of the fly-deck party, his main responsibilities consisted of storing and positioning aircrafts of the airborne crew who came from offshore as well as helping them with landing and lifting off safely from the carrier. He has upsetting memories of the airmen who died in crashes, remembering how he had given each of them a thumbs up before flying only to never see them again. The ship was not immune to hazardous weather conditions and it was during his service when Typhoon Marge struck. Despite this issue, Bernard was fortunate to be with the first commission during the summer period when the storm was less severe compared to what the second and third commissions had to endure who arrived during the winter when conditions had worsened. Throughout his service in the war, Bernard never stepped ashore in any of the Korean harbours or port cities. He revisited Korea many years later when veterans of the war were invited to the country annually. He recalls the admiration and generosity of the Korean people, treating them like heroes for helping them in their time of need. Bernard's interview captures the bravery and sacrifice of those in the Navy who helped the Korean people, ensuring a better future for them and establishing a lasting bond for future generations.