Alan Johnson served in the Royal Navy from 1943 to 1947. The son of a professional Manchester city footballer he was enlisted as an Able Seaman on the Minesweeper HMS Onyx. In his expansive interview he talks in detail about his life onboard and the work he was involved in. He describes the mine clearing procedure in depth and the particular threats the ship faced day and night. The Onyx operated both in the Balkan seas on the Russian convoys and in the English Channel during the Normandy invasion. Alan shares entertaining memories from them all.

In 1941 at the age of 17, Joan Field applied to join the WRNS (Women's Royal Naval Service). Keen not to become a cook or a steward, Joan was happy when the discovery of her perfect eyesight meant she was chosen to become a signaller and sent to HMS Cabbala to begin her training. Joan talks in detail about the instruction she received – including Morse code, semaphore, the phonetic alphabet and naval discipline – before her first draft sent her north to the pier signal station in Oban. Joan shares memories of life in Oban, and the stark differences she encountered when she moved to the remote Ganavan signal station shortly after her arrival in Scotland, recalling one particularly frightening encounter that made her glad of the pistol training all Wrens received. She also talks about the improvements to planning that came when the Americans joined the war, but recalls with some horror their apparent lack of discipline within the ranks. Joan’s story provides a particularly engaging insight into the life and work of a female signaller, and highlights her deep connection both to the Scottish Highlands and the vital role she played in the war effort.

Pam Torrens was born in Southampton from a lineage of sailors and fishermen and so without question joined a sea faring service in the war.  She joined the Women’s Royal Naval Service (WRNS) aged eighteen and was made a chief petty officer after six months. Pam describes her Wren training and the testing of her German language skills. Beginning at Mill Hill, and then transferring to a special unit called Southfields, she learnt how to use radio frequencies to detect E-Boats, and interpret the codes used by Germans. She was sent to Station X, unaware at the time that this was Bletchley Park. Here she listened to codes and would phone them through to the local naval intelligence centre. Later sent to work in intelligence centres herself, she describes the windy Abbots Cliff where she listened to messages about the Bismarck, learning morse code at Hemsby, and being stationed at Ventnor during D-Day. She later volunteered to go to Hamburg Germany to interpret captured documents for the navy. Reflected throughout is Pam’s enjoyment of being in the Wrens, but also the tough circumstances and reality of not being able to divulge information about code breaking to her family after signing the Official Secrets Act. She remained hopeful her important work was impactful to the war effort.