In 1942, Fred undertook 16 weeks of infantry training in Reading, joining the fifth battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was first sent to Marlborough in Suffolk to undertake beach defence, but after the Germans did not land there, he was reassigned to Scotland to train in a beach group for the Normandy landings alongside a Canadian division. He trained in small assault craft out to sea and undertook extensive training in handling different cargo and rope tying, becoming an experienced stevedore, a loader and unloader of ships. Fred was next stationed near Waterlooville for further training, before going to Southampton Number 1 dock to sail for Normandy with many other ships. He describes being caught in a storm and sheltering in Calshot before being allowed to leave the harbour. Fred describes the chaos and noise of the gun battles and shell fire of the Normandy landings. Whilst there he manned a Bren gun that he was proud to have never left during Operation Overlord. Fred unloaded thousands upon thousands of cargo, including barbed wire, rations and other essential supplies, sometimes standing in four foot of water. At the same time, he was also helped to move prisoners, casualties and many bodies from the beach after joining the Forth Wiltshire Regiments platoon. Fred describes being wounded and the nightmares he suffered with but also reflects on the importance of his regiment mates for team moral during and after the war.  

From a happy childhood in a Yorkshire mining village to a career spanning almost five decades, Major Clive Candlin reflects on his lifetime of service. Joining the Army at just 17 years old opened up a world beyond Yorkshire that took him to places he could never have imagined visiting. The interview centres on Clive's deployment to Aden in 1964, with the Coldstream Guards, where he served as a clerk at Battalion Headquarters. He offers a rare perspective on how a battalion functioned during an active campaign, describing the unseen administrative work that kept operations moving. This included the responsibility of handling casualty reports so that soldiers’ families could be informed quickly and accurately. Clive also reflects on the personal costs of service. He speaks openly about the difficulties of leaving his wife, Margaret and their infant son, Steve, behind in Britain, describing the uncertainty of being separated for such a long time, especially when communication was not what it is now. Among some of Clive's happier memories are those of the friendships and camaraderie he shared among the men, which provided moments of relief amidst the pressure of service. Clive's testimony provides valuable insight into both the operational realities and the emotional cost of Army life during the Aden Emergency.

Following completion of an apprenticeship, Peter signed on as a regular in the Army for three years in 1951, because it meant he could choose where he wanted to serve. After training, he served in the Royal Army Service Corps as a driver. He tells of a posting to HQ Southern Command and from there being sent to Korea. Like many others, he explains that he hadn’t heard of Korea before this. Embarking at Southampton on the Empire Fowey, he and his compatriots travelled first to Japan. He recounts the journey from Japan to Korea, travelling through Hiroshima and seeing the crater, following which he was parachuted into Seoul. He was posted to the 26th Field Ambulance Division and drove both ambulances and transport. He tells of the poor conditions of the roads and the impact of the weather on their work, including that their trucks would freeze during the winter if not looked after properly. At the end of the Korean War, Peter tells of his brief foray into athletics, running for the battalion. He was then posted to Hong Kong. He expresses frustration at the lack of attention given to the Korean war in comparison to other wars.