A steady oral history of Korea that widens into a full army life.
Major Ray Cook's account moves from Korea into the longer run of army life, and the pull here is the way each posting adds another layer to the story.
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In their own words
Sharing stories from the museum and archive collections
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
First-person oral histories connect Korean War service and regimental life with the households, relationships and practical decisions surrounding them.
Military Histories lets former soldiers and military spouses recount service life in expansive oral-history interviews. Drawn from the Royal Dragoon Guards Audio Archive, the conversations cover Korean War service alongside the domestic experience of families moving through…
Why you'd press play
Wedding plans meet a Korea posting; you hear the stakes in the widow's allowance calculation.
Press play if you want
- war memories with wooden train shutters down and Bren gunners at either end
- to hear a veteran remember a soldiers' song, then marvel at how much came back
Talks about
Best episodes of Military Histories
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A military childhood told through camp routines, family memory, and everyday absences.
The episode sits firmly in family memory, with Leslie Spears recalling childhood around the Royal Dragoon Guards, from kindergarten runs in Antrim to the shifting mix of camps, school, and family homes.
An army childhood remembered through beaches, mess life, and the small disciplines of family routine.
Sue Ellen Milne’s memories move from an army childhood through postings, beaches, mess life, and the strict domestic routines of a service household.
A Korean opening that widens into helicopters, camp defense, and the practical work of command.
Military Histories tracks Colonel Guy Watham from the first eight minutes on Korea into a wider army career, and its best quality is the steady weight of concrete detail.
A Korean War oral history that treats pauses as part of the record.
Military Histories presents Major Brian Clipston's memory as plainspoken oral history, framed by York Army Museum and the Royal Dragoon Guards archive.
A steady veteran interview where training detail and Korean War memory carry the weight.
Military Histories gives Colonel Charles Taylor MC room to talk through Army service and the Korean War without rushing him. The best stretches stay anchored in plain detail: Saltower exercises, Centurion tanks, roadside tank discipline, and the regimental routines that shaped…
A Korean War remembrance shaped by training, shellfire, and survival.
Major Peter Duckworth's account moves from Germany to Korea with plain, useful detail: training, the stop at Aldershot, the handover of another unit's tanks, and the sailing from Liverpool in October 1951.
A plainspoken army family story about work, marriage, and making a home through repeated posting.
Christine Zambelli's account keeps its focus on ordinary army life. It moves from a clerical job in Huddersfield to meeting Keith, then to family life with the 4th 7th Royal Dragoon Guards in Germany.
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World’s Story Volume V- Italy, France, Spain and PortugalEva March TappanAntique European history, read aloud.
Episodes
- 1
Korea - Mr Johnny Love
Hidden gemMilitary Histories, from York Army Museum, uses the Royal Dragoon Guards audio archive to present Mr Johnny Love talking about his wartime and post-war service.
·1h 58m·5 clips - 2
Korea - Colonel Guy Wathen
Hidden gemThe interview opens in Korea, with the first eight minutes covering Guy Watham's time there.
·37m·2 clips - 3
Family Life - Miss Lesli Speers
Hidden gemAn interview with Leslie Spears, who grew up as the daughter of a British Army officer in the 1970s and 80s.
·15m·1 clip - 4
Korea - Colonel Charles Taylor MC
Hidden gemA detailed oral history interview with Colonel Charles Taylor, MC, focusing on his early army career from 1947, his training at Sandhurst, service with the 5th Royal and Skilling Dragoon Guards in post-war Germany, and the regiment's intensive preparation for deployment to the Korean War.
·2h 45m·5 clips - 5
Family Life - Mrs Sue Ellen Milne
Episode: Podcast Episode
·37m·2 clips - 6
Family Life - Mrs Jean Santry
Jean Santry remembers family life around the regiment.
·54m·3 clips - 7
Family Life - Mrs Christine Zambelli
Military Histories turns to family life.
·1h 18m·2 clips - 8
Korea - Major Peter Duckworth
Hidden gemMajor Peter Duckworth speaks about Korea in a 1994 oral-history interview from the Royal Dragoon Guards Audio Archive.
·1h 8m·1 clip - 9
Korea - Major Ray Cook
Major Ray Cook talks through his army career and starts with the years that led him toward Korea.
·32m - 10
Family Life - Mrs Joan Boardman
Mrs Joan Boardman begins in Northumberland.
·1h 38m·5 clips - 11
Korea - Major General Mike Swindells
·2h 45m - 12
Korea - Major Bryan Clipston
Military Histories shares Major Brian Clipston's recollections from Korea.
·1h 28m·10 clips - 13
Family Life - Mrs Gillian Bray
Hidden gemIt begins with Mrs.
·49m·2 clips - 14
Korea - Mr Jack Bellinger
Jack Bellinger’s Army story begins in 1947.
·1h 58m·5 clips - 15
Korea - Mr Harry Knowles
Hidden gemMilitary Histories shares Harry Knowles’s memories of army service and the route that took him to Korea.
·1h 41m·5 clips - 16
WW2 - Major General Henry Woods
Jul 3, 2020·1h 17m - 17
WW2 - Lieutenant Colonel Ben Tottenham
Jun 26, 2020·50m - 18
WW2 - Mr Stewart Osborn
Jun 19, 2020·1h 19m - 19
WW2 - Mr Cecil Newton
Jun 12, 2020·2h 1m - 20
WW2 - Mr Eric Johnston
Jun 4, 2020·27m - 21
WW2 - Mr Frank James
May 29, 2020·34m - 22
WW2 - Mr Henry Garrood
May 22, 2020·1h 3m - 23
WW2 - Mr Archie Carr
May 15, 2020·44m - 24
WW2 - General Sir Robert Ford
May 8, 2020·53m - 25
Military Histories - coming soon!
May 4, 2020·0m