In 1951, Norfolk-born John Lincoln volunteered for National Service. He was trained in Norfolk and Hong Kong before being shipped to Korea. John was recruited to the Royal Fusiliers after spending two weeks with the Black Watch. In the Fusiliers, he served as a stretcher bearer and jeep driver. John recalls life on the hills of Korea; he experienced frostbite, regular shelling’s, and – as a stretcher bearer – treacherous journeys into no man’s land to recover wounded soldiers. He recounts being hit by shrapnel whilst on duty and details how this still affects him today. John talks about the battle of the Hook and how he was stationed in a nearby wireless post. He speaks of the horror of hearing the battle, and the awful scenes the following morning. John goes on to briefly recall life on Hill 355 (Kowang San), specifically his use of the “Flying Fox” a Royal Engineer-made cable car which could transport soldiers up and down Gibraltar Hill – making his life much easier! Today, he laments the idea of a “forgotten war” as any soldiers lucky enough to survive still bear the physical and psychological scars from Korea.

John Boyd grew up in Essex, the son of a cowman, and was called up for National Service in the early 1950s. After a string of rejections from other corps, he found himself posted to the Royal Signals via the REME — a twist of fate that would send him far from home.

On his way to Germany, John seized the chance to volunteer for Korea. He recalls the long sea crossing, a sobering stop in Hiroshima, and his first days on the frontline. There he was issued with a 19 set radio — built originally for the Russian Army and still marked with Cyrillic script — which became his responsibility.

In his interview, John shares detailed memories of signal work, from wiring and exchanges to his time attached to an American unit where discipline was rather different. His stories are punctuated with humour — a lorry fire, the quirks of kit — but also moments of sadness, particularly the loss of a comrade to haemorrhagic fever. John’s reflections offer a vivid glimpse into the vital, and often overlooked, role of communications in Korea.

When Peter Waddington turned 18, his National Service call-up papers arrived and soon after he found himself training with the 1st King’s Liverpool Regiment. Like many young men sent to Korea, he admits he knew almost nothing about the country or the conflict before he landed there. His memories capture both the strangeness and the stark reality of service: from being greeted on arrival by a band playing the Saint Louis Blues March to the harsh daily grind of trench warfare along the 38th Parallel.

In his interview, Peter recalls moments of humour, the ever-present rats and lice, and the rare relief of rest and recuperation in Japan. But he also speaks candidly about loss — the friends killed in action, the fear of attack, and the brutal fighting at the Battle of the Hook. Out of all his close comrades, Peter was the only one to return home unscathed.

Back in post-war Britain, he reflects on the challenges of returning to austerity and his determination that Korea should never be the “Forgotten War.”