Joseph Hammond: 'We would have become slaves to Hitler'

Private Joseph Hammond was part of the Allied forces campaign in the Far East during World War Two and fought fierce battles in dense jungle as part of the 82nd West African Division in western Burma.

He describes intense battles with the Japanese, but says he had "no fear" of dying.

Despite coming face-to-face with Japanese soldiers throughout the war, he says he forgives those he fought against.

He feels as though the Allied victory "brought peace to the world", instead of the alternative scenario where he feels he would have become "a slave" to Japan and Germany.

We Were There aims to collect as many first-hand accounts as possible by 2025, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, to preserve veterans' accounts for future generations.

The BBC is currently working on the project with a number of partners including the Normandy Memorial Trust and Royal British Legion. Some of the stories collected may be shared with our partners and used on BBC News platforms.

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