Daphne Brookes tells how in 1943, after watching a recruitment film and without her parent’s knowledge, she enlisted in the army.  She was just eighteen years old. After a period of basic training, Daphne was sent to the Isle of Man for six months for wireless training, after which she was posted to Kedleston Hall near Derby. She describes her work covering radio stations, which often had a considerable amount of interference, and writing down five letter blocks of code which dispatch riders took away. She comments that she had no real clue about what happened to them, or about the existence of Bletchley Park. At the time, no unnecessary information was disclosed, but Daphne was, in fact, working at one of the ‘Y Service’ secret wireless intercept stations which provided raw material for the codebreakers. She describes herself as ‘a very very small cog in a big wheel’ but is proud of the part she played.

Louis Davies grew up on music and a family legacy of military service. It was thus a natural path for him to enrol in the military at the age of sixteen, with the dream of being in a military band. Louis describes the process of auditioning for and training at Kneller Hall (then the Royal Military School of Music). Louis speaks with great pride about the legacy and global renown of Kneller Hall, recalling some of the powerful and touching performances he was part of while studying there. After over three years at Kneller Hall, Louis transferred to the Navy as a Royal Marines Bugler. He continued to pursue his dream of being a full-time musician in the military until ultimately leaving to take care of his family.

Having been born and brought up in Chester, Neville enlisted in 1951, at aged 21, in the Welch Fusiliers following completion of a civil engineering apprenticeship. Early on in his training, Neville was promoted to Lance Corporal and eventually became a signaller. He describes how early on, he sensed they were being prepared for battle although when he was told that they were going to Korea, like many others, he didn’t know anything about the country. Following arrival in Korea, he and his compatriots underwent a 48-hour train journey, during which Neville describes learning about the Korean People. He tells of a great admiration for them, their skills and their hard work. Initially stationed in Pioneer Hill on the 38th Parallel, his account describes in detail the hugely challenging conditions under which they lived and fought, much of it like WWI. His narrative offers powerful insights into the trials associated with fighting, the personal impact and the ways in which soldiers were supported. He also highlights the factors that enable survival in these conditions, including the value of the close bond forged between soldiers. Finally, he offers his reflections on the necessity of war.