Jeff York offers a gripping tale of his service as a Sonar operator aboard HMS Spartan during the Falklands War. Raised in Northampton, Jeff grew up far from the sea. His first sample of seamanship began after becoming a member of the Sea Cadets. However, at the young age of sixteen, he received permission to enlist in the Royal Navy, seeing it as the natural course for his career. Even before his basic training, Jeff was determined to become a submariner, recalling a trip to Portsmouth where he went down in a submarine. From that moment, he was hooked. Once he was given the choice, he joined HMS Dolphin to do his submarine training. During this period, he served aboard ships from HMS Sceptre to HMS Aurora in the Mediterranean before being assigned to HMS Spartan, a new type of submarine which had a trial system implemented. During an exercise in the Bay of Biscay, the Ship's captain, Jim Taylor received an order to head for Gibraltar to make preparations for something. The young crew remained oblivious all throughout until Taylor revealed that they were preparing to join the Task Force in defending the Falklands from Argentinian rebels. HMS Spartan would become one of the first vessels to reach the islands. Jeff describes some of the ship's systems, including a dependable sonar which was used to locate enemy targets from a long range. He discusses the difficulties of being in unfamiliar waters, from the uncertainty of submarine combat to facing many navigational problems. The crew was not immune to a sense of confusion and vulnerability, feelings that increased after the loss of HMS Sheffield. Their unfamiliarity led to many precarious situations, including the ship getting trapped in a forest of kelp which jammed their systems. This posed a serious threat to the Spartan since it was fuelled by a nuclear power source. Despite these hardships, the crew managed to pull through, benefited by the strong comradery shared among everyone onboard. Jeff reflects on the overlooked contributions of submariners, taking pride in their obscurity whenever the topic of the  Falklands War is brought up in a conversation. His interview reveals their importance to the War effort as well as providing a glimpse into how submarine warfare changed during the period.

Having never left Yorkshire before joining the Royal Marines at 17, Geoff was initially stationed at the Yangtze River, where he saw Royal Navy ships fired upon during the Amethyst incident. After the Korean War began, Geoff was sent to shell North Korean supply wagons and then to Camp McGill in Japan to join US raiders. His unit made a decoy landing at Inchon, which he survived uncaught against all odds. Without backup, he fought his way to assist in the capture of Kimpo airfield. Geoff recalls seeing his friend killed in an explosion, engaging in hand-to-hand combat, and sustaining a bayonet injury at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, after which he was airlifted to hospital. He describes the vast Chinese troops, the terrible condition of the bodies returned for burial and how the dead were piled up in makeshift defensive barriers. Many decades later, South Koreans welcomed Geoff warmly when he visited the now-flourishing country, yet he feels that people at home know little about the sacrifices British troops made in Korea. Geoff’s animated and reflective account vividly conveys the chaos of Korea’s battlefields and the challenges marines faced upon returning to civilian life.

David comes from a military background, his father and two older brothers served during WWII. He enlisted into the Navy in 1949 for seven years. He recounts a year of arduous basic training, which carried the risk of being “back-squadded” for failing. Although tough, David valued his training and was determined to succeed. Gaining the green beret was the proudest moment of David’s life. He began active duty in Korea, defending Wonson Harbour on Yodo Island in 4-1 commandos. He manned the heavy artillery, working alongside American counterparts to defend the island from enemy incursions. This also involved raids to disable strategic infrastructure. He enjoyed the opportunities for R&R in Japan and spent time there after peace was declared. David returned to the UK, following which he spent 3-month tours of duty in many areas including the Caribbean, often in guard duty roles on-board ship. David recounts happy memories of this time. Finally, David was stationed first in Malta, in charge of weapons stores and then in a similar role in Cyprus during the struggle for independence. It was while on duty that David was suddenly told to leave as his 7 years were up.