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A veteran interview with

Stuart Raw

Stuart Raw shares his memories of a 27-year Army career that took him from post-war Sheffield to Germany, Aden and beyond. His testimony offers a personal view of a young soldier who volunteered for service in Aden during the closing stages of British presence there.

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About Stuart Raw

Stuart Raw joined the Army as a boy soldier in 1961 at just 15 years old. He trained with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME), eventually qualifying as an aircraft engineer specialising in airframes and engines.

Arriving in Aden in the middle of the night, Stuart was struck by the intense heat and tight security and remembers feeling shocked and apprehensive about what he had got himself into. As an aircraft engineer, he spent much of his time facing the challenge of keeping aircraft serviceable in harsh desert conditions, particularly the constant problems caused by the sand.

His work often brought him close to danger and he recalls some of the more difficult moments of his time in Aden, including aircraft damaged by enemy fire, casualty evacuations and the loss of friends.

Stuart reflects on Aden as an experience that made him more careful and self-reliant, carrying those lessons into the rest of his long Army career. Now, as the number of surviving veterans grows smaller, Stuart continues to honour their service and keep their memory alive by marching with the Aden veterans at the Cenotaph.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Mia Sen-Gupta
Transcribed by:
Mia Sen-Gupta

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

If you would like a version of the transcript that has been transcribed manually by Mia Sen-Gupta, please complete this form or email info@legasee.org.uk.

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Home | Veterans | Stuart Raw

A veteran interview with

Stuart Raw

Stuart-Raw

Stuart Raw shares his memories of a 27-year Army career that took him from post-war Sheffield to Germany, Aden and beyond. His testimony offers a personal view of a young soldier who volunteered for service in Aden during the closing stages of British presence there.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Raw, Stuart. A Veteran Interview with Stuart Raw. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, 19 Jul. 2026 https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/stuart-raw-2/. Accessed 11 Oct. 2026.
APA Style:
Raw, S. (2026, July 19). A Veteran Interview with Stuart Raw [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/stuart-raw-2/
Chicago Style:
Raw, Stuart. 2026. A Veteran Interview with Stuart Raw. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, July 19. Accessed October 11, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/stuart-raw-2/
Harvard Style:
Raw, S. (2026). A Veteran Interview with Stuart Raw. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee, 19 July. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/stuart-raw-2/ (Accessed: 11 October 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Raw, S. A Veteran Interview with Stuart Raw [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; 2026 Jul 19 [cited 2026 Oct 11]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/stuart-raw-2/
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Service:
Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
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