Originating from a military background, Julia recalls how it was somewhat inevitable that would serve in the army. After excelling in the aptitude tests, she was offered a position in the Intelligence Corps. In her interview Julia remembers finding the transition into army life difficult and struggled with the uniform due to both its impracticality and restrictiveness. Additionally, she found the climate of fear surrounding the IRA shocking and saw many women horrified by threats they either personally, or by an extension of their trade, received. Julia was posted to former West Germany with the 13th Signal Regiment where she worked alongside Signals Personnel. Within this role she would map the movement of troops in East Germany and flag Russian tanks, and being her first time overseas, she reflects on this period as particularly exciting. After leaving in 1975, Julia went on to join the MET as she felt there were more equal opportunities for women in organisation's that didn't restrict roles to gender. She continued to work for the Intelligence Corps at GCHQ on the Palestinian desk for many years. Reflecting on the WRAC, Julia describes the potency of class divisions within the military and her frustrations with the gendered restrictions. She maintains however that the fundamentals of the WRAC gave her the determination to continue her work in intelligence and commends the importance of documenting a history of female veterans.

Gordon began learning to play the cornet at aged 10, while many of his friends were out playing football. After leaving school, he successfully applied to the Royal Engineers at Chatham at aged 14 and was subsequently accepted as a pupil at Kneller Hall despite being only 14 years old. After 18 months, he succeeded in his exams and returned to Chatham. While there, he was supported to continue his education and studied Music at Trinity College. In 1956, he was accepted back at Kneller Hall, although considered too young for a studentship, but put in for the 6-month exams where he came top of his group. He subsequently took on a bandmaster roll at aged 25, becoming the youngest in the army to achieve this. Gordon goes on to describe his time as bandmaster and the rich variety of opportunities that came his way, including serving in Germany. Ultimately, Gordon became Professor of Band Arranging, Harmony and History Music at Kneller Hall. In the last months of his career he met Princess Anne, who was then Colonel in Chief of his regiment. She was instrumental in organising a celebration of his work in London before he retired.