Land, Sea & Air - Stories from the Armed Forces

“The best bits of the Navy without the b******s!” That’s Bill’s take on the Royal Naval Association (RNA).  From boy scout to sailor, for Bill it’s been “loads of ships and lots of people.” Having Served in the Royal Navy for 37 years from the age of 18 and now CEO of the RNA, Bill spent 20 years at sea and then found himself “in Army pyjamas as much as Navy uniform.”  Bill likes a challenge and h...

‘JJ off Strictly’ joins us for our Christmas Special! …Once a Royal Marine, Always a Royal Marine.  “Blown-up” while deployed to Afghanistan, JJ joined-up as a Reservist aged 17 and his attitude of “keep cracking on” helped him to go on to win a gold medal at the Invictus Games.  JJ describes how life in the Royal Marines brings hardships and challenges as well as adventures, but the best part is...

Here we are at the start of series 2 and we have a new level of Lockdown restrictions, ‘Tier 4’.  The world has continued to be turned upside down by Covid since we chatted with our first podcast guest, Adrian Bell, CEO of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity; so, we thought this would be the perfect time to catch-up and find out what he’s learned since then and how the RNRMC is meeting the ch...

“It’s a myth that everybody in the Armed Forces is either mad, bad or sad – it’s just not true”. For World Mental Health Day, we’re chatting with Mark Perryman from the Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS). A former RAF medic whose Service career has had a positive impact on his mental health, making him “more resilient” and able to help others.  With origins in WWII, DMWS has been working throu...

Great story this. Celebrating our move to Fort Cumberland, we’ve called in who else but the Royal Marines. At the fort, we interview two brothers, both former Royal Marines, Andy and Adrian; whose father was also a Bootneck and Served at the fort in the 1960s and 70s. We hear a story about Land Rovers being driven into a ‘wade tank’ (swimming pool for cars) at the fort. No spoilers, that’s as much...

“If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”  This is how Ian describes the inter-connectedness of our Armed Forces, the teamwork so vital to VOS in helping Veterans and of course, this applies to all of us in tackling Covid-19.  Ian shares a vivid account of his experiences during the Falklands conflict; at the time, a Leading Seaman onboard HMS Antrim.  The perspect...

Preferring not to be defined by her career, Bridget’s a big fan of Winnie the Pooh’s Eeyore. So who is Bridget Nicholson?  Bridget’s blog, ‘ It’s Gone Tits Up ’, certainly provides insight into her honestly and sense of humour. Last year’s cancer diagnosis was a shock and we catch-up with Bridget on the first day that she’s clear of treatment.  We touch upon the military use of humour as a coping...

Meet Charlotte, she’s joint-Head of Languages at a secondary school in Portsmouth. We catch-up with her just before her husband goes back to sea with the Royal Navy and hear about the importance of having her own identity and career, whilst being proud to be a military wife. As a mum to three kids under ten, she’s been home-schooling through Lockdown as well as supporting the children of key worke...

“No plan survives first contact with the enemy’ …. Wisdom shared with us by this episode’s guest, Nick; who also explains the military’s strength in the areas of structure and planning - in Nick’s case, experience gained through 18 years at sea with the Royal Navy, followed by many years shore-based. We find out how learning to self-isolate is essential for creating a sense of personal space when...

Through Nigel’s 35 years of Naval Service with 20 years at sea, we gain insight into life onboard ship, how ‘you’re never alone but sometimes it can be quite lonely’ – social isolation resonating with many of us today. We hear how the Royal Navy provided a real sense of purpose and how routine and discipline learned in training still helps years later.  Nigel shares with us his memories of active...

We catch-up with Jack, he’s an inspirational former Squaddie and father to a three year-old ‘Duracell Bunny’ After losing his leg in Service, Jack has suffered serious health challenges but focuses on the positives. Now medically discharged, he explains how his Army training helps him to “adapt and improvise” and also how to live well in Lockdown. We hear about his writing, stir-frying lettuce and...

Supporting positive mental health is always important; during lockdown, it’s become essential. Andrea invites the Defence community to access an imaginative programme of online wellbeing activities by ‘just dialing-in and you’re away’. There’s something for everyone including breathing exercises, meditation for the under fives, and online ‘buddy-buddy chat cafes’. Andrea also explains how ‘slack-l...

Stephen talks to us about his new role as Shadow Minister for the Armed Forces and his personal links to the Armed Forces. We hear about his role as MP for Portsmouth South, the Home of the Royal Navy and the challenges brought by COVID-19 to local businesses and the wider community during lockdown. We also find out what happened to his 1960s Vespa. Find out more about the Company of Makers   or s...

In the first episode of 'Lockdown', we spend time with Adrian Bell, the CEO of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity, as well as a Royal Navy Veteran. He shares his thoughts on the current situation from his personal perspective, reflecting on its parallels with life at sea and how his life has been changed in both his professional and personal life.  Along with co-hosts Steve Bomford...