When Peter Waddington turned 18, his National Service call-up papers arrived and soon after he found himself training with the 1st King’s Liverpool Regiment. Like many young men sent to Korea, he admits he knew almost nothing about the country or the conflict before he landed there. His memories capture both the strangeness and the stark reality of service: from being greeted on arrival by a band playing the Saint Louis Blues March to the harsh daily grind of trench warfare along the 38th Parallel.

In his interview, Peter recalls moments of humour, the ever-present rats and lice, and the rare relief of rest and recuperation in Japan. But he also speaks candidly about loss — the friends killed in action, the fear of attack, and the brutal fighting at the Battle of the Hook. Out of all his close comrades, Peter was the only one to return home unscathed.

Back in post-war Britain, he reflects on the challenges of returning to austerity and his determination that Korea should never be the “Forgotten War.”

Gerald “Gerry” Farmer grew up in East London and briefly experienced evacuation during the Second World War before returning home. At 18 he was called up for National Service and, by December 1951, found himself conscripted to the Korean War.

In his interview, Gerry recalls the long journey to Korea with the Royal Fusiliers, his responsibilities on Hill 159, and the brutal reality of the Battle of the Hook. He tells of saving the life of a Korean soldier, being wounded by shrapnel, and the lasting memories of those who did not survive. His return to Korea in 1981 stirred powerful emotions, contrasting the devastation he remembered with the rebuilt country he saw.

Gerry also offers candid reflections on the war itself: the harsh weather, unsuitable equipment, the disparity in pay between national forces, and his doubts about why they were really fighting. Amidst these hard truths, he shares lighter moments — camaraderie with Australian soldiers, a first taste of Jack Daniels, and even an encounter with Michael Caine.

His story is one of hardship, humour, and honesty about a conflict too often forgotten.