Diana was born in London in 1916, into a class whose activities were the subject of gossip in the newspapers and magazines of the day.  Like so many of her peers, however, she was more than a society lady: she intended to contribute to the war effort and held ambitions to join the ATS.  First, she joined the FANYs and throughout the winter of the Blitz drove a mobile canteen, calling at bomb shelters to support the hungry occupants and feeding the firemen while they fought fires in the bombed buildings. When she did join the ATS, her strong language skills gained during a year living in Germany meant she was assigned a role at Trent Park.  This North London mansion had been requisitioned and adapted by the intelligence service MI19 as a centre for the surveillance of German prisoners of war.  There, she and her colleagues recorded, transcribed and translated conversations between the prisoners which were then used in support of intelligence operations.   The publication of this previously unseen interview was made possible thanks to a grant from The Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity, to mark 80 years since the closure of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in January 1946. 

Serving in patrol, John Bowman shares an uncommon glimpse into the delicate ceasefire which took place during the aftermath of the Korean War. Called up in 1952, the war had already lasted two years when John joined the Essex Regiment in Korea. Before this, he underwent extensive training, crossing between both Britain and Germany in preparation for the difficult terrain of a new environment. Common amongst new recruits from the UK, he possessed little knowledge of Korea itself. Arriving in Pusan, expectations were subverted upon receiving the sudden news that a ceasefire had been called; the calm of their newfound surroundings making this more apparent. However, it was a fragile peace and the UN still required troops to patrol their position and ensure stability. At Camp Salamanca, it was John's duty to re-fortify and strengthen their defences while the uncertainty of another North Korean attack hovered over them like a ceaseless cloud of dread. To add assurance, a new rule was implemented in which each side had to stay approximately 8 miles away from the 38th Parallel to reduce volatility of the situation. He spent many months in Korea, rebuilding the fortifications, discovering the remnants of previous battles, enduring harsh weather conditions and studying the difficult terrain of what was nicknamed 'Basterds' hill. Aside from his patrol duties, John still managed to have moments of respite: being able to express his love of painting for certain projects and contributing to a theatre production performed by famed comedian, Cheerful Charlie and his dancing troupe, the latter of which John found pleasant company. Many years later, he reflects on the reputation of Korea, amazed by their ability to overcome the devastation of the war but also questions the purpose and effectiveness of his country's involvement. John's interview provides a rare view into the aftermath of the Korean War, the conditions of its soldiers and the sensitivity of achieving peace.      

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.