Bill Edwardes recounts his experience as a stretcher bearer during D Day after joining the army as an adventure seeking 16 year old that didn’t want to miss out on the action. Despite his age, Bill chose to train to become an infantryman; his mother and army officer both believed him to be mad but he enjoyed every minute of it. Unfortunately, an injury forced him to switch battalions and become a stretch bearer six weeks before D Day, essentially wasting his nine months of training. It was ingrained in the stretcher bearers to be constantly moving between each casualty, causing Bill to begin feeling relieved when a person was dead as no time had to be wasted on them. When he was in between helping casualties and no longer distracted by his job, his fear and doubt would begin to fester but the fact people were relying on him kept him going. Unlike some of the other stretcher bearers, Bill was able to just get on with it, which he credits to his father also being a medic.  Bill felt satisfied with his contribution during D Day so left the army as soon as he was able; he had no regrets but still wanted to check up on some of the people he had helped. He later chose to return to the beaches of Normandy to see how the area had changed and the poignancy he felt being there again left him speechless. Bill had never experienced PTSD until he started doing battlefield tours for work and began to have nightmares about his time serving in the army. 

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.

Hester reflects on her six and a half years of service during World War II, beginning with her motivations to join after witnessing the growing threat in 1936 Germany. Initially involved in the Red Cross and later the FANYs (First Aid Nursing Yeomanry), she trained in driving and basic mechanics, working under tough conditions. She served as an ambulance driver and later as a staff car driver for a brigadier during the Blitz, then rose to officer rank, overseeing women operating radar and artillery equipment. Despite hardships, poor accommodation, difficult vehicles, and ill-fitting uniforms, she recalls camaraderie, humour, and purpose. Her later postings included Ireland and Egypt, with a rewarding trip through the Middle East. Hester also appeared in wartime propaganda photos, helping shift public perceptions of women in service. She recalls both the challenges and deep friendships, describing the experiences as hard work, friendship and challenge.   The publication of this previously unseen interview was made possible thanks to a grant from The Gerry Holdsworth Special Forces Charity, to mark 80 years since the closure of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in January 1946.