Bob Sullivan joined the Royal Engineers in 1942 and soon volunteered for the special services as a paratrooper where he was assigned to number 3 parachute squadron Royal Engineers. Bob dropped into Normandy on June 5^th 1944, his squadron destroyed bridges along the river Dives to secure the allied left flank and then retreated to Breville to reinforce 9^th battalion who had taken a gun battery. Bob details life on the front line for an engineer in Normandy, this involved; building fortifications and gun batteries, going on patrol to detect mines, and laying Somerville tracks – whilst also repelling the German counterattack from the trenches. In December 1944, Bob was re-deployed to the Ardennes to identify and lift mines. Innovative glass and carbon fibre mines, combined with the freezing temperatures made this a torturous experience for Bob and his squadron. He left the Ardennes in February and shortly afterwards his squadron was disbanded, Bob transferred to number 1 troop and was sent to the Rhine in March. Upon landing he suffered a severe mortar wound to his leg, thus ending his military involvement in Europe. After a 5 month recovery period back home Bob “returned to the airborne” and was deployed in Palestine for a year. Bob delivers a uniquely extensive recollection of his experience in WW2, but more than anything the former paratrooper wants to highlight the memorable friendships he made during his service.

Gilbert Beck’s journey into military music began humbly in rural Oxfordshire, where his father brought home a grand piano from a local market, sparking a lifelong passion. Raised in a musical family, Gilbert sang in the church choir and played organ before joining the Army in 1948 as a band boy with the Royal Artillery. Trained at Woolwich and later Kneller Hall, Gilbert played double bass, tuba, and bass trombone, eventually joining the North Staffordshire Regiment. His musical service took him across Europe and into the Korean War, where he played a vital role in maintaining morale. From conducting services with a portable organ to performing for multinational troops, including Canadians and Americans, his music helped bridge cultural divides in a devastated landscape. In Korea, Gilbert played at the dedication of a tented village for displaced civilians and led hymns at makeshift services in Gloucester Valley. His experience highlighted the humanising power of music amid the harshness of war. Later selected for the demanding bandmaster course at Kneller Hall, Gilbert's talent earned him great respect, even as he ultimately chose family life over a full military career. Music remained central to Gilbert’s life, both in and out of uniform - a true servant of harmony in service and in peace.