Arthur Brown joined the army in 1943 as a radio operator in the Tank Regiment but soon became fed up with the training and volunteered for the Special Operations Executive (SOE). He joined Operation Jedburgh, which involved three-man teams—an allied commanding officer, a radio operator, and a local officer—being parachuted behind enemy lines around D-Day to work with resistance fighters in France and the Low Countries. There were around 100 ‘Jedburgh’ teams deployed in the European theatre mainly between June and September 1944. On the 9th of June, Brown, now a Sergeant, his team leader, the highly decorated Scottish officer, Major Tommy MacPherson and a French officer, Michel ‘Bourbon’ were dropped into central France to assist the Maquis. The ‘Jedburgh’s were dressed in military uniform to avoid being executed as spies, if captured. Brown’s role was to send coded radio messages back to the UK updating their operations but he became ill and had to be hidden by the Maquis, being moved around to avoid detection. After France was liberated, he and MacPherson continued similar operations in Italy until the German surrender. When faced with a possible posting to Germany, Brown volunteered to go to Burma and served there with other former ‘Jedburghs’ until the war's end. 

In this interview Judy recalls joining the WRAC as a way to begin her career and move out of her family home. Judy completed her initial basic training at Lingfield, which was the predecessor of Guildford, before she was posted to Worthy Down to specialise as a pay clerk in the Royal Army Pay Corps. Reflecting on her training, Judy remembers being amazed at how quickly she transformed from a young girl into an adult woman. She also describes the experience of working with fast-changing technology, and how later in her life she realised how instrumental her work in data processing became with the arrival of the first computerised consensus. Later, Judy was posted to Aden and remembers the excitement of flying over the pyramids. Here she was taken to the Singapore lines where she worked with the binary code. When asked to reflect on the WRAC, Judy felt frustrated by the lack of options made available to women at the time but also extremely proud of the work she had done.

Patricia ‘Budgie’ Rosewell shares her journey from a county gymnast to an influential Physical Training Instructor in the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC). She describes her early passion for gymnastics and how it led to a career in the WRAC, where she played a crucial role in training and mentoring new recruits. Patricia recalls her initial training, the challenges she faced, and her rise to a leadership position. She emphasises the importance of physical fitness and discipline in the military and reflects on the camaraderie and sense of purpose she found in her service. Her interview highlights the evolution of women's roles in the military and the impact of dedicated instructors like herself in shaping the physical and mental resilience of soldiers. Patricia's story is one of determination, leadership, and a commitment to excellence in the face of evolving military demands.