George Bayliss shares his experiences serving in the Territorial Army with the 2nd Battalion Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire regiment. Having worked with explosives in a firework factory he was assigned to the pioneer platoon, working in a close-knit battalion to clear mines. George recalls his training clearing mines, how dangerous this work was, and describes experiences of shelling whilst living close to the Germans. He recounts his preparation for the Battle of Cassino, marching across the river whilst being shelled, and then being in front making a safe passage through the minefield for the rest of his company and shares personal anecdotes of singing hymns and writing letters to his wife. He details horrific injuries he saw inflicted on his young colleagues and how lucky he was to escape serious injury. As the war comes to an end George explains how he was posted to a REME (Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers) unit and waited for demob to be sent back to England and his happy reunion with his wife.

Clarence Obi details the racism he experienced serving with the Royal Pioneer Corps in the 1970s after being spurred to join the Army by his curiosity and inspiration from his father. Training was by far his favourite part of his army career; it was tough but varied and always left him feeling physically and mentally fit, something he couldn’t say about the rest of his service.   His first experience with the army's prejudice came when his staff sergeant beat him until he bled in front of 30 to 40 people and suffered no consequences for his crime. The next time he was beaten was during a sports day, when a lieutenant officer used a pacer stick to nearly blind him while the other officers turned a blind eye. When kicked by his corporal for tying his laces, he made the mistake of reporting it to his colonel, staff sergeant, and sergeant major, who then proceeded to kick Clarence themselves.  Clarence had wanted to make a career out of the army but left after finding all the rules and regulations overly restrictive for him and easily abused by others. No matter how many exams he passed, he was stuck doing repetitive physical labour with no chance of promotion, being sent abroad or advancing himself in any way. Even though he possessed an exemplary record and was wearing the same uniform as everyone else, he was treated like an animal rather than an equal and he had had enough.

Dave Buck joined the Cheshire Regiment in 1997 and transferred to the Royal Logistics Corps after completing training. His first posting was to the 5th Airborne Brigade, which became the spearhead for NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission, and Dave talks in detail about military life in Kosovo, the destruction he witnessed, and the role – and frustrations – of a peacekeeping force. He shares memories of decompression in Cyprus and exercises in Canada, before recalling the moment he realised he’d achieved everything he’d wanted to do in the army, and left. After intense difficulties adjusting to civilian life, Dave volunteered for a six-month tour of Iraq as a reservist and worked predominantly in force protection, escorting convoys from Basra to Kuwait. After returning home again, the effects of PTSD began to manifest in earnest and Dave hit rock bottom. Eventually, after several years without help and stuck in an ever-downward spiral, Dave received support from Combat Stress who enabled him to recognise his illness, and provided him with ways to cope with and manage the condition he knows he’ll carry with him for the rest of his life.