Leon Gautier joined the French navy in 1940 to fight against the German invasion. He retreated to England, where he would join the Free French and serve as a gunner on both battleships and submarines (The Surcouf). In 1941 he joined the French Marines and served all over Africa and the Middle East. It was in Africa that Leon volunteered for the commandos. He was shipped to Scotland, where he undertook the brutal training regime to become a ‘Beret Vert’. When he had completed his training, Leon travelled down to Portsmouth, where, on 5^th June 1944 he was sent to Normandy for the D-Day invasion. Leon provides a vividly accurate first-hand account of 78 straight days (without relief) on the Normandy front lines. He recounts the sights and sounds of the initial landing at Ouistreham, life on the front lines in the early days of the invasion and repelling the German counterattack at Amfreville. Leon served until August 1944, when he was excited to return to the U.K. and be reunited with his wife Dorothy. It is a truly remarkable interview that reinforces the important role that the Free French Commandos played in the D-Day invasion.

Originating from a military background, Mary knew she wanted to join the army and officially signed in 1978 when she left school. After excelling in her assessments, she chose to join the Royal Army Pay Corps knowing that they had bases all over the world. Following her initial training at Guildford, Mary was posted to Brighton where she worked on translating army promotions into symbols in order for occurrences to be coded into computer systems. She was then moved to Krefeld in Germany and placed in a pay team with two other RAPC individuals. She remembers her time in Germany as the moment in which she, like many others, became aware of the IRA threats and realities of life in the army. Having joined the WRAC towards the end of the 1970s, Mary reflects on the changing nature of women's roles and remembers the introduction of weapon training. She describes the extensive NBC training in Krefeld, in particular 'Active Edge' exercises which were intended to mimic Russian invasion. Mary describes the relationship between technological development and pay duties, and her developing awareness of the discrepancy in pay. With the disbandment of the WRAC she went for commission and became the only female RAPC. Her interview is an inspiring and authentic account of one of the many trailblazing women who broke the system.

Donald Fentum joined the 3^rd Royal Horse Artillery Regiment in 1949. He recounts how he was initially stationed in Kent but volunteered for Korea when an officer visited his local pub looking for recruits. Don recalls his 6 week journey to Korea and how he initially joined the 179 Independent Mortars, before being assigned to the 61^st Mortar Regiment. Against his Dad’s advice, Don volunteered for the observational post at Hill 355 (Kowang San), his main duty was to check and repair communications lines – sometimes in enemy territory and under enemy fire. Don tells of life on the front lines in Korea, including the dire living conditions, freezing weather, and his experiences with enemy forces. He also outlines the precarious job of an artillery solider, recalling how mortars often exploded at random. The interview ends with Don’s brief recollection of his time in Germany and Suez after his service in Korea ended. Don’s incredible first-hand account of the Korean war enhances our understanding of the “forgotten war” and his entertaining anecdotes reinforce his view that “the army runs on its sense of humour”.