In the aftermath of the Second World War, over two million men were conscripted to serve in Britain's armed services. Some went abroad and watched friends die in combat. Others stayed at home and painted coal white. But despite delivering such varied experiences, National Service shaped the outlook of a generation of young British men.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the end of National Service, historian Dr Colin Shindler has captured the memories of ex-conscripts from all backgrounds and ranks. From them we experience the tension of a postwar Berlin surrounded by Russians, the intense flashpoint of the Suez Crisis, and the fear of the Mau Mau uprising in Kenya. We also hear from those who didn't make it outside the confines of their barracks, or in one case, beyond his home town. The stories within this book are fascinating. And they deserve to be told before they are lost for ever.

'The book bears witness to the sheer variety, cussedness, and inventiveness of humanity during the Cold War years' BBC History Magazine