With a long-held ambition to join the Navy, Fred Estall keenly awaited the arrival of his call-up papers, which sent him first to Pwllheli in north Wales for initial sea training and then to HMS Wellesley in Liverpool for gun training. He passed out as a DEMS gunner (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship) and went to Nova Scotia – via HMS Belfast and RMS Queen Mary – to join the crew of a Merchant Navy oil tanker. Fred talks about life on board, describing the extra work available to anyone willing to get his hands dirty – which he always was, not only because he could earn more money, but also because keeping busy helped him keep his mind off the U-boats. He explains the stark difference between the atmosphere of camaraderie in the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy, and talks about the distinct lack of entertainment onboard a merchant ship. Recalling heavy seas, storms and the huge expanse of ocean, Fred’s memories bring vividly to life what it was like to move from tanker to tanker while the world was at war, keeping allied ships fuelled from 1940 – 1944.

Always keen on adventure and the outdoor life, Don Maclean joined the Royal Marines Reserves in 1995 when he was 17, and received his green beret 18 months later whilst also studying engineering at university. He explains how part-time training worked and talks about the toughest challenges he faced, before reflecting on the level of self-motivation required to maintain the physical and mental fitness of a regular Royal Marine whilst living a civilian life on standby for mobilisation. In 2010 Don was called up for an operational tour of Afghanistan. He shares memories of arriving in Camp Bastion as a member of X-Ray Company 45 Commando, and describes in detail the role they played as a security force and how it felt to be waiting for action to unfold. Just eight weeks into his tour, Don stood on an IED during a routine patrol. He vividly recounts the moments that followed, the lightning-fast rescue operation that saved his life, and the multiple surgeries he underwent to save his damaged foot. Don shares his sincere appreciation for the exceptional rehab he received at Headley Court, and talks about achievements and ambitions in his new life beyond the military.

When war broke out, 14-year-old Joy Aylard was evacuated to the countryside for two happy years, before leaving school and returning to London to study at college until she was old enough to join up. As soon as she could, she joined the WRNS and was almost immediately sent to Bletchley Park’s Eastcote Outstation. Joy describes in detail the top-secret work involved in operating the Bombe machines to decipher German Enigma messages, remembering the boost to morale that came when successful results of their codebreaking efforts were filtered back to them. Reflecting on the intense secrecy surrounding the work, Joy explains that everyone just got used to not talking about what they were doing; not even Joy’s father knew what her job entailed! Joy’s reflections on her time during the war allow us a vivid glimpse into life behind the walls at Bletchley Park, and the technical skill, dedication and discretion of all who worked there and played such a pivotal role in the Allied war effort.