Sylvia joined the WRAC in 1974 in hopes of working with animals and also learning to drive. After completing her initial training at Guildford, she began her specialised training with the police after performing well in her aptitude test. Unlike some other veterans, Sylvia remembers feeling she had a choice regarding her trade and as a result thoroughly enjoyed her experience with the military police. Belonging to squad 7405, she recalls the complex physical and mental training she had to complete in order to become a ranked military police officer. Although never weapon trained, she was taught how to engage in unarmed combat and endured NBC training procedures. In this interview Sylvia provides an insight into the feelings of WRAC women existing under the shadow of IRA threats. Discussing the Guildford bombing of 1974, she recalls the constant fear that hung over those serving in the army in their shared realisation that everyone was a target. She also describes her desires to push against the restrictions on female horse riding, and was eventually posted to Aldershot as the first female rider to join the military police mounted troop. Sylvia's interview provides an interesting and powerful account of one of the many ambitious women who served under the WRAC, and showcases the importance of documenting these women as army veterans.

Charles Eagles joined the Army at 18, initially completing commando training before being posted to 9^th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. He had boxed before joining up and continued to train in the army, which is how he caught the eye of an officer who was forming S Company, charged with mine clearance. His battalion landed in the second wave at 9.30 on Gold Beach, but he lost all his gear when he was dropped in deep water and had to drop it to stay afloat. In a detailed and enthralling account, Charles's recalls the camaraderie, the tough training and the nervous excitement prior to D-Day. He describes in detail being under fire and the slow pace of advance as they cleared mines with bayonets because the ground favoured the defenders. He shows the humanity of war in describing his capture and interaction with some Germans, and how the tables turned when they realised they were surrounded and asked him to negotiate their surrender. Later, he describes how he cleared a mine under an officer’s foot, and how later he was wounded when his own vehicle hit a mine.

Basil Chambers recounts his experiences stationed in volatile post-war Berlin. The severe winter of 1947 motivated Basil to enlist in the Royal Norfolk Regiment. He joined the Signals Corps where he trained to become an instructor, and on passing his exams was sent to post-war Berlin. Taken to barracks in the suburb of Spandau, Basil recalls open land, and a lack of building, that is except for Spandau Prison, which housed convicted Nazi war criminals. Basil recounts the surreal experience of watching Rudolf Hess take his daily walk. Identified as a sportsman, Basil tells of his eagerness to run in the 5,000 metres, despite not having ‘a clue what that was’! His desire to succeed means he can boast the rare accolade of victory at the Berlin Olympic Stadium! The souring of Western Allies and Soviet Union relations resulted in road, rail and water blockades by Soviet forces. The airlifts that followed, taking food and fuel into Berlin, introduced Basil to flying, albeit sitting on crates of cheese! Basil and his colleagues gained a rare insight into life in post-war Berlin. He describes a community dealing with power outages and food shortages, but his overriding memory is that of resilient hardworking people ‘really making an effort to get back on their feet’.