Fred was a teenager when his home was destroyed in a bombing raid. At the age of eighteen he volunteered for the RAF, trained in gunnery and became the tail gunner in a Lancaster bomber. He took part in the nighttime bombing of Germany and, against the odds, survived 45 missions. There were some close moments and during this period he lost most of his friends in combat. After the war he had a recurring nightmare where, among a landscape of crashed aircraft, there was a space reserved for his bomber. At the start of the Berlin Airlift he was posted to Gatow as an intelligence officer, where his unit at first worked in a tent. Despite misgivings regarding its feasibility the Airlift went ahead anyway, initially using Dakotas and building up to larger aircraft. His billet was at the end of the runway, and at first he had trouble sleeping as the noise was constant, 24 hours a day. The Soviets were close by and made things awkward but never directly interfered although the local population were terrified that the Allies would leave them for the Russians. The devastation caused by bombing in Berlin was awful and the civilians were in poverty, although the airlift ration was about the same as those in Britain. While on duty a plane carrying coal crashed on take-off, killing all the crew. He served in Berlin for the entire duration of the Airlift and felt that it was better than bombing the city.

David Edwards talks about his service experiences in post war Berlin as a Teleprinter operator sending wireless and telephone messages. David carried out his compulsory National Service in 1947 at RAF in Compton Bassett, and after passing out as Aircraftmen First Class was posted to Germany, with the Air Branch Combined Services Division. David mentions his curiosity at being posted to Berlin after the war, but describes the ‘shocking’ condition of life in the German capital. He describes poignant moments for people living in Berlin at the time, and the ‘impressive’ way they faced life during the joint occupation of allied forces, including the harsh treatment by Russian occupied forces. During his time in the signals office in Berlin, David describes the beginnings of the Berlin Blockade, the development of the air lift, and witnessed first hand the air traffic at the American airbase at Tempelhof. David was also able to use his own time in Berlin for self improvement, finishing his school certificate by learning French; and also learning to touch type, a skill he still uses today for word processing. David was in Berlin just under a year and left just before the blockade finished. He was posted from Berlin to the Island of Sylt, in the North Sea at an RAF training station, before being demobbed.

Mark Harding recounts his journey from working at Tesco to enlisting in the army at 19, inspired by his father with the aim of protecting the innocent from bullies wherever they were. He began his military career in the infantry, embracing each challenge without looking back. His service took him to conflict zones such as Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and ultimately Afghanistan. Mark seized every opportunity to improve his skills, including jungle training in Belize to become a sniper, which proved invaluable during his last two tours.

In 2010, Mark's life dramatically changed when he was shot and paralysed in Afghanistan. Initially treated at Camp Bastion, he was transferred to Selly Oak Hospital and placed in an induced coma. Upon awakening, Mark faced the devastating news that he would never walk again. Refusing to accept this fate, he embarked on a challenging rehabilitation journey, using functional electronic stimulation to aid his recovery.

Mark's determination led him to become the sole disabled member of the GB Dragon Boat racing team, representing his country in international competitions. Additionally, Mark has transformed his experiences into motivational speaking, inspiring and uplifting others with his remarkable story.