A keen runner and fitness fanatic, Anthony Cooper signed up at 16 and completed his training at AFC Harrogate and Catterick before being posted to Germany with the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment – an experience he recalls with great glee. Anthony goes on to talk about the six-month operational tour of Iraq that followed, and shares the harsh realities of his first real soldiering experience compared to the practice of training. After a brief decompression in Cyprus, Anthony returned to Catterick where training for combat in Afghanistan began. He recalls the relentlessness of the conflict on arriving in Nad Ali, and talks about living with the fear of a constant threat to life which became all too real in 2010 when a 45kg IED exploded beneath his feet on a routine patrol in Helmand Province. Anthony talks candidly about his injuries, the long road to recovery and the hard work needed to adapt to life as an amputee with severe brain trauma and visual impairment. The extraordinary courage and resilience of his service now manifest themselves in his determination to overcome any new obstacle in his path, and to achieve his dream of running again one day on blades.

Stories of the Korean war by the men who experienced it.

At only 16 years old, Jean Argles felt a calling to serve in the army. By 18, she found herself in London, interviewing for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY). A critical question was asked in the interview: “Do you do crosswords?” A test of Jean’s aptitude for critical code and cipher work during wartime. With her answer, Jean entered a world of secrecy, decoding messages in operations that took her over the globe. After carrying out her training on Baker Street, she learned of opportunities overseas. Jean’s work took her from London to Egypt, working on the banks of the Nile. She carried out work to code messages for undercover agents in Greece and the Balkans, and also recalls fond memories of exploration in Egypt: nightclubs, horse-riding and visiting the Pyramids. Following this, she volunteered for a new assignment in Italy. Stationed in a small fishing village, Jean supported resistance members, encoding vital messages. When the German army finally surrendered, Jean remained in Italy until September before returning to the UK. Reflecting on her time with the FANYs, she describes it as the most transformative experience of her life. It offered her freedom, confidence, and a sense of purpose. Jean’s story is a testament to the unique opportunities the war presented to women at a time when their roles were otherwise limited. For Jean, the FANYs weren’t only about service, they were a gateway to adventure and independence.