At university, Audrey joined the Officer Training Corps which ultimately led her to join the army when she graduated. Due to her experience, Audrey never enrolled in basic training but was instead sent to the WRAC school of instruction. She was then posted to Shoeburyness as a Commander, then Singapore, and then to the new Duchess of Kent Barracks as Commanding Officer. Audrey also discusses growing IRA threats, and recalls the horror of experiencing the Aldershot bombing in 1972. Her career continued to flourish and she went to Army Staff College where she was the only woman out of one hundred men. Audrey proceeded to be posted at Shrewsbury as Senior Personnel Officer, then to the doctorate where she wrote employment papers for the WRAC, then the BAOR, and the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Audrey's work in the WRAC was fundamental to its evolution and she was involved in the crucial integration of weapons training into the female corps. She felt strongly that women should be given opportunities and went on to design the selection tests for officers admittance to Staff College. A true trailblazer, we thank Audrey for her inspiring interview and passionate words about the importance of women's roles in the WRAC.

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.

Born in wartime London, Alan Tizzard's childhood was shaped by the terror of the Blitz. The resilience he developed served him well when conscripted into the British Army. Using his cadet training, he rose quickly through the ranks and was in command of a formidable Comet tank at the age of 19. Stationed in Germany with the elite 10th Royal Hussars, Tizzard experienced a stark difference between the hard conditions of basic training and the relative comfort of his new posting. As the Cold War intensified, his regiment became a frontline in the looming conflict with Russia. A sudden night call to action tested Tizzard's mettle as his unit fought off a Russian Panzer attack. This experience, among many, shaped his character. Even after leaving the regular army, he continued to serve, first in the Territorial Army and later as a civil defense officer. Tizzard's life is a testament to courage, grit, and the lasting impact of war.