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Jeremy-Ansell

A veteran interview with

Jeremy Ansell

A surprisingly modest account of his time in the military. Coming from a musical family, it’s no wonder Jeremy excelled.

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About Jeremy Ansell

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

Copyright:
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Home | Veterans | Jeremy Ansell

A veteran interview with

Jeremy Ansell

Jeremy-Ansell

A surprisingly modest account of his time in the military. Coming from a musical family, it’s no wonder Jeremy excelled.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Ansell, Jeremy. A Veteran Interview with Jeremy Ansell. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jeremy-ansell/. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.
APA Style:
Ansell, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Jeremy Ansell [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved February 14, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jeremy-ansell/
Chicago Style:
Ansell, Jeremy. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Jeremy Ansell. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed February 14, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jeremy-ansell/
Harvard Style:
Ansell, J. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Jeremy Ansell. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jeremy-ansell/ (Accessed: 14 February 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Ansell, J. A Veteran Interview with Jeremy Ansell [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Feb 14]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/jeremy-ansell/
An interview with

Terry Carroll

Through Terry we gain a valuable first hand insight into one of the newest weapons of the war, the Flail Tank.

Prior to enlisting in 1942, Terry lived through the Birmingham Blitz. The Army wasn’t his first choice but fear of heights ruled out the RAF and he definitely didn’t want to work as a stoker in the Navy so the Army it was, where Terry became trained in a new weapon, the Flail Tank. The Flail Tank took a lot of getting used to. The visibility was poor and this was a big issue when Terry landed on Juno beach. Another problem was the tank chains being blown off by mines. Eventually, the tank became stranded and as Terry sought cover he stood on a mine. Thankfully, the mine was defective but no sooner had he survived this scrape when he encountered an anti-tank mine, again, somehow remaining unhurt. While repairing the tanks, Terry’s group suffered heavy losses in a German attack. From that point on the tank crews were under manned and Terry became a gunner. Terry shares his recollections of moving through France including an attack on an underground radar station, the Battle of Le Havre, the fight to take Carpiquet and how he thinks he made it through thanks to the cool, calm nature of his driver, Ben. Terry also recollects a local family they would spend time with, sharing food, singing songs and looking out for each other. Terry went back about 10 years ago and was able to find one of the children, now a woman in her fifties. Terry ended the war in Germany then spent 12 months in Palestine.
Photo Gallery icon 15 Photos
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Rachel Webster

Rachel Webster's 24-Year Incredible Military Journey: Serving in Iraq and Witnessing Harrowing Atrocities in Bosnia and Kosovo

Rachel Webster served all over the world with the RMP (Royal Military Police), including deployments in Northern Ireland during The Conflicts and in Afghanistan during the 2001 allied invasion. After completing an apprenticeship in welding she wanted to join the Royal Engineers, but she was laughed out of the recruiting office for being a “girl”. After some consideration, she decided to join the RMP instead. She completed her basic training with the WRAC (Women's Royal Army Corps), and did further training with the RMP before being deployed to Germany. In her interview she discusses the challenges of being a female within the military and the challenges of trying to keep up with the frontline military units she was supporting. She talks about her experience of integrating herself into a very male dominated space, and how she became someone who the men could confide in during difficult times. Rachel talks about being deployed to Bosnia and Kosovo with the Green Howards, remembering it as her toughest deployment. The atrocities she witnessed over there are something that she has never forgotten, needing counselling when she returned home to help her emotionally come to terms about what she witnessed over there. One of her proudest moments was deploying to Iraq in 2003, where she helped build a local girls' school, impressing the Iraqi men with her welding skills and forming strong relationships with the locals. After being put up for commission, she supported 1st Battalion, The Rifles in Afghanistan as a regimental admin officer, the highlight of her career. After 24 years, she left the military for a new challenge.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Darren Swift

A Royal Green Jacket shares memories of his 10-year service and the split-second explosion that changed his life forever.

After deciding at the age of 10 that a military life was the life for him, Darren Swift joined the Royal Green Jackets in 1982, aged 16. Darren shares memories of training and how keen he was to get to work and start earning money. He talks about his three tours of Northern Ireland, and the path that led him to becoming a tracker-dog handler and being paired with his perfect partner, Troy the German Shepherd. It was during his third tour of Northern Ireland that a coffee-jar bomb was dropped where Darren stood, severely injuring him and instantly killing his friend. He talks in graphic detail about his catastrophic injuries, the immediate aftermath of the blast and the hectic drive through Belfast to the Royal Victoria Hospital – his story is not for the faint of heart. Following 18 months’ rehab at Headley Court, Darren decided to leave the military and has gone on to carve out a niche role for himself as a film and TV extra, in addition to becoming a very successful skydiver and competitive snowboarder. Darren reflects matter-of-factly on the impact of his injuries, both mental and physical; and his resilience, courage and enduring good humour truly are an inspiration to all.
Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker