Andrew Cassels spent his entire career at British Petroleum (BP), joining at 17 and retiring at 60. He admits that a highlight of his time was during the Falklands Conflict when he served as 2nd Mate on the requisitioned Petroleum tanker, the British Avon. With his brother-in-law already involved in the conflict, Andrew happily volunteered. He describes preparing the ship for the journey south, highlighting the technical procedures for filling the tanks and the impressed Royal Fleet Auxiliary [RFA] crew who joined to assist with navigation. Refuelling at sea, particularly with the RFA Olna, was challenging and the stress on the ships' Captain ensured that Andrew had plenty of responsibility. He fondly recalls tuna fishing in Ascension and the Automatic Radar Plotting Aid (ARPA) navigational system on the Avon, though he still enjoyed using traditional star and sun sights with his sextant.

As an evacuee, Frances McLaren was unable to go to university after leaving school at 18. Instead, on the advice of a friend’s father, she joined the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, and so began her remarkable career. After completing her training, Frances started off in the lab, working on the development of hull launching tanks on seaplanes and landplanes, before progressing to flight tests in the Sunderland flying boats. Her career went from strength to strength and she talks in detail about her central role in one of Britain’s greatest bombing missions, the Dambusters Raid, and her work on the top-secret Highball (bouncing bomb) experiments. Frances was also involved in other experimental projects including those focused on survival, with one in particular being the development of flotation devices for planes ditching in water. She recalls with humour how she had to cajole others into joining her on some of her test missions. Frances’ extraordinary story provides an eye-opening insight into the myriad ways women played an active role in the war effort, sometimes at the cutting edge of innovation and development.

Alison Harris was serving as an assistant purser on the Uganda when the ship was unexpectedly requisitioned for service in the Falklands War. Originally a school cruise ship, Uganda was swiftly converted into a hospital ship, with public rooms transformed into wards and a helicopter pad built over the swimming pool. Alison’s role involved maintaining detailed records of personnel onboard, including injured British and Argentine soldiers. She recalls the surreal experience of maintaining a sense of normality—printing daily menus and holding quizzes—even as the ship sailed into a war zone. Despite the challenges, including water shortages and harsh weather, she speaks of the camaraderie among the crew and the deep friendships formed. Alison reflects on the Uganda’s vital but often overlooked role in the conflict, feeling privileged to have been part of an extraordinary chapter in history.