Having never left Yorkshire before joining the Royal Marines at 17, Geoff was initially stationed at the Yangtze River, where he saw Royal Navy ships fired upon during the Amethyst incident. After the Korean War began, Geoff was sent to shell North Korean supply wagons and then to Camp McGill in Japan to join US raiders. His unit made a decoy landing at Inchon, which he survived uncaught against all odds. Without backup, he fought his way to assist in the capture of Kimpo airfield. Geoff recalls seeing his friend killed in an explosion, engaging in hand-to-hand combat, and sustaining a bayonet injury at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, after which he was airlifted to hospital. He describes the vast Chinese troops, the terrible condition of the bodies returned for burial and how the dead were piled up in makeshift defensive barriers. Many decades later, South Koreans welcomed Geoff warmly when he visited the now-flourishing country, yet he feels that people at home know little about the sacrifices British troops made in Korea. Geoff’s animated and reflective account vividly conveys the chaos of Korea’s battlefields and the challenges marines faced upon returning to civilian life.

Baden Singleton shares his life as a young Seaman while serving in the Royal Naval Patrol Service. His fascination with the Navy began early as a boy when he found a Seaman's hat on the beach. He recalls the exhaustive experience of working in a smaller crew. He speaks about how the RNPS was ridiculed by others, earning nicknames such as  'Churchill's Pirates' after a visit from Winston Churchill who referred to them as pirates due to their lack of Naval clothing. After his deployment, he went on many perilous journeys through the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas, serving aboard the HMS Romeo and HMS Wolborough which were responsible for sweeping naval mines. Despite his hardships, he developed a strong sense of camaraderie and respect not just for his fellow Naval men but also for other Seamen and the ships they served. He reflects sentimentally on how the HMS Romeo was once berthed alongside the SS Ohio, the same ship which played a vital role in Operation Pedestal, the convoy which saved the people of Malta from starvation. Throughout the chaos of the war, he still managed to find moments of cordiality. On one occasion, he met a woman at a brothel in Alexandria where he was based, with whom he developed a nice friendship. Baden's interview offers insight into the honour and delightfulness but also into the adversity that comes from being a Naval man during World War II.