Hector McDonald: 'You didn't realise the danger you were in'

At the age of just 18, Hector McDonald was called up to join the Royal Navy.

He sailed all over the world - first to the Arctic, then to Australia and finally to the Philippines.

His fleet were tasked with rescuing prisoners of war, but Hector recalls the men they found looking "like skeletons".

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.

If you have a story to share, or know someone who does, please click here to tell us a little bit more or use one of the methods below.

Do you or someone you know have memories of World War Two? Please share these experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

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