Bernard Howell joined the Royal Navy at 16 and underwent four weeks of training at Portsmouth barracks. He was then drafted to HMS Faulknor, a battle destroyer, where he participated in several convoys to Iceland, Russia, and the Mediterranean. The ship was later recalled to England and anchored off the Isle of Wight, awaiting further orders. On June 4th, they were directed to Juno Beach, but due to rough weather in the channel, they were recalled several times. Eventually, they were sent back out with the Canadians, with orders to shoot at anything that moved. By lunchtime, they had exhausted their ammunition firing at a small French town and returned to Portsmouth to resupply. After picking up General Montgomery, they headed back to Normandy but ran aground too close to the shore. They were rescued by two American Landing Crafts and remained in constant combat for another three weeks. Bernard, having been prepared by his time in the Russian convoys, faced this combat without fear.

Pete Dunning shares with us his journey from being a bored pub worker in Wallesey to a medically discharged ‘meaningful Marine’ after being posted to Afghanistan twice with the Armoured Support Company during the mid-2000s. Pete recounts his gruelling training for the Royal Marines and how ‘exhilarating and exciting’ it was to operate the Viking armoured vehicles during his two tours in Afghanistan. In May 2008, Pete was involved in an incident where the vehicle he was travelling in hit an IED, resulting in the amputation of both of Pete’s legs. He spent over seven weeks at Selly Oak Hospital where he underwent surgery on his spine and received skin grafts for his severe burns before being sent to Hedley Court for rehabilitation. Pete talks about his ‘stubbornness to get back up from this’, and it was his sheer determination that helped him walk again. Despite opting for medical discharge from the Royal Marines just short of five years of service, he is now focused on watching his young family grow and thrive. His account of the incident and the changes it brought to his life is inspirational. A story of great determination to adapt to a life post-injury.