David joined the military band at 16 as a trumpet player, enlisting in the Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in 1976. He took up the clarinet and joined the band in Germany, where they faced some local hostility. In 1979, he became a ‘Kneller Boy,’ recalling fond memories of performances, including playing for Princess Margaret before a Summer Concert. David describes the various jobs band members had to undertake at Kneller Hall and later returned to Germany, where he briefly took up the Saxophone. He reflects on the challenges of the military’s promotion system, often referred to as the ‘dead man's shoes’ system, and eventually left the band to join the police. In 1995, David joined the Army Medical Services and was still invited to perform with the band on several occasions. He played extensively in the Gulf and former Soviet countries, which he believes helped strengthen diplomatic ties, particularly with nations like Jordan. David feels the band played a vital role in promoting British industries and easing international tensions and personally helped with his confidence.

Hearing what was happening in Europe, Sidney joined the territorials in 1937 ahead of being called up in 1939. He remembers his excitement at being able to walk away from his desk job and there being people out on the streets cheering and waving at the heroes going to war. Sidney joined the Royal Corps of Signals which he admits he knew nothing about and at times struggled with the technical work. There was a lot of training in Morse Code in particular. After a year’s training Sidney was sent to Africa. The Italians had landed in Egypt and their mission was to stop them taking Cairo. It was on a mission in Tobruk that Sidney experienced warfare full on, witnessing the death and devastation caused by previous battles and experiencing the immediate loss of a man when a truck hit a mine, all while guns were continually firing. Sidney remembers coming across the body of an Italian soldier and the futility of war hitting him hard. That said, Sidney thinks his time in the army was ultimately worthwhile, there was no question about having to defeat the Nazis. Sidney also spent time in Greece attached to the 7^th Armoured Division, aka the Desert Rats, but the German forces were so strong they were forced to evacuate. Sidney recalls in blistering detail their attempted escape on the HMS Carlisle, how they were hit and had to change course for Crete where Sidney ended up in the Battle of Crete which he remembers vividly.

Kay Wingate joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) at 19, inspired by her father, who had previously served in the army. Originally from Essex, her military career took her to the Isle of Man, where she trained as a member of the top-secret Y service, listening in to German military wireless signals. After learning how to decipher Morse code, she was then stationed in Harrogate as a wireless operative. Kay recalls she had ‘no aptitude’ for Morse and had to learn it from scratch. Despite this challenge, she surpassed the speed of 18 words per minute, a skill which offered her better pay. Some of the messages that the ATS decoded were sent to Bletchley Park. Having signed the Secrets Act, she wasn’t able to tell a soul about her work. She was released from service in 1946. Kay looks back on her time with the ATS with fond memories, which saw the forging of lifelong friendships. While she never saw combat, her interview offers an important insight into the day-to-day operations of those involved in the Secret War, in addition to the vital work carried out by the women’s branch of the British Army.