John was drafted into the Army and, upon becoming a commissioned officer in the Royal Welsh Regiment, chose Jamaica as his dream destination. Fate chose Folkstone's barracks for John instead. He explains how his strong relationship with his platoon commander, rugby and the British weather - but not its terrain - prepared them for Korea. John then fondly recounts travelling and being posted to Hong Kong in 1951, aged 19, and explains how "Tuffy" the goat mascot deeply affected Welsh servicemen's morale! Most men had never left Wales, so they brought Welsh hymns with them as they landed in Pusan. John recalls acclimatising to a country and people devastated by war. Posted on the "Hook" ridge frontline, John gives a colourful depiction of the British defensive positions and cooking with petrol. He recalls his first (very) close enemy contact and the Chinese army's professionalism. John fought fiercely on Hill 169. He explains what night-time fighting was like and how his company fought their way out of a Chinese encirclement. John poignantly reflects on how the love for his men often trumped his fear of death. John shares a heart-racing encounter with a numerically superior enemy and how British artillery helped them escape into no man's land. John explains how the unreliable Sten gun hindered their retreat and how an act of god saved his men. On another dreaded daylight patrol, John shares a heart-breaking memory of how a well-placed mortar killed two of his men. There were always two other enemies, the cold weather and hills, and John explains how they were fought. John's platoon was then posted to Hill 355. John recalls a night-time raid behind enemy lines and how his men kept their discipline under unimaginable terror, and how he won the Military cross. He also speaks of keeping his humanity during war. Korea gave John clarity on life's important things and a steadfast resilience to its challenges. He also got nightmares and a lifelong grief for his fallen men. John is testament to the British soldier's camaraderie, honesty and resilience in the face of unimaginable challenges.

Keith Watson was a carpentry apprentice before he was called up into the Royal Norfolk Regiment for his National Service. His first posting was on the Yugoslav/ Italian border in 1952. When he returned home, he served as batman to the Regimental Sergeant Major, a role that kept him out of trouble until he arrived in Korea. On arrival, Keith was moved to B company and sent to the frontline. He gives a first-hand account of life on the hills in Korea, which mostly involved: digging trenches, keeping warm, and trying to avoid the mosquitoes. Keith details the configuration of barbed wire fences and mines in No Man’s Land and how, as a patrolman you had to be very aware of how to navigate these defences. He recalls being sent to a small hill in No Man’s Land nicknamed “the island” to survey the enemy – the hill was very exposed, and Keith counts himself lucky not to have been attacked. Keith served the maximum of 12 months in Korea and was pleased to be sent home. His interview culminates with a moving poem dedicated to soldiers who served in Korea.