At only eighteen and determined for adventure, Sue accepted her place at the WRAC college at Camberley in 1971. Being born into a military family Sue knew from a young age that she would join the army. In her interview she recalls the discipline and regimen of military life, but most importantly her pride at wearing her WRAC uniform. After Commissioning, Sue spent her first ten years in the WRAC recruiting, training or selecting women to be either WRAC Officers or Servicewomen. She was also involved in the training of Warrant Officers, Senior and Junior NCO’s and the selection of WRAC Junior Leaders. Sue reflects on this period with great fondness. Her extensive experience led to her selection to command one of the big three WRAC Companies. Sue was sent to Rheindahlen, Germany, and put in charge of 250 Servicewomen, a role which in many ways marked the pinnacle of her career. Remembering the Guildford bombing, Sue discusses its deep resonation with the women around her and the impact of other IRA attacks which she continued to feel through until the late 1980s. After leaving Rheindahlen in 1989, Sue went to work in the WRAC Directorate. Following the disbandment of the WRAC in 1992, Sue embarked on a seventeen-year career in the Adjutant General’s Corps. When that ended, Sue decided to commit her time to the WRAC Association to ensure its traditions and camaraderie lived on. She became its Vice President and Chairman of Trustees for Eleven years (2003 - 2014) and was awarded an MBE for her services to female veterans in 2014. She is now a Life Vice President of the WRAC Association and continues to give her time and experience to the Charity. A brilliant interview, we thank Sue for being an example of the many trailblazing women of the WRAC.

Marjorie Inkster was inspired to become a FANY and later work on anti-aircraft radar when her parent’s house was bombed early in the war. Because she was only 19 and had insufficient driving experience, she spent a year on petrol counting, which prompted her to volunteer for radar training. After 9 months’ training, she initially worked on radar research then found herself in charge of a REME detachment of men looking after the radar for 5 gun sites in north London. She provides many interesting and inspiring recollections: dealing with an incendiary that hit her lodgings; the extent of the technical training; the competition to service the radar on a dredger because they got navy chocolate; avoiding a bomb as they drove to fix a radar; sending secret components for repair by normal post. In London, she was incentivised to ensure the Identification Friend or Foe worked correctly because her brother was a night fighter pilot. Secrecy meant their work was never discussed, including the fact that her sister spent the war at Bletchley Park.

After deciding at the age of 10 that a military life was the life for him, Darren Swift joined the Royal Green Jackets in 1982, aged 16. Darren shares memories of training and how keen he was to get to work and start earning money. He talks about his three tours of Northern Ireland, and the path that led him to becoming a tracker-dog handler and being paired with his perfect partner, Troy the German Shepherd. It was during his third tour of Northern Ireland that a coffee-jar bomb was dropped where Darren stood, severely injuring him and instantly killing his friend. He talks in graphic detail about his catastrophic injuries, the immediate aftermath of the blast and the hectic drive through Belfast to the Royal Victoria Hospital – his story is not for the faint of heart. Following 18 months’ rehab at Headley Court, Darren decided to leave the military and has gone on to carve out a niche role for himself as a film and TV extra, in addition to becoming a very successful skydiver and competitive snowboarder. Darren reflects matter-of-factly on the impact of his injuries, both mental and physical; and his resilience, courage and enduring good humour truly are an inspiration to all.