After joining the Navy in 1943 and completing his training at stone frigates HMS Royal Arthur, HMS Scotia and HMS Ganges, able seaman Vic Ould was sent to Chatham Barracks to wait for his first draft. This came in the form of HMS Carron, a brand-new ship in Greenock, Scotland, who first set sail in the dead of night to evade any U-boats lurking nearby hoping for an easy catch. Vic shares details of the many escort missions the Carron undertook in the Arctic and Atlantic Convoys, and talks about the job of a destroyer and how its crew enables it to operate effectively. He also recalls details about his role as a radar operator, and reflects on the end of his military service in Indonesia. Vic – who became a prolific writer who penned several fascinating ‘first-person accounts’ from sailors aboard other destroyers – shares his story with humour, humility and an eye for detail that brings his memories vividly to life.

James Bisiker served in the Royal Marines as part of 40 Commando. He recalls the intense physical demands, particularly during harsh conditions in places like Dartmoor, where the group faced severe weather and tragically lost a fellow trainee to hypothermia. In 1948, he endured a rough crossing to Malta and continued to North Africa and eventually to Palestine. He recalls the chaos in Haifa as Israel became a state. The tense atmosphere and waiting for possible attacks from militant groups put him on edge every day. James reminisces fondly about the inclusivity within the Marines, where soldiers of different backgrounds, including Jewish, Black, and even openly gay comrades, were accepted and treated equally. His time in the Marines instilled a deep sense of pride and achievement. Despite the hardships, he and his comrades became a close group, forming strong bonds through shared experiences.

Office boy Stan Hoare was called up in June 1943 and he joined the Royal Navy as a radar rating, completing his training at HMS Raleigh in Cornwall and on the Isle of Man. Stan’s first ship was HMS Hart, a modified Black Swan-class sloop, and he recalls the sense of pride he felt when boarding for the first time. He shares memories of his life and work on board the ship during sea trials, the Arctic convoys and D-Day, and remembers the serious consequences of an accident caused by heavy fog in the Bristol Channel during his watch. Stan went on to take a gunnery course and was subsequently transferred to HMS Duke of York, joining the British Pacific Fleet and setting sail for Australia. He vividly describes the differences between the two ships of his service, and remembers the final crashing wave that spared his life but ended his military career. Stan’s story, shared with much humour and humility, illustrates the overwhelming courage, dedication and resilience of all those who served with, before and after him.