Forty years ago this month the last National Service man swapped his Army khaki for civvies. It ended an episode of 15 years – 1948-63 – which affected a generation.
When the war ended, those conscripted in 1945 continued in service. The 1948 National Service Act replaced them with draftees serving for two years, later 18 months, at roughly half the wages of Regulars.
Most went into the Army. The RAF and Royal Navy required skilled personnel, and two years wasn't enough to train them and then have a useful working life out of them.
The usual age was 18, but this could be deferred for various categories.
The medically unfit were not accepted. A surprisingly high number were thus graded: in 1951, while 201,000 were accepted, 48,000 were rejected.
The period remained unsettled, with Britain involved in colonial liberation confrontations, the Korean War and Suez. The forces were deployed in the Malaysian Emergency, the Kenya anti-Mau Mau conflict, Cyprus, Aden and elsewhere.
Astonishingly, only 400 National Servicemen died in action in all these years.
Memories of their time in uniform vary according to individual experience and temperament. Some enjoyed it, others loathed is as an intrusion at a formative time in their lives.
Now we want your National Service memories. The full accounts will be deposited with local Record Offices, together with copies of photos sent to the Review.
•Send your story to 'Fall in!', The Review, The Tindle Suite, Kings Buildings, Hill Street, Lydney GL15 5HE.