Called up for National Service, Ron Andrews was delighted to join the Royal Air Force and trained as an Instrument Fitter. His first postings took him to RAF Honington and then RAF Oakington, where he worked on Avro York aircraft. He had completed his service and was ready to leave when the Russians blockaded Berlin and Operation Plainfare began. With little warning, Ron was retained and sent to Germany — scraping together kit and equipment on the way.

In his interview, Ron describes the vital role of ground crews in the Berlin Airlift: inspecting and maintaining the aircraft that kept the city supplied. He recalls one flight that could have ended in disaster, and how he filled his downtime fruit picking to the delight of local families.

Although he knew his work was essential, Ron speaks frankly about the personal cost of having his demob stopped. His memories reveal the dedication, frustration and unexpected human connections that kept the Airlift flying.

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John Cumming shares a wonderful account of his time serving with the RAF in the Korean War from January 1951 to September 1952. Born in Glasgow, John welcomed the freedom offered by conscription and completed his training as a movement officer. Upon receiving his subsequent overseas posting to Iwakuni, the Australian Air Force Base in Japan, he admits he had never heard of the place, nor even Korea! At just 20 years old, John describes his initial work in Iwakuni, which mostly involved aircraft loading and movement. Soon enough, however, John undertook a role which transpired to be the defining work of his time in the Korean War: casualty evacuation. He shares some interactions he had with the plethora of injured troops, often a range of nationalities, that he helped to evacuate from Pusan. He also gives his impression of the American, Australian, and Canadian troops, including Australian female nurses, that he worked alongside. John also dives into tales of some close calls aboard Hastings and Dakotas, as well as stories of days spent partying in Korea, and meeting William Speakman-Pitt, VC. John concludes his account by sharing some insightful comments regarding the popular memory of the Korean War as the ‘forgotten war’, and contends with the repercussions of humanity’s disposition for conflict. John’s story reflects his determination and courageousness as he partook in casualty evacuation of the Korean War: a task far beyond what was expected of him when the RAF sent him to Japan.

Marian Jones first heard about the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY) in 1941/42 when someone on leave visited her school which had been evacuated to Cornwall. During her two-week basic training she was tested for aptitude on morse, after which she received 6-9 months of wireless telegraphy (WT) training before becoming an operational radio operator, receiving messages from agents abroad. She emphasises the secrecy that was impressed on everyone involved because of the danger to agents: she signed the Official Secrets Act, let her mother believe she was a nurse, did not speculate or discuss her work even with colleagues. She recalls some memorable incidents: speaking in clear to agents during the liberation of Paris and Arnhem; very brief periods of leave; a map showing agent locations, which few people saw; the FANY uniform providing excellent cover because people assumed they were ATS or NAAFI.