Having joined the Navy first as an engineer, then as a Seaman Officer, Malcolm had reached the position of Lieutenant Commander Staff Officer and was incredibly busy on the HMS Antrim taking part in Exercise Spring Train by Gibraltar when they starting to hear rumblings about what was happening in the South Atlantic. It then came as no surprise when they were mobilised to head south. Malcolm recalls that there was initially a degree of making things up as they went along as they didn’t know what to expect and nobody, except one Royal Marines Officer, had ever been to the Falklands. One of Malcolm’s jobs was to work on deception tactics such as laying chaff around this ships to appear a larger flotilla and charting a course which looked like they might actually be heading for Argentina. At Ascension, Malcolm transfers to HMS Hermes where he recalls a frenzied race for better sleeping conditions when the Admiral said the officers could share his cabin which included the luxury of a double bed and shower. During this time, Malcolm had two main responsibilities. When on watch he was the Anti-Submarine Warfare Screen Coordinator and when not on watch he managed communications, including highly classified messages. He vividly recalls hearing the tragedy of the Sheffield directly through his headphones but that they only had a brief time to reflect before pushing on with their jobs. Malcolm describes some of their biggest challenges being rudimentary communication, lack of advance warning about airborne attacks and confusion which could arise from the three services not really having collaborated since WWII. He also remembers the tragedies of helicopter crashes and a Harrier exploding, he thinks it was often luck that meant things weren’t worse. Malcolm says it was difficult readjusting to life at home and is grateful to the public who offered members of the task group free holidays. It was a week in Wales with his family, away from home and work, that finally helped him decompress. He reflects that the Falklands will probably have been the last time the Royal Navy will fight a fleet action in that way.

Born in 1931, Ronald George Yardley faced the hardships of wartime as a child. At 18, he joined the Navy, trained for six weeks at HMS Royal Arthur, and became a Wireless Telegraphist. He later served on HMS Belfast and was deployed to Korea. Ron remembers the immense cold as they journeyed closer to Korea, travelling through frozen seas. When the Belfast arrived in Korea the bombardment and involvement in the war started immediately. He remembers a sad moment when the ship’s water pipes burst after being hit by enemy fire, scalding a soldier to death. Ron also recalls two marines who died on a mission, their bodies never recovered. Ron recounts a heartfelt moment when a young orphan from his mess deck, who never received letters, asked if Ron could read some of his own to help him feel connected to life back home. After leaving HMS Belfast, Ron was posted to HMS Royal Prince in Germany, where he carried out exercises on Hermann Goering’s luxury yacht. He remains deeply thankful to the South Koreans for funding the National Korean War Memorial, a place he proudly takes his grandchildren to.

Jeff 'Bunny' Warren provides a compelling account of his service as a Gunner aboard HMS Antelope during the Falklands War. Raised in Birmingham, his upbringing was landlocked, having no knowledge of the navy. He was inspired to join, following a family boat trip in Weymouth where he caught sight of all the warships stationed at Portland Harbour. After finishing his basic training at HMS Ganges, he was given the choice between Sonar Radar or Gunnery positions. He proceeded with Radar but as the years passed, his disposition leaned more towards Gunnery. Only a few months after switching, war erupted in the Falklands. When his crew set sail on HMS Antelope, they found themselves needing to fulfil some prerequisites relating to Ascension Island before going further south. Even before reaching Ascension, they figured the war would end before they finally arrived. Jeff details their preparation for a potential attack in South Georgia. Unfortunately, the only thing to hit them was disappointment upon discovering that this particular battle was already won, leaving prisoners for them to escort back to Ascension. They would finally see action after the Antelope was sent to San Carlos. Jeff remembers the battle like it was yesterday; the firing of guns as a raid of Skyhawks descended upon their position. At one point, he became a sitting duck in his attempts to fix the gun magazine which jammed. Sadly, they had to abandon ship following the penetration of two inactive bombs which eventually triggered. Before returning home, Jeff assisted the crew aboard MV Norland in the security of POWs. He recalls a mystery surrounding an inmate who wore a marine uniform and the circumstances behind why it was in his possession. Some years after the war, he received devastating news that he was to be discharged following a medical examination that revealed problems with his hearing. Despite this regrettable end, Jeff's display of bravery would be remembered after already being awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in 1982, something he didn't feel worthy of receiving. Jeff's interview captures the passion instilled in those who dream of joining the Royal Navy as well as the substantial achievements and the harsh realities one faces when choosing such a career path.