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The Veteran Archive

Heartfelt thanks to the veterans who have shared their stories, so we may learn from their experiences and ensure they are never forgotten.

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An interview with

Charles Eagles

Charles Eagles was in 'S' Company of the 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry and landed...

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Harold Addie

Harold Addie gives an emotional account of his time as a Wireman on LCT501. Early...

Navy
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Vic Blake

Vic Blake served with the B Squadron in the 43rd Wessex Reconnaissance Regiment. Despite being injured,...

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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ATS veteran interviewed
An interview with

Joan Harrison

Joan Harrison served as an ambulance driver in the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) during World...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Rowena Patrick

Major Rowena Patrick played a key role in modernising physical and adventurous training for women...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Dorothy Apps

Dorothy Apps was a musician in the WRAC.
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Audrey Smith

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ali Brown

Ali Brown joined the army in 1984 and rose to the rank of Colonel. She...
Army
Modern Day War and Conflict: Compilation
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An interview with

Wildern School

Thank you to the brilliant students and teachers at Wildern School for enabling Legasee to...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wendy Hooton

Wendy Hooton was a communications centre operator for the WRAC.
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sylvia Adams

Sylvia worked in the Royal Military Police and became one of the first women to...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sue Westlake

Lt Col Sue Westlake spent much of her time in the WRAC as a Selection...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sharon Broderick

Sharon Broderick was a Chef with the Women’s Royal Army Corps and the Army Catering...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sandy Acathan

Sandy Acathan was a Sergeant in the Royal Signals Regiment, WRAC.
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Pauline Milnes was a Private in the WRAC.
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pat Pressler

Pat Pressler was an experimental assistant in gunnery EAG at Shoeburyness whilst working with the...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Mary Woollard

Mary Woollard had a long career in Pay whilst serving with the WRAC and the...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Marion Prescott

Marion Prescott was in the Horse and Groom pub in Guildford when it was blown...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Margaret Lee

Margaret Lee was a hairdresser in the WRAC. She served in Northern Ireland.
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Loraine Patrick

Loraine Patrick was a Groom and Dog Handler in the WRAC
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Lieann Andrew

Lieann Andrew served in the WRAC whilst she was pregnant. There is a mother’s room...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Katherine McMullin was a Driver in the WRAC
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Karen Mallion

Karen Mallion started her military career in the WRAC but progressed up through the ranks...
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Julia M Crockett

Julia worked in Intelligence whilst she served with the WRAC
Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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Women of the Army (1949-92)

In 2024, with support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, we proudly added 30 female voices to the Legasee Archive...
Browse Project
An interview with

Charles Eagles

Charles Eagles was a sergeant with S Company 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, involved in mine clearance in Normandy until he was wounded.

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Charles Eagles joined the Army at 18, initially completing commando training before being posted to 9th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He had boxed before joining up and continued to train in the army, which is how he caught the eye of an officer who was forming S Company, charged with mine clearance. His battalion landed in the second wave at 9.30 on Gold Beach, but he lost all his gear when he was dropped in deep water and had to drop it to stay afloat. In a detailed and enthralling account, Charles's recalls the camaraderie, the tough training and the nervous excitement prior to D-Day. He describes in detail being under fire and the slow pace of advance as they cleared mines with bayonets because the ground favoured the defenders. He shows the humanity of war in describing his capture and interaction with some Germans, and how the tables turned when they realised they were surrounded and asked him to negotiate their surrender. Later, he describes how he cleared a mine under an officer’s foot, and how later he was wounded when his own vehicle hit a mine.
Service:
Army
Project:
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

John Sleep

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Theodore Dalgleish

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Don McArthur

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Ted Hunt

Navy
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Harold Addie

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Service:
Navy
Project:
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Ron Davies (1926)

Navy
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Peter Haughton

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Frank Corbett

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

John Winder

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Vic Blake

A D-Day story of survival and lucky escapes

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Gosport born Vic Blake recounts his memories of D-Day, fighting in the 43rd Reconnaissance regiment of the Wessex Division. For most of his time, he drove and maintained a light wrecking Daimler vehicle across patrols of Normandy. Through eerie nights and countless close shave encounters with German soldiers, Vic considers himself a lucky man as a part of the B squadron who made it onto French shores. Sadly, his other comrades from A and C squadrons were not so lucky and Vic shares the story of how they lost 188 men after tragically hitting a sea mine off the coast of Juno beach. Sadly, Vic's luck ran out and he didn't make it home unscathed. He recalls waking up in a stretcher surrounded by other injured soldiers after being injured from getting too close to a mortar. In his civilian life, he lived as if he was never in the war, however now in his older age, the memories have returned; one of those being when a German soldier surrender himself to his team and, with no animosity, they offered him tea and a cigarette. This interview truly shows the bravery and understanding nature of Vic Blake.
Service:
Army
Project:
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
Interviewed by:
Brig. C Elderton
An interview with

Henry Draper

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Jim Stephens

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

John Sturgis

Army
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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An interview with

Les Sutton

RAF
D-Day and the Battle for Normandy (1944)
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ATS veteran interviewed
An interview with

Joan Harrison

Joan was an ambulance driver in the Army and served during the London blitz.

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When war broke out, Joan was initially in Civil Defence. However, after two years she was called up to the Auxiliary Territorial Service at the age of twenty-two; this was the women’s branch of the Army. She was sent to London for training, where she learned how to drive an ambulance. Joan was posted to Edinburgh where the barracks were so cold she slept with her greatcoat on. Later she drove her ambulance during the bombing of London. Just before D-day she remembers seeing huge columns of tanks and other vehicles, in preparation for the landings. After the invasion there were a lot more wounded to take to hospitals but the casualties decreased toward the end of the war. In Aldershot her barracks was bombed, and she also remembers the rations of unpleasant marrow jam and horse meat. She used to swap her cigarette ration for sweets. Like many others, once the war was over she missed the camaraderie of the Army. Thank you Joan for sharing your memories at the wonderful age of 107!
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Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Preparation for WW2, Rations, Phoney War
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Bernadette Dolan

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sharon Broderick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Rowena Patrick

WRAC Officer who reshaped women’s training and led with strength across continents

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Rowena Patrick MBE trained at the WRAC College in Camberley and began her long military career in the WRAC in 1969 at the age of 23. Employed with the Royal Army Physical Training Corps at Aldershot and then Shrewsbury, Rowena was responsible for rewriting the then-outdated syllabus for women’s military training in the WRAC. As a keen mountaineer, Rowena’s new syllabus included adventurous survival training for both men and women, including rock climbing, ice climbing, and walking in all weather in the UK and abroad. In 1976, Rowena was posted as a grade 3 staff officer in the Ministry of Defence to the Directorate of Army Training in Guildford. During her career as an Army Major and Commanding Officer, Rowena worked alongside Wrens and members of the WRAF. Rowena remembers several IRA bombings that occurred in the 1970s and her experience with the SIB. Rowena also recalls, with pride and sadness, marching at Lord Louie Mountbatten’s state funeral in 1979. From then, for two and a quarter years, Rowena worked in Brunei for the Sultan of Brunei on loan service with the Royal Brunei Malay Regiment. Whilst in Brunei, Rowena carried out physical training, forming the Women's Army of Brunei. Back in England, in 1985, she became employed with the Royal Corps of Signals in Blanford. Rowena resigned from the WRAC in 1992. She went on to work for The Burma Star Association; in 2012, Rowena was awarded an MBE for her outstanding contribution and services to the veteran’s association.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Marion Prescott

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Patricia ‘Budgie’ Rosewell

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Lieann Andrew

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Dorothy Apps

Dorothy was a member of the WRAC band.

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In this interview Dorothy recalls her time as a member of the WRAC band, and begins her story by sharing her experience of growing up during the Second World War. Dorothy wanted to join the Royal Signals but was sent to audition for the WRAC band at Guildford after they found out she was a talented cornet player. She has fond memories of playing with the band and describes the range of music they would play. Dorothy toured overseas, played for British radio and TV, and performed at parades. She remembers the frightening experience of travelling through Berlin, which was occupied by Russia at the time, and seeing Hitler's bunker which had only recently been blown up. Dorothy also describes Checkpoint Charlie, Spandau Prison and blacked out trains. Reflecting on the WRAC, Dorothy thoroughly enjoyed her time with the band but left to pursue a more independent career.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Salvation Army, Libya, Guildford
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Ishbel Thomson

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Audrey Smith

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sharon Broderick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Cheryl Woon

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Audrey Smith

Audrey was a Colonel in the WRAC and is now a Life Vice President of the association.

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At university, Audrey joined the Officer Training Corps which ultimately led her to join the army when she graduated. Due to her experience, Audrey never enrolled in basic training but was instead sent to the WRAC school of instruction. She was then posted to Shoeburyness as a Commander, then Singapore, and then to the new Duchess of Kent Barracks as Commanding Officer. Audrey also discusses growing IRA threats, and recalls the horror of experiencing the Aldershot bombing in 1972. Her career continued to flourish and she went to Army Staff College where she was the only woman out of one hundred men. Audrey proceeded to be posted at Shrewsbury as Senior Personnel Officer, then to the doctorate where she wrote employment papers for the WRAC, then the BAOR, and the NATO headquarters in Brussels. Audrey's work in the WRAC was fundamental to its evolution and she was involved in the crucial integration of weapons training into the female corps. She felt strongly that women should be given opportunities and went on to design the selection tests for officers admittance to Staff College. A true trailblazer, we thank Audrey for her inspiring interview and passionate words about the importance of women's roles in the WRAC.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Free on marriage, IRA (Irish Republican Army), OTC (Officer Training Corps)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Rowena Patrick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Julia M Crockett

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ali Brown

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ali Brown

Ali was a Colonel in the WRAC and responsible for training across the army.

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From a young age Ali knew she wanted to join the army, and was part of the new 1984 revolution of women that went straight to training at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy. Ali describes the developments in training, such as compulsory weapon exercises and more intensive physical fitness. She was posted to 10 Company Aldershot where she took on administrative roles in welfare and career management. Ali was then taken to the Royal Green Jackets, then the Light Division Depot at Winchester. She describes this as the point in which her ambition for a military career took over and she began to dedicate herself entirely to the army. From here she was posted to the NATO camp in Sennelager, the Grenadier Guards, and Hohne for gunnery training where she began to understand Soviet tactics in the Cold War. When the Gulf war broke out in 1990 Ali knew that the WRAC was coming to an end. She was initially told that as a member of the WRAC she could not go to the Gulf, but she was grateful that the orders changed. In her interview she gives an incredible description of her experiences on ground operation. Ali continued to serve with the Adjutant General Corps and left as a full Colonel responsible for training across the whole of the army.
Service:
Army
Project:
Modern Day War and Conflict: Compilation
Top Tags:
Bosnia, Officer's Mess, SIB
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Audrey Smith

Army
Modern Day War and Conflict: Compilation
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An interview with

Jenny Wing

Army
Modern Day War and Conflict: Compilation
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An interview with

Judy Hasnip

Army
Modern Day War and Conflict: Compilation
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ATS veteran interviewed
An interview with

Joan Harrison

Army
Modern Day War and Conflict: Compilation
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An interview with

Wildern School

Inspiring historical enquiry: Wildern School’s exploration of the Women’s Royal Army Corps

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This film captures Year 10 students from Wildern School, Hedge End engaging in a unique oral history project, exploring the Women’s Royal Army Corps (WRAC). The project was run by Legasee with support from the WRAC Association and Adjutant General's Corps (AGC) Museum in Winchester. The workshops fostered critical thinking, curiosity, and enquiry as students developed their knowledge of some of the challenges faced by Britain and the wider world in the 20th century - one of the content requirements of the English National Curriculum for History at Key Stage 3. Through their research about the WRAC, and perceptive questioning of Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Sue Westlake, MBE, the students examined the complexities of life during the Cold War and the evolving role of women in the military. By connecting with lived experiences, students practised essential skills like communication, confidence, and evidence-based reasoning. With thanks to the staff at Wildern School for welcoming Legasee in, and encouraging their young historians to develop new perspectives on societal change, gender equality, and British military conflicts in the second half of the 20th century.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Lucy Smith
An interview with

Wendy Hooton

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wendy Lewis

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ishbel Thomson

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wendy Hooton

Wendy describes her experience as a Communications Centre Operator in the WRAC.

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At only seventeen years old Wendy Joined the WRAC in 1972. Driven by her desire to travel, she joined the army as a communications operator and her interview provides a fascinating insight into the processes, and complications, of being a young woman in a military environment. Wendy recalls the strict routines at Guildford and the excitement of her passing out parade following the first six weeks of training. In her specialised training, Wendy discusses the complexity of the communications machinery and the development of technologies throughout her time as an operator. Beginning with T-100s, Wendy describes the transition into T-15 Telex machines in the late 1970s. Reflecting on the WRAC Wendy speaks fondly of her travels to Rheindahlen, Hong Kong, Australia, Cyprus and later Edinburgh. During this time she faced constant IRA threats, Cold War tensions and feelings of discontent that erupted with the onset of the Falklands. She speaks passionately on the importance of the WRAC as an emerging space for women to push beyond their societal expectations during a period of great change.  
Photo Gallery icon 15 Photos
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Greek Civil War, Duchess of Kent, SIB
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Sandy Acathan

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sue Westlake

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Lieann Andrew

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sylvia Adams

Sylvia worked in the Royal Military Police and became one of the first women to ride in the mounted troop.

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Sylvia joined the WRAC in 1974 in hopes of working with animals and also learning to drive. After completing her initial training at Guildford, she began her specialised training with the police after performing well in her aptitude test. Unlike some other veterans, Sylvia remembers feeling she had a choice regarding her trade and as a result thoroughly enjoyed her experience with the military police. Belonging to squad 7405, she recalls the complex physical and mental training she had to complete in order to become a ranked military police officer. Although never weapon trained, she was taught how to engage in unarmed combat and endured NBC training procedures. In this interview Sylvia provides an insight into the feelings of WRAC women existing under the shadow of IRA threats. Discussing the Guildford bombing of 1974, she recalls the constant fear that hung over those serving in the army in their shared realisation that everyone was a target. She also describes her desires to push against the restrictions on female horse riding, and was eventually posted to Aldershot as the first female rider to join the military police mounted troop. Sylvia's interview provides an interesting and powerful account of one of the many ambitious women who served under the WRAC, and showcases the importance of documenting these women as army veterans.
Photo Gallery icon 15 Photos
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
NBC Training, Northern Ireland, Guildford
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Ishbel Thomson

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Marion Prescott

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Mary Woollard

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sue Westlake

Sue gives an inspirational interview on the experiences of army officers in the WRAC.

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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.
Photo Gallery icon 15 Photos
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Mary Woollard

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Janet Brodie-Murphy

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Loraine Patrick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wildern School

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sharon Broderick

Sharon was a chef with the Women's Royal Army Corps and the Army Catering Corps.

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Sharon's interview provides an insight into the life of an ambitious woman who pushed against gender boundaries at the time. Having always wanted to join the military, Sharon thrived on the discipline at Guildford and felt proud to wear her uniform. She describes however, the difference in treatment towards men and women within her chef trade training, and how she felt as if the expectations of women were far lower than that of their male counterpoints. Sharon also describes her first posting to Ireland with the Army Catering Corps and the harsh reality of serving during this dangerous period. She later recalls her return to Belfast in 1988, where she was an unfortunate victim of the bombing and reflects on the trauma, she, and others alike, faced on that tour. Sharon also describes the conditions she worked in at the nuclear bunker in Wilton during the height of the Cold War. She only cooked with rations, tinned goods and remained underground for entire shifts. From this point onwards she continued to rise in her corps and as a result became the first female chef to serve officer residences, where she catered for individuals such as Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Reflecting on her time with the WRAC Sharon maintains that she feels forever connected to the female corps, but recognises how it restricted women's opportunities at the time.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Prince Charles, Northern Ireland, IRA (Irish Republican Army)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Pat Pressler

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Cheryl Woon

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Diane Pratt

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ali Brown

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sandy Acathan

Sandy was a sergeant in the Royal Signals Regiment of the WRAC.

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After an unsure start to her career, Sandy soon realised she was talented at using the teleprinter and was immediately taken to the signals centre to begin working in communications. Sandy describes the rapid developments in technology and machines she oversaw whilst working for the Royal Signals, and remembers the complex relationship British intelligence had with American intelligence when co-working with satellite shuttles. She also recalls the adversities of being a woman in the army, not only regarding gender discrimination, but also the manner in which the SIB invested lesbianism amongst members of the WRAC. Sandy sadly describes her own experience with the investigations team, and due to being accused of same sex relations, was forced to leave the army instantly. This interview provides important insight into not only the highly vital roles women played within the WRAC, but also the range of issues they faced. Reflecting on the WRAC Sandy states that although she is proud to have served her country, she never felt like her life was truly hers.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Guildford, WRAC uniform, Leaving the Army
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Loraine Patrick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Jane Fountain

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sue Westlake

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Pauline gives an insightful interview about the experiences of being a woman in the Army.

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An adventurous and extroverted young woman, Pauline joined the WRAC at seventeen years old after outperforming boys at her school in an army assault course. She knew in that moment that she would excel in a military career. Following her six weeks at Guildford she was posted to Blackdown to train as a supply clerk with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps. She wanted to be a Physical Training Instructor but was advised to go into stores whilst placed in holding for an opening in physical trades. She remained in her first role as a store supplier before she was posted to Rheindahlen to supply local army bases. Being from Guyana Pauline describes the anxiety she felt in certain environments regarding racial prejudice but reflects fondly on her time in Rheindahlen due to her being surrounded by many women of different ethnicities. During her three years in Germany, as well as managing stores, she was also told to watch for Russian number plates or report suspicions of IRA or Cold War tensions. In this interview, Pauline recalls her upset at her forced leave due to her pregnancy and describes the many good soldiers the army lost due to this very reason. Like many other women, she felt she had more to give and these opportunities were taken away. Although Pauline speaks passionately about her time with the WRAC, her journey also highlights the issues with the treatment of women in the army.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Rheindahlen, IRA (Irish Republican Army), Pregnancy
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Mary Woollard

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Roxanne Lawton

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Betty Webb

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pat Pressler

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pat Pressler

Pat was an experimental assistant in gunnery at Shoeburyness whilst working with the WRAC.

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At only seventeen years of age Pat joined the WRAC and was soon posted to Shoeburyness as an Experimental Assistant in Gunnery. Pat discusses the high level of classification she experienced whilst working as an EAG and how on her arrival she had to be cleared with the secret atomic at the highest grade of security. She goes on to further describe how all aspects of her life had to be investigated in order for her, and other soldiers, to engage in the top secret work at this posting. Pat reflects fondly on this time period and speaks passionately about her role as an optical measurer. After a few years Pat married and was forced to leave the army as there were no opportunities for marital couples to be posted together. When asked to reflect on her time with the WRAC Pat was grateful for the skills and experiences she was able to take with her from her time in the military, however, struggles to view herself as a veteran due to the glass ceiling that restricted opportunities for women in the army.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Shoeburyness, Reflecting on the WRAC, Guildford
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Marion Prescott

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Rowena Patrick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Patricia ‘Budgie’ Rosewell

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Mary Woollard

Mary served under the Pay Corps and had a long history in pay duties within, and beyond, the WRAC.

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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.
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Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Pay, Training exercises , Treatment of women
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Betty Webb

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sally George

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ishbel Thomson

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Marion Prescott

Marion provides an interesting and at times emotional account of her experience in the army, beginning with the Guildford bomb in 1974.

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Having grown up in Ireland during 'The Troubles', Marion joined the army to escape and begin life somewhere different. However soon after arriving at Guildford, she was injured in the bombing of the Horse and Groom pub in 1974. Marion recalls being aware that something was wrong but before she had time to react the bomb had exploded and she was left injured among the chaos. She describes how following this incident she was held back from completing her trade training and interrogated by army officers on suspicions of her being involved in the attack. In her interview she states that her treatment by the army during this time is something she held resentment towards for many years. She went on to complete her clerical training and was subsequently posted to Blackdown, Bicester, then Rheindahlen. In Germany an opportunity arose for Marion to become an army welfare assistant, where her role consisted of mostly dealing with war-affected and bereaved families. Although this position was extremely difficult, Marion found it rewarding but knew that it was soon time to leave. Reflecting on her time with the WRAC, Marion felt proud to be a veteran and values her connection to the female corps.
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Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Top Tags:
Guildford, IRA (Irish Republican Army), Guildford Pub Bombing
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Pat Pressler

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Audrey Smith

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wildern School

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Dorothy Apps

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Margaret Lee

Margaret served as a hairdresser in the WRAC.

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As a child Margaret travelled around the world with her father who was in the Royal Navy, therefore when she settled in England, joined the WRAC as a means of continuing her travels. Margaret joined in 1975, and as the first intake of army recruits after the Guildford bomb, she described the unnerving atmosphere and extreme safety precautions that were at place during her first six weeks of training. Having previously trained as a hairdresser, Margaret continued this trade and was quickly posted to Northern Ireland where she ran her own hairdressers in Aldergrove. She describes the horror of the bombings, shootings and overall violence in Ireland and her experience with PTSD following this posting. When asked to reflect on the WRAC, Margaret states that although she enjoyed the confidence being in the military gave her, she felt resentment towards the manner in which her career was so easily terminated as a result of pregnancy.
Photo Gallery icon 17 Photos
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Patricia ‘Budgie’ Rosewell

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sally George

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Karen Mallion

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wildern School

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Loraine Patrick

Loraine was a groom and dog handler under the WRAC.

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After seeing the WRAC in a magazine, Loraine was inspired to join the army and in 1973 arrived at Guildford. Determined to work with animals, she was quickly posted to Mulgrave where she began her specialised dog training. Loraine describes how following graduation, each woman was given a 'line' to maintain. She recalls the strict disciplinary environment of the kennels and the limited positions for women available. Although members of the WRAC were in training with dogs, they weren't officially allowed to train dogs - only handle them, as this was an overtly male profession. Following her years at the kennels, she left to work in a veterinary hospital on promotion. Devastatingly, she was forced to leave on conditions of marriage but after divorcing years later, was able to rejoin the WRAC with the encouragement of other women around her. She provides some interesting insights into the changing climate when she returned to the army in 1984. After becoming a qualified instructor, in 1988 she was promoted to a professional horse coach and groom at the Saddle Club in Hong Kong. In this interview, Loraine describes the disbandment of the WRAC as a societal indicator that not only were women's roles changing, but they were moving beyond a restrictive system.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Jane Fountain

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sharon Broderick

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Mary Woollard

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Lieann Andrew

Lieann served in the WRAC whilst she was pregnant. There is a mother's room named after her in Worthy Down.

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At only seventeen years of age, Lieann joined the WRAC so she could travel and see the world. Lieann describes working hard at Guildford and her amazement at the rate in which young women transformed into soldiers within only six weeks. After excelling in her aptitude tests she was posted to Catterick to train as a data telegraphist. Lieann discusses developments in technology and the transition to computers in 1989. She also describes the introduction of weapons training across WRAC trades, and how she could feel the change happening within the female corps. During her time in communications, Lieann was posted to the nuclear bunker in Wilton and recalls the enhanced security measures in place during Cold War exercises. She was then posted to the Falklands and later Cyprus where she re-badged with the Royal Signals. At this point the WRAC had been disbanded and Lieann permanently signed on to the ninth Signal Regiment. During her time in Cyprus she fell pregnant and continued to serve until her last few weeks. She was one of the first women to serve in the army whilst pregnant, and although this marked an important moment in military history - Lieann describes the lack of emotional, financial and even uniform support offered to her during her pregnancy. A woman who truly pushed boundaries, we thank Lieann for her brilliant interview and her candour surrounding women's experiences within the WRAC.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Wendy Hooton

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Marion Prescott

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Patricia ‘Budgie’ Rosewell

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Mary Woollard

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Katherine McMullin

Katherine describes her time as a driver for the WRAC.

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From a young age Katherine knew she wanted to travel and when offered the opportunity to join the Royal Corps of Transport, she signed with the army. At nineteen she left for Guildford and speaks fondly of her time at the training base, in particular her passing out parade which she describes as an incredibly surreal experience. Although her trade training was postponed due to the Mill Hill Bombing in 1988, she soon became part of the team at Bovington Training Centre that drove new officers fresh from Sandhurst who were on their Tactical Exercise Without Troops (TEWT) training. Later she was moved to Rheindahlen 68 Squadron where she met different soldiers from the UN and NATO and remembers this as the best tour she served whilst in the army. During this tour she witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and contributed to the peacekeeping duties in Czechoslovakia. In 1991 Katherine recalls troops being sent to Iraq and the importance of her work behind the front lines in the rear party. She provides great detail of one particular mission which developed from an initial twenty-four hour drive to an almost three week task of shipping ammunition to the Gulf. From here she was posted to Northern Ireland where she worked as both a driver and searcher for IRA bombs. Following the disbandment of the WRAC Katherine returned to work in Germany with the onset of the Bosnian war, and worked as a driver until she left in 1995. Katherine's interview offers an insightful overview of different experiences of WRAC women and gives an authentic account of the many adversities women faced in the army.
Photo Gallery icon 19 Photos
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Pat Pressler

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wildern School

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Pauline Milnes

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Wendy Lewis

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Karen Mallion

Karen's interview is a powerful account of the trailblazing attitude of many WRAC women.

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In this interview Karen shares an inspiring story which began with her passion for sports and a determination to transgress the roles available to women in the army. Although she began her WRAC journey as a chef, she had plans to be a Physical Training Instructor and it was only after serving two years in Cyprus as a cook that she applied for her second trade. Karen describes how she passed the initial selection but suffered an unfortunate ankle injury which prevented her from completing the specialised PTI training. Feeling lost after her injury, she recalls the frustration she began to feel with the options available to women in the WRAC and considered leaving. Therefore, for Karen, the disbandment of the WRAC came as a sign that she and many other women alike could move forward and beyond the restraints of female specific roles. At Deep Cut she trialled for the military training instructors course with the Royal Army Ordnance Corps, and in her interview describes the constant discrimination she faced in such a male dominated field. Karen became the first female instructor and went on to serve as Sergeant Major in Bosnia, Macedonia and Iraq before her career was ended by misfortune. This interview provides an example of one of the many trailblazing veterans of the WRAC.
Photo Gallery icon 16 Photos
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Sue Westlake

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Diane Pratt

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sally George

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Ishbel Thomson

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Julia M Crockett

Julia describes her time with the Intelligence Corps both within and beyond the WRAC.

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Originating from a military background, Julia recalls how it was somewhat inevitable that would serve in the army. After excelling in the aptitude tests, she was offered a position in the Intelligence Corps. In her interview Julia remembers finding the transition into army life difficult and struggled with the uniform due to both its impracticality and restrictiveness. Additionally, she found the climate of fear surrounding the IRA shocking and saw many women horrified by threats they either personally, or by an extension of their trade, received. Julia was posted to former West Germany with the 13th Signal Regiment where she worked alongside Signals Personnel. Within this role she would map the movement of troops in East Germany and flag Russian tanks, and being her first time overseas, she reflects on this period as particularly exciting. After leaving in 1975, Julia went on to join the MET as she felt there were more equal opportunities for women in organisation's that didn't restrict roles to gender. She continued to work for the Intelligence Corps at GCHQ on the Palestinian desk for many years. Reflecting on the WRAC, Julia describes the potency of class divisions within the military and her frustrations with the gendered restrictions. She maintains however that the fundamentals of the WRAC gave her the determination to continue her work in intelligence and commends the importance of documenting a history of female veterans.
Service:
Army
Project:
Women of the Army (1949-92)
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
An interview with

Karen Mallion

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Jane Fountain

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Sue Westlake

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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An interview with

Betty Webb

Army
Women of the Army (1949-92)
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