Clifford Herridge recalls his National Service in the King's Regiment (Liverpool) serving in the Korean conflict, often described as ‘The Forgotten War’. When South Korea was invaded by North Korea’s KPA in 1950, many countries, including Great Britain, sent troops in support of South Korea. After a year of conflict, a period of static trench warfare ensued; this is what Clifford encountered when he arrived. He tells of his role in the mortar platoon, digging trenches and ‘hutches’ in the hillside for the men to live in. A landscape of ‘hills, hills, and more hills’, and the extreme weather, overwhelming summer heat and freezing winters, are still vivid memories. Despite knowing the old adage ‘never volunteer’, when the platoon cook was taken ill, Clifford, with no formal culinary training, stepped forward to take over. He describes feeding forty-five men with an array of food supplied by the Americans, including fresh salmon, which Clifford had no idea how to cook! When he returned home, his fiancé, Doreen, was waiting for him. She gives the perspective of those left behind and tells of her abundant letter writing to stay in touch. Despite some apprehension, Clifford calmly ‘did what he was told to do’, commenting that National Service changed him by broadening his mind, and making him realise he was ‘a lot better off then he thought’.

Born in Birmingham, Jean Eastham experienced the first hand horrors of the Birmingham Blitz. With daylight raids and frequent casualties, she was lucky to survive the devastation, but recounts occasions where survival was not guaranteed. After volunteering for her service, Jean travelled to Berlin to help on the Airlift, where she was shocked by the sheer level of destruction. Inside her new accommodation, stationed in the former Olympic Village, she was met with a wave of unseen modern luxuries, including central heating and low-flush toilets, which provided some hope for the journey ahead. As part of the ATS, it was Jean’s responsibility to care for many of the other women involved, managing much of the administrative work like accommodation, pay, and uniforms. Although her status as a woman entailed some restrictions, like the need for an escort outside of the daytime, she and her fellow volunteers worked hard to keep morale high, which was crucial in easing the fears of anxious Berliners.  Like many others, Jean remembers attending the famous Christmas show of 1948, and getting to meet Bob Hope. She recalls being very proud to serve in the ATS, especially because Queen Elizabeth II, then Princess, was also a member. Even after the Airlift, Jean often returned to Berlin, including a visit to Parliament to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the blockade. Decades later, the Berliners still show their gratitude, and continue to thank Jean for her help. 

Corporal Hannah Campbell joined the armed forces in May 2002, working first with Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps before discovering a strong preference for soldiering and transferring to the Adjutant General’s Corps. In 2007, Hannah and her partner received separate postings: hers to Iraq and his to Afghanistan. As they had a daughter together, they deemed Iraq the safer of the two options so Hannah left for Basra, but quickly realised it wasn’t going to be an easy environment to survive. Hannah talks about her work on base amidst the constant mortar fire, recalling a number of near misses before sharing a vivid and horrifying account of the day she suffered a direct hit. She goes on to talk candidly about her return to England and her struggles with PTSD, as well as the long and difficult road to accepting the need for her leg to be amputated; after which she was finally able to move on with her life thanks to the intensive and remarkable rehab she received at Headley Court.