Edgar spent most of his childhood living near Heathrow and experienced the blitz and bombing of London. He enlisted in 1949 at aged 18. After joining the Middlesex battalion and travelling to Hong Kong, Edgar became a batman, as well as a barman and waiter. However, 8 months after arriving, they were transferred to Korea with only 4 days’ notice. He describes being nervous, as he didn’t know what to expect or what was happening there. His memories of Korea began with the smell of human waste at the dock. His primary role in Korea was that of riding shotgun for supply convoys to the front line such as the Pusan Perimeter and Huang He. Edgar gives a rich account of his time in Korea, including the complex relationships they had with the American troops, his experiences of the Korean people and the significant challenges of facing the Chinese army. He ascribes his own survival to the knowledge of the WWII veterans, and particularly the skills of their three commanding officers.  However, he feels that the Korean war and their role in it, have not been recognised to the extent that it should even to this day.

Louis Davies grew up on music and a family legacy of military service. It was thus a natural path for him to enrol in the military at the age of sixteen, with the dream of being in a military band. Louis describes the process of auditioning for and training at Kneller Hall (then the Royal Military School of Music). Louis speaks with great pride about the legacy and global renown of Kneller Hall, recalling some of the powerful and touching performances he was part of while studying there. After over three years at Kneller Hall, Louis transferred to the Navy as a Royal Marines Bugler. He continued to pursue his dream of being a full-time musician in the military until ultimately leaving to take care of his family.

After surviving the Blitz as a child, Leonard later joined National Service as a young adult. Following basic training, he volunteered for deployment in Korea, eventually travelling on the Empire Fowey. Upon arriving in Pusan, he joined the 14th Field Regiment. He reflects on his role as a signaller, detailing the equipment he worked with on the frontlines. Leonard remembers a night on duty when a radio transmission came through, the sound of gunfire in the background before fading into silence. By morning, he learned that those behind the transmission had been ambushed and killed by the Chinese. The cold of winter and the rabbit-sized rats that swarmed the battlefield and dugouts remain vivid in Leonard's memory. During his deployment, the Chinese broadcasted propaganda messages, aiming to demoralise soldiers by reminding them of home. Eventually, Leonard’s time in Korea ended and he returned home. He found it hard to adjust to life back home, but eventually settled. Years later, he revisited Korea and was amazed by how much the country had transformed since the war.