Having grown up in Ireland during 'The Troubles', Marion joined the army to escape and begin life somewhere different. However soon after arriving at Guildford, she was injured in the bombing of the Horse and Groom pub in 1974. Marion recalls being aware that something was wrong but before she had time to react the bomb had exploded and she was left injured among the chaos. She describes how following this incident she was held back from completing her trade training and interrogated by army officers on suspicions of her being involved in the attack. In her interview she states that her treatment by the army during this time is something she held resentment towards for many years. She went on to complete her clerical training and was subsequently posted to Blackdown, Bicester, then Rheindahlen. In Germany an opportunity arose for Marion to become an army welfare assistant, where her role consisted of mostly dealing with war-affected and bereaved families. Although this position was extremely difficult, Marion found it rewarding but knew that it was soon time to leave. Reflecting on her time with the WRAC, Marion felt proud to be a veteran and values her connection to the female corps.

Having lived through WWII as a child, Michael was conscripted at age 18. He trained as an anti-tank gunner in Norfolk and then sailed for Korea on the Emperor Orwell in late August 1950. He and his compatriots were among the first British regiments to go to Korea. He tells of the journey to Korea, stopping in Egypt, Ceylon, Singapore and Hong Kong. Life on board ship involved training on what to expect, as well as practice on the 17 pounder anti-tank gun. Michael describes a 24-hour train journey to Britannia camp after arriving in Pusan. From there he tells of day-to-day life, fighting trench warfare, primarily on 355 hill (Kowang Sang). Conditions were very challenging; they lived in a constant state of alertness, remaining in their clothes and boots as they had to be prepared to fight at a moment’s notice. Suffering frequent mortar bombardment and attacks by the PVA, Michael describes in detail the measures they had to take to counteract these attacks and the importance of keeping going despite the fear. He returned home after two years and tells of his frustration that the Korean war appears to have been forgotten.

Lamin Maneh, originally from Gambia, served as a proud Guardsman in the Irish Guard. He chose to join the British Army with a clear purpose: “to make people’s lives better.” In 2006, Lamin moved to England and began the process of enlisting, officially joining the army in 2009. Reflecting on his journey, he shares memories of his childhood and life in Gambia and the significant transition he experienced as he adapted to life in the British military. Lamin was attracted to the public-facing role of the guards, with ‘thousands or millions of people coming to this country, the first place to see is where the guards are.’ Initially becoming a beefeater, he underwent intense drills and difficult training that forces you to push yourself to your limits to complete. His first deployment was in Afghanistan, and though, naturally, he was a little nervous, this was outweighed by his excitement to get to do the job he’d been training for. His first two weeks in Bastion were spent doing familiarisations and getting prepped ready to be deployed to the Forward Operating Base (FOB). These familiarisations consisted of doing patrols talking to local people and trying to help give them the security they need to go about their daily life. His previous training in Kenya helped him acclimatise to the extreme heat, and his shared religion with many local Afghans allowed him to build meaningful connections and earn their trust. On New Year's Eve 2010, after three months of deployment, Lamin suffered a serious injury due to an IED explosion. Waking up 14 days later in a hospital in Birmingham, Lamin reflects on his time spent recovering and regaining his strength at Hedley Court, as well as how his faith guided him through his time serving and in recovery. Although Lamin’s army career has come to a close, he remains passionate about helping people, searching for a job that continues to allow him to make a positive impact. We wish Lamin the very best of luck in his next adventure.