Listen to interesting stories from those that fought in conflicts around the world.
As we look ahead to Remembrance this weekend we are reflecting on different monuments and memorials across the forces world to reflect on the sacrifices and stories of service men, women and communities.
From Aldershot to Bahrain, Benson, Cyprus and a statue you'd see on your daily commute in London, they all hold a special meaning to remember those before us.
Series produced and presented by: Jess Bracey, Hayley Hammond, Natasha Reneaux, Tamsin Robson and Joe Carden.
Jess Bracey goes behind the scenes with Thames Valley Police as we hear from military veterans about what life has been like since leaving service and putting on a different uniform.
From front-line action dealing with crime and mental health, this is an operation with a difference and no two days are the same.
As BFBS reflects on 75 years of the NHS, we wanted to explore the close relationship between medical units in the Armed Forces and the NHS.
Amy Casey caught up with some members of a highly skilled minority: healthcare professionals who give up their spare time as RAF Medical Services Reservists. Somehow, she managed to fit into the hectic schedules of the following selfless individuals:
Sgt Diane Allebone, Intensive Care Unit Nurse / HRR CCAST
Sgt Jayne Lum Kin, Emergency Medicine Nurse
Cpl Mash Banks, Primary Healthcare Nurse
Flt Lt Suki Sira, Pharmacist
FS 'Wilf’ Williams, MERT Paramedic
They let us know where these adjacent worlds of work overlap and shared lessons they've taken from the front line to the NHS.
To mark world tattoo day, Anthony Ballard from BFBS has been speaking to people about the stories behind their military ink.
Have you been tracking Exercise Joint Viking? It's the huge exercise in arctic operations base in Norway which has seen the UK join with 20,000 Norwegian and allied troops.
Amy Casey from BFBS has been finding out more about it with Sgt Mat Sidders - Media Ops with 30 Commando - Royal Marines who talks what they've been up to in Norway!
Wing Commander (Reverend) Weir & Squadron Leader (Imam) Omar, deployed on operations, spoke to Amy Casey on BFBS Radio about their role in supporting personnel in the UK & deployed.
Mario and Jess from BFBS were out in Estonia to spread festive cheer amongst the Enhanced Forward Presence - the main Battlegroup in the Baltic's at the moment being King's Royal Hussars.
Listen as they meet with the chefs, PTI, Commander of the EFP, Tank Commanders, Ambassador to Estonia, and take a wonder round the Christmas markets with the troops.
With the retirement of the Bell 212, BFBS looks back at memorable moments from the people who have worked with her and as part of the Army Air Corps detachment in Brunei.
With 28 years of flying across Southeast Asia, 36,000 plus flying hours and over 2,000 lives saved in Brunei alone thanks to this helicopter, it really is the end of an era.
As part of the RAF Fylingdales 30th anniversary, Natasha Reneaux speaks with Fight Lieutenant Richie Weeks about their long standing history, their space surveillance, what the future holds and more!
BFBS explores how, in an increasingly diverse and inclusive armed forces, people of all religious faiths and those of none mark the remembrance period in their own way.
In 1969, Colonel Gaddafi led a coup in Libya, took control of the country and proceeded, to close down British military installations located at El Adem and Tobruk.
This presented the UK with a problem. There were no areas large enough left to allow the British Army to undertake large-scale armoured warfare exercises.
In 1971 a 10-year lease was signed between the British and Canadian Governments that authorized battle group training to take place in the Suffield, a 2000 square mile area.
In January 1972, the British Army Training Unit Suffield was formally established. After months of preparation, the training area was created and ready in June and the first live rounds were fired by the 4th Royal Tank Regiment Battle Group in the July of 1972.
To mark this year’s Pride celebrations, BFBS presenter Alice Vickery has been exploring the relationship between drag and the British Armed Forces.
Its 40 years since The Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina and then liberated by British Forces.
Join Gini Carlin as she speaks to those people that call the Islands home, and witnessed the conflict first hand.”
Ken, Kevin and Martin are armed forces veterans.
They were discharged from the military without their fellow servicemen knowing the reasons behind their dismissal.
This Remembrance Sunday, for the first time, they’ve been invited to march past the Cenotaph.
Olly Mann has spoken to them about their double lives, and what happened when they men told the truth.
Until 12th January, 2000, it was illegal for gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the British Armed Forces.
If they were outed, they could lose their medals, their pensions and their jobs, and sometimes serve a prison sentence. The British Government finally apologised for the policy in 2020.
Written and produced by Olly Mann and Matt Hill with thanks to Fighting with Pride, the LGBT+ military charity. fightingwithpride.org.uk
This audio was originally published as part of Olly’s podcast series The Modern Mann.
Jim Gellatly at BFBS has been speaking to musicians with strong forces connections, including veterans, cadets and serving personal.
Men and women who are lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-gender talk about their experiences while serving in the UK armed forces. Some decided to keep their sexuality hidden, while others have come out. Some talk about how they were forced to give up the job they loved because they were found out. This programme was originally broadcast in February 2019, for LGBTQ History Month.
Every year the RAF holds a remembrance service for the 20 thousand Commonwealth airmen and women who lost their lives in the Second World War and have no known grave.
Sadly, due to the COVID 19 emergency, the full service couldn’t happen in 2020. Instead, a ‘Virtual Service’ took place at the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede in Surrey.
The service was led by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston and conducted by Deputy Chaplain in Chief of the Royal Air Force, Group Captain the Reverend Dr Giles Legood.
Photo Credit: MOD/Crown Copyright/ SAC Beth Roberts
Former Royal Marine Mick Dawson has rowed more than 20 thousand miles across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
In 2009 he and fellow rower Chris Martin earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for completing their seven thousand mile voyage across the Pacific in record-breaking time.
Here he tells Amy Casey about his experiences including coming face to face with killer whales, near misses with container ships and what it’s like to find yourself in the eye of a hurricane.
Listen as Mick introduces the tracks that have got him through long periods of isolation at sea.
