Veterans' Memories
Jayne Mumby
Jayne Mumby, a single mother of two, says being in the RAF was the proudest thing she has done aside from having her children.
Jayne, 38, signed up almost by accident, but served for six and a half years in the RAF and continued as a civilian within the force for a further three.
She went into the recruitment office in her hometown of Blackpool in 1990 at the age of 21.
"The recruitment guy showed me a leaflet and was talking about the tests you have to take," she said. "I said ‘can I take it' meaning the leaflet, but he thought I meant the tests and booked me in.
"Before I knew it I was in. I'm glad of the misunderstanding, because I might not have joined otherwise and I loved every minute of it.
"Other than having my kids it's the proudest thing I have ever done."
Jayne was posted to RAF Stafford where she became a Senior Aircraftman (SAC) working in supplies.
"We looked after everything from plastic buckets to jet engines," she said.
At RAF Stafford she met her former husband David, who worked in the same area, and they married two years later.
Jayne left the RAF when she was asked to move to a different posting which had previously only been done by men and which would have involved being away a lot.
"I was the first women who had been posted to the job, apart from a couple of volunteers, and I wasn't happy about it," she said. "We were trying for a baby at the time so the only choice was to leave the RAF."
She had a daughter Casey, now nine, while continuing to work as a civilian store keeper. The family was later posted to RAF Brize Norton until David left the force.
After separating with her husband and the RAF, Jayne worked in a call centre and a supermarket.
She had a second child Jake, now three, with a subsequent partner, with whom she recently separated.
Jayne now works in a school kitchen.
"It's not the most glamorous job, but I do it for my kids and I'm home during the holidays, so it suits me down to the ground," she said.
"It's fantastic that National Veterans' Day is coming to Blackpool, because everyone here has a relative who has been involved in a war, whether it's a grandparent or great grandparent.
"We should be proud of the people out there risking their lives for us."
Marion Crossley
Marian Crossley served in the Royal Air Force for 22 years.
She joined at a time when the Women's Royal Air Force was a separate entity and did not train with weapons.
Marian, 53, now a health and safety advisor at Blackpool Council, signed up at the age of 19 in 1974.
She rose to the rank of sergeant and served as an administrator in the UK, Germany, Falkland Islands and Hong Kong.
Among Marian's jobs during her service were recruitment, assisting the commander in chief of the RAF in Germany, and working in an education centre in the Falklands.
Marian, who blames her life in the forces for the fact she has remained single, said: "I was always in the minority being a woman but I never found it a problem.
"In fact, it meant we were always invited out to all the dances.
"I felt that the RAF was more integrated than the other forces during my time."
Since leaving the RAF, she worked answering calls on a benefits inquiry line, for a company making cat flaps and for Chorley Council, before moving to her current job two years ago.
Marian said: "You learn attributes in the forces that are useful in whatever work you do. I'm very determined in my work. I'm good at following through, know how to put systems in place and am not fazed by obstacles.
"There is also a brutal humour in the forces that helps working in health and safety."
Marian believes that National Veterans' Day will help people to understand the role ex-services personnel play in society.
"Too many people have no contact with anyone who has been in the forces, so they don't really understand what the guys and girls are going through," she said.
"It's a far harder life in the forces now than I ever had. People are put into really difficult circumstances and they need our support in everything they do."
A Police Community Support Officer has been chosen as the face of the official National Veterans' Day event in Blackpool.
Olly Shillitoe, 24, whose lifelong ambition has been to join the police, will represent all young ex-services personnel when he fronts National Veterans' Day celebrations in Blackpool on June 27 alongside a Second World War Royal Marine Jim Baker.
He joined the army aged just 16 and served in 12 Regiment Royal Artillery for six years.
Olly, from Blackpool, fought in Iraq during the coalition invasion in 2003, and has also served Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Poland and Canada.
In Iraq, he patrolled the streets of Basra with the infantry and looked after Prisoners of War.
"My ambition has always been to be in the police," said Olly. "I joined the army first to get some life experience. I was so young when I joined that I didn't know what to expect, but I was determined to stick with it.
"I ended up enjoying it so much that I nearly stayed in longer.
"But I wanted to be back with my family and I wanted to join the police. I've started as a Community Support Officer but I'm going through the application process at the moment to become a full police officer."
Olly is one of 20,000 forces veterans now working in the emergency services. One in seven police officers, firefighters and ambulance workers has served in the Armed Forces.
He said: "People are sometimes surprised that I'm the face of Veterans' Day because they think veterans are older people.
"I hope I can raise awareness that there are lots of young veterans too."
Alan Thompson, an ambulance technician in Blackpool, will be among those to receive his Veterans' Badge on the day.
Alan, 48, served in the Royal Corps of Signals for 18 years as a driver lineman, before leaving in 1994.
He has now been an ambulance technician for eight years.
Alan is one of 20,000 forces veterans now working in the emergency services. One in seven police officers, firefighters and ambulance workers has served in the Armed Forces.
He said: "It's important that we have a time to remember veterans that served in the forces but are now working in other jobs and I'm very proud that it will be in Blackpool."
Tony Barlow
Firefighter Tony Barlow who fought in the Falklands War will be abseiling down the 518ft Blackpool Tower to celebrate National Veterans' Day.
Tony, a member of the specialist rope rescue team based at St Anne's Fire Station, Lancashire, is the first Falklands veteran to abseil the tower where winds often reach 80mph at the top.
Tony, 45, served in the 3rd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment for nine years and fought in the battle of Mount Longdon, one of the bloodiest battles of the Falklands War, at the age of 19.
His platoon commander Sgt Ian McKay received a posthumous Victoria Cross - the highest military honour - for the battle, and three members of his platoon were killed at the ages of 17 and 18.
Tony, who lives in Freckleton, Lancashire, said: "When I abseil down Blackpool Tower I will be doing it for those lads and for the memory of every veteran who has died or suffered in any conflict.
"If they are brave enough to take a bullet, I can abseil down a tower. I will probably be a little nervous on the day but I will just focus on why I'm doing it."
Tony will be presented with his Armed Forces Veterans Badge after completing his abseil.
To share your memories and catch up with friends, visit our Veterans' Facebook site.
Or, send your stories to Jenny Harvey at: jenny.harvey@blackpool.gov.uk
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