A Chard veteran has reflected on her involvement in a project honouring trailblazing women in the army.
Sylvia Adams, 72, played a key part in the Trailblazers project, which launched last month.
The project, funded by the National Lottery, aimed to shine a light on the stories of female army veterans that often go unnoticed.
The former Royal Military Police officer, who was the first woman in the military police mounted troop, said: "It was nice to be part of a project that really highlighted something that had happened and really gone on but hadn’t been put out there for anybody to see."
Sylvia, who joined the army at the age of 20, reflected on her military journey, which began with her desire to learn to drive.
After working long hours with poor pay and basic accommodation in the horse racing industry, Sylvia visited an army recruiting office, where she was advised she would be best suited to the military police.
During her time in the military police, Sylvia served during a period of IRA threats and was stationed in Northern Ireland.
She said: "It was scary, you can’t avoid that, I had a couple of scary incidents myself, but you try to get over it.
"You carry on and do the next day."
Sylvia also shared her experience of being shot at, saying: "I was about six inches higher than him and if I hadn’t have moved, it would have passed straight through my face."
Despite the dangers, she relished in the sense of camaraderie and resilience the military life offered, saying: "To be looked up to, you had to be resilient and not show fear because otherwise that fear would go around everywhere."
Reflecting on the Trailblazers project, Sylvia expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to contribute and highlight the efforts of women in the army.
When talking about the ladies involved in the project, she said: "We didn’t know each other, sometimes our paths crossed throughout the years, but being able to speak to those other ladies and hear the things they have done was amazing."
Sylvia is keen to participate in more events like the Trailblazers project as the year progresses, saying it's going to be something people keep adding to.
Through her involvement in the project, Sylvia hopes to inspire young women who might be uncertain about their future paths.
She said: "The project highlights a place in society today for young women who may not know what they want to do.
"It makes them aware that they can go on and they can do this.
"It tells them ‘just because you are a woman don’t hold back’."
Looking back at her military career, Sylvia has no regrets.
She said: "If you want to do something then grab it by the horns and do it.
"If things don’t work out there is always another route.
"It’s not like the end just because it didn’t work out.
"Don’t think about what you haven’t got, make the most of what you have got, go out, enjoy it and do it."
The Trailblazers project was formally handed over at the AGC Museum in Winchester on Thursday, May 22.
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