Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.

This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to first-hand Cold War history accounts.

Do make sure you follow us in your podcast app or join our emailing list at

Cold Warconversations.com.

Nigel Dunkley MBE is a former Royal Scotscats dragoon guard who served in Berlin with a squadron

of chieftain tanks tasked with defending the British sector,

including the Brandenburg Gate, should the Cold War have turned hot.

Nigel also performed intelligence gathering duties in the former East Germany with Bricksmiths,

which was an intelligence organisation that worked throughout the Cold War years,

gathering intelligence in the former

Soviet occupation zone of East Germany, on the threat posed to the West and NATO by the 20

Soviet and six East German army divisions and their air forces deployed there.

In the 1980s, Nigel also interpreted for Hitler's deputy Rudolf Hess,

who was being held in Spandau Prison in Berlin, and provides some fascinating insight into the

character of Hess. Later in his military career, Nigel was awarded the MBE and the bronze star medal for his services

with the US First Cavalry Division during Operation Desert Storm.

Nigel was also Chief of Staff at the Royal Armoured Corps Centre at Bovington, ending his

army career as defence attach at the British embassy in Berlin.

I am delighted and honoured to welcome Nigel Dunclay.

Do you just want to give me a brief background on your military career up to Berlin?

Well, that wouldn't take long because I went to Berlin three times in uniform.

Once as a lieutenant, once as a captain and once as a major.

...