At only 16 years old, Jean Argles felt a calling to serve in the army. By 18, she found herself in London, interviewing for the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry (FANY). A critical question was asked in the interview: “Do you do crosswords?” A test of Jean’s aptitude for critical code and cipher work during wartime. With her answer, Jean entered a world of secrecy, decoding messages in operations that took her over the globe. After carrying out her training on Baker Street, she learned of opportunities overseas. Jean’s work took her from London to Egypt, working on the banks of the Nile. She carried out work to code messages for undercover agents in Greece and the Balkans, and also recalls fond memories of exploration in Egypt: nightclubs, horse-riding and visiting the Pyramids. Following this, she volunteered for a new assignment in Italy. Stationed in a small fishing village, Jean supported resistance members, encoding vital messages. When the German army finally surrendered, Jean remained in Italy until September before returning to the UK. Reflecting on her time with the FANYs, she describes it as the most transformative experience of her life. It offered her freedom, confidence, and a sense of purpose. Jean’s story is a testament to the unique opportunities the war presented to women at a time when their roles were otherwise limited. For Jean, the FANYs weren’t only about service, they were a gateway to adventure and independence.

From a young age Ali knew she wanted to join the army, and was part of the new 1984 revolution of women that went straight to training at Sandhurst Royal Military Academy. Ali describes the developments in training, such as compulsory weapon exercises and more intensive physical fitness. She was posted to 10 Company Aldershot where she took on administrative roles in welfare and career management. Ali was then taken to the Royal Green Jackets, then the Light Division Depot at Winchester. She describes this as the point in which her ambition for a military career took over and she began to dedicate herself entirely to the army. From here she was posted to the NATO camp in Sennelager, the Grenadier Guards, and Hohne for gunnery training where she began to understand Soviet tactics in the Cold War. When the Gulf war broke out in 1990 Ali knew that the WRAC was coming to an end. She was initially told that as a member of the WRAC she could not go to the Gulf, but she was grateful that the orders changed. In her interview she gives an incredible description of her experiences on ground operation. Ali continued to serve with the Adjutant General Corps and left as a full Colonel responsible for training across the whole of the army.