With a father in the Admiralty, Lord Alan spent his childhood around dockyards and naval bases including travelling to Singapore on a troop ship and almost being blown up by Malayan terrorists. He always wanted to go to sea and joined the navy in 1965. He first spent time in the Middle East as a midshipman which was incredibly dangerous but also exciting. Lord Alan’s next posting was to the Falklands with HMS Ardent where he was involved in bombarding Goose Green. He speaks candidly and in incredible detail about this time and how he felt as a young commanding officer knowing his ship was dangerously exposed. He talks about the enormous bravery of the crew and how he carried the weight of those killed and injured. Ultimately, they come under heavy fire and he gives the extremely difficult order to abandon ship. For his actions on HMS Ardent, Lord Alan received the Distinguished Service Cross. Following this, Lord Alan then joins the Ministry of Defence where he witnessed the Hong Kong Handover, the Kosovo War, the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan and by 2002 became the First Sea Lord for the invasion of Iraq. He recalls how it was fascinating to see intelligence come together but also how he could be under pressure to produce evidence. Finally, Lord Alan joins Gordon Brown’s government as Security Minister. He brings incredible knowledge and direct experience to the roll, far above that of the civil servants and other ministers. He is proud his efforts have kept the country safer, though sad that it is not completely safe.

Always keen on adventure and the outdoor life, Don Maclean joined the Royal Marines Reserves in 1995 when he was 17, and received his green beret 18 months later whilst also studying engineering at university. He explains how part-time training worked and talks about the toughest challenges he faced, before reflecting on the level of self-motivation required to maintain the physical and mental fitness of a regular Royal Marine whilst living a civilian life on standby for mobilisation. In 2010 Don was called up for an operational tour of Afghanistan. He shares memories of arriving in Camp Bastion as a member of X-Ray Company 45 Commando, and describes in detail the role they played as a security force and how it felt to be waiting for action to unfold. Just eight weeks into his tour, Don stood on an IED during a routine patrol. He vividly recounts the moments that followed, the lightning-fast rescue operation that saved his life, and the multiple surgeries he underwent to save his damaged foot. Don shares his sincere appreciation for the exceptional rehab he received at Headley Court, and talks about achievements and ambitions in his new life beyond the military.

Having never left Yorkshire before joining the Royal Marines at 17, Geoff was initially stationed at the Yangtze River, where he saw Royal Navy ships fired upon during the Amethyst incident. After the Korean War began, Geoff was sent to shell North Korean supply wagons and then to Camp McGill in Japan to join US raiders. His unit made a decoy landing at Inchon, which he survived uncaught against all odds. Without backup, he fought his way to assist in the capture of Kimpo airfield. Geoff recalls seeing his friend killed in an explosion, engaging in hand-to-hand combat, and sustaining a bayonet injury at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, after which he was airlifted to hospital. He describes the vast Chinese troops, the terrible condition of the bodies returned for burial and how the dead were piled up in makeshift defensive barriers. Many decades later, South Koreans welcomed Geoff warmly when he visited the now-flourishing country, yet he feels that people at home know little about the sacrifices British troops made in Korea. Geoff’s animated and reflective account vividly conveys the chaos of Korea’s battlefields and the challenges marines faced upon returning to civilian life.