122: The Other Trench – The Diary of Alexander Pfeifer with Phil Cross
In this episode we talk to author Phil Cross about his book “The Other Trench”. Phil’s Great Great Grandfather served with the German Army throughout the Great War and kept a detailed diary of his experiences on the Western Front, and also the Russian and Italian battlefields. We hear how Phil discovered the diary and what it means to him. We discuss his German heritage and how he feels about A...
1hr 9m Feb 26, 2025
1hr 9m
121: Wounded on the Western Front
In this episode we hear the stories of men, and the nurses who treated them, who were wounded on the Western Front. We learn how the evacuation process operated and how advances in medical science saved so many lives. We look at new inventions such as blood transfusion, X Ray and the “Thomas” Splint. We also hear from Horace “Jock” Graffon, who was badly wounded on the Somme, had his foot amput...
1hr 9m Feb 17, 2025
1hr 9m
120: Trench Raids on the Somme with Neal Russell
In this episode we travel to the Somme to discover the story of 2 disastrous trench raids that took place in the Spring of 1916 before the “Big Push”. Why did they carry out raids and how did the soldiers feel about them? What happened on a raid and what became to the soldiers that were killed during these raids? And why was a German raid on British trenches at Fricourt such a disaster for the ...
1hr 4m Feb 07, 2025
1hr 4m
119: The Story of Walter Cox Wounded at from Pozieres
In this episode we follow the story of Private Walter Cox from his home in Australia to Gallipoli to where he was badly wounded on the Somme. We discover how he was treated in the medical facilities before reaching a hospital in England where he died. We hear from the nurses who worked in the hospitals and Casualty Clearing Stations. And we talk to an Englishman who “adopted” Walter’s grave and...
1hr 5m Jan 30, 2025
1hr 5m
118: The Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge – June 1915
This is a “live” episode, recorded on the Bellewaarde Ridge near Ypres. We discover, through the eyes of the soldiers on both sides of the wire, what happened here in June 1915 in a small, often forgotten action. We hear about the German medic who wrote to a dead British soldier’s family long after the war, and the photographer who took a famous photo in the German front line. And we discover t...
1hr 8m Jan 21, 2025
1hr 8m
117: The Missing of Tyne Cot with Johan De Jonghe
In this episode we travel to Ypres and meet up with local historian Johan De Jonghe who takes us on a tour of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing. We find out the link between a stately home in Yorkshire, a man remembered on the memorial and the famous Dam Busters raid in World War 2. Johan also explains the brave actions of 3 Victoria Cross recipients and the Northumberland Fusiliers whose na...
1hr 6m Jan 14, 2025
1hr 6m
116: Tales from Ypres and the Somme Part 2
In this episode we discover more untold stories from the Great War. We discover soldiers who died from their wounds long after the fighting had stopped. And we follow a family pilgrimage to Ypres following a soldier whose is now reunited with his wife Gertrude, who died 40 years after him. We also discover the story of 2 best friends. One was killed in 1918 and the other survived only to be tol...
58m Jan 08, 2025
58m
115: Christmas 1914
In this special episode we look at Christmas 1914 from a different perspective. We look at the individual stories of several men who died on Christmas Day. William Pentelow took part in the Truce and exchanged personal details with a German. But what happened to him just after Christmas? And Harold Watts who was killed by the only bullet fired in his area on Christmas Day? And we hear the voice...
36m Dec 22, 2024
36m
114: The Beasley Boys and the England Rugby Captain with Graham McKechnie and Andrew Radd
In this episode we talk to two of BBC Radio Northampton’s Presenters to discover the story of the Beasley brothers who both played sport for Northamptonshire before serving on the Western Front in the Great War. We look at how Joe Beasley’s path crossed with Ronald Poulton-Palmer, the England rugby captain who was killed at Ypres. And we discover the story of another soldier who played first cl...
58m Dec 18, 2024
58m
113: Untold Stories from the Somme, Ypres and the Forgotten Battlefield
In this episode we tell the previously untold stories of a soldier who was wounded at Ypres in 1914 and died of his wounds 10 years later, and the man who succumbed to his wounds after suffering awfully in a Prisoner of War Camp. And the tank crew that got stuck in the mud at Thiepval but fought to the death. We also discover how an NCO was murdered by 2 of his men and how they ended up buried ...
1hr 1m Dec 11, 2024
1hr 1m
112: The Nameless Names with Scott Bennett
In this episode we talk to author Scott Bennett about the missing Anzac soldiers. We discuss the circumstances of the disappearance of so many soldiers. Why did the Australian government fail in its solemn pledge to recover the missing? Why were so many families left without answers about the fate of their loved ones ― despite the dedicated efforts of Vera Deakin and her co-workers at the Austr...
44m Dec 05, 2024
44m
111: Sunset on the 1st Day on the Somme
In this episode we look at what happened when the sun went down on the first day of the Somme. How did the thousands of wounded lying in No Man’s Land survive? How did the stretcher bearers recover the wounded? What sounds could be heard on the battlefield that night? Their stories are told through the eyes of the soldiers, nurses, medics and stretcher bearers who were there.
59m Nov 27, 2024
59m
110: What Happened at Vancouver Corner?
In this episode we travel back to April 1915 and discover, through the eyes of the Canadian soldiers who were there, what happened when the Germans released chlorine gas at what is now called "Vancouver Corner". We look at the work of the Canadian architect and war veteran Frederick Clemesha who designed the "Brooding Soldier" memorial. How did the veterans view the memorial when they saw it ye...
58m Nov 18, 2024
58m
109: Soldiers' Stories from the Somme
In this episode we look at individual stories of soldiers who served during the Battle of the Somme. We discover how a man's life was saved by his water bottle and and awful coincidence of a soldier who died on the same day as his Mother. We find out about the Irishman who sat down in a shell hole, smoked his pipe and waited to die having lost both legs. And we uncover the stories of 2 brave do...
55m Nov 06, 2024
55m
108: One Day in Trones Wood - 14th July 1916
In this episode we examine the successful but costly action of the 6th Northamptonshire's as they attacked and cleared Trones Wood during the Battle of the Somme. We learn about the brave actions of William Boulter who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery and listen to the words of a veteran who was there. We learn about the fighting through the eyes of the veterans who won the day.
1hr 7m Oct 25, 2024
1hr 7m
107: Words from Beyond
In this episode we look at the words written and spoken by British, French and German soldiers who then fell on the battlefield. We get inside their minds and discover their true feelings. And we hear a Victoria Cross recipient singing, a few months before he died on the Somme.
1hr 9m Oct 18, 2024
1hr 9m
106: One Day in the Hohenzollern Redoubt with Beth Moore
In this episode we talk to historian Beth Moore about the 46th Division attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13th October 1915. We discuss who these men were and what went wrong to cause such awful casualties in a single day. We also learn about the experiences of the soldiers who were there, in their own words.
1hr 11m Oct 11, 2024
1hr 11m
105: White Flag Treachery
In this episode we tell the awful story of how the Germans tricked the 1st Northamptonshire's into believing they were surrendering during the Battle of the Aisne in September 1914. But it was a trap and we discover how the Germans then machine gunned them in a rare example of this sort of incident. We also learn about the German born man in Northampton who was run out of town after this incide...
48m Oct 01, 2024
48m
104: Arnhem 80 - Part 2 - Through the Eyes of the Soldiers and Dutch Civilians
 In this episode we continue our tour of Arnhem looking at what happened in and around the Hartenstein Hotel, the Oosterbeek Church, St Elisabeth Hospital and we look at some of the incredible stories of the casualties buried in the CWGC cemetery. We also examine the legacy of the battle through the eyes of the Dutch people and British veterans.
1hr 10m Sep 23, 2024
1hr 10m
103: Arnhem - The Drop Zones and the Battle for the Bridge
In this episode we travel to Arnhem to mark the 80th anniversary of this battle in September 1944. In part 1 we look at the story of the parachute drops through the eyes of the men who were there. We then follow their route to the road bridge and discover, through the words of Major General John Frost and other veterans, what happened during those dramatic few days.
1hr 9m Sep 17, 2024
1hr 9m
102: Ypres Walk
In this episode we go on a stroll around Ypres. Along the way we walk to a member of the Last Post Association about the iconic ceremony at the Menin Gate. We discover the story of the "Wipers Times" and visit the beautiful Ramparts Cemetery. We also find out the story of the local Resistance who hid Allied airmen in a hotel during World War 2. And discuss opposing thoughts about the constructi...
58m Sep 12, 2024
58m
101: The Unknown Warrior with John Nichol
In this episode we talk to author and former RAF Tornado Navigator and Gulf War prisoner-of-war John Nichol. Over one million British Empire soldiers were killed during the First World War. More than a century later, more than half a million still have no known grave. The scale of the fighting, the destructive power of high explosive, and the combination of relentless military engagement and g...
1hr 2m Sep 02, 2024
1hr 2m
100: VC's, Shot at Dawn, Footballers and Other Stories from Ypres
In this episode we travel around the Ypres battlefield and discover the stories of 2 men who were awarded the Victoria Cross, several soldiers who were executed by the British Army, some professional footballers who gave up their careers and were killed in action and other incredible stories, including a dreadful gas attack in August 1916.
1hr 4m Aug 27, 2024
1hr 4m
99: Poelcapelle and Langemarck in October 1917
In this episode we walk the 1917 3rd Battle of Ypres battlefield from St Julien, along the Steenbeek, to Langemarck and onto Poelcapelle. We discover forgotten stories along the way and find out what is was like to be there in 1917, through the eyes of the soldiers who were there. We come across the site of an old German war cemetery and the site of 2 Victoria Cross actions along the way, and a...
1hr 5m Aug 14, 2024
1hr 5m
98: Return to High Wood in 1939
In this episode we return to High Wood on the Somme but not in 1916 but in August 1939 when a World War 1 veteran returns to the wood and explores the the scene of his nightmares from 20 years before. It is the eve of World War 2 and the veteran discovers what the French landowner thinks about the impending war with Germany. We also learn about a man whose parents claimed he was killed in Franc...
57m Aug 07, 2024
57m
97: The Hertfordshire Boys at Passchendaele - 31st July 1917
In this episode we mark the 107th anniversary of the opening day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres by discussing the horrific experiences of the 1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment on that day. We talk to author and historian Paul Johnson, who explains who these men were, what happened to them and the incredible bravery of them all. We also look at what happened through the eyes of the soldiers, bot...
1hr 6m Jul 31, 2024
1hr 6m
96: Attack on the Ancre and The Lost Olympic Rower
In this episode we mark the beginning of the Paris Olympics by looking at the story of Frederick Kelly. Frederick, known as Cleg, was an Olympic gold medal winner at the 1908 London Olympics. He then became a composer before joining the Royal Naval Division at the beginning of the Great War. Find out how he became friends with poet Rupert Brooke and how he was killed in action during the Battle...
1hr 4m Jul 29, 2024
1hr 4m
95: Stan Hollis VC - The Man They Couldn't Kill
Well known for being the only recipient of the Victoria Cross for actions on D-Day, Company Sergeant Major Stan Hollis was a true leader of men and a superb soldier. However, that only just scratches the surface of a man who was recommended for not just the Victoria Cross twice, but also the Military Medal and the Distinguished Conduct Medal. In this episode we talk to author Mark Green who tel...
1hr 6m Jul 22, 2024
1hr 6m
94: Blinded on the Somme
In this episode we discuss the incredible story of Captain Gilbert Nobbs. He was shot through the head, blinded, but survived and captured during the Battle of the Somme. We use his memoirs “ On the Right of the British Line” to tell his story. Why does he describe the women at home as heroes, what was it like to be shot and blinded? How did he live a very successful life for 54 years after bei...
1hr 6m Jul 15, 2024
1hr 6m
7: Ghastly by Day, Ghostly by Night, The Rottenest Place on the Somme – High Wood
In this episode we travel to the Somme and discover what happened over a period of 2 months in High Wood. Find out, through the eyes of the veterans, what happened in the summer of 1916. We hear from soldiers who encountered hell on earth. How did it make them feel? What were their thoughts? How did they survive? We find out as the veterans tell us in their own words.”
1hr Jul 01, 2024
1hr
93: D Day 80 – Episode 3
In this episode we continue our journey along the Normandy beaches and go inland to discover what happened on Hill 112 in dreadful scenes that resembled the static battles from the Great War. We also discover the heartbreaking stories of the 3 Westlake brothers from Toronto, Canada who all died in Normandy. What happened when I told their story at their graves? And the serviceman who, while the...
59m Jun 20, 2024
59m
92: D Day 80 – Episode 2
In this episode we travel along Juno and Gold Beaches and tell the story of the landings through the eyes of the soldiers who were there. We hear from Bill Dunn whose tank “Charlie One” still sits close to the location where it broke down on Juno Beach. We find out what happened to his mates that day and how they sang to keep their spirits up as the German mortars rained down on them. We go to ...
1hr 15m Jun 14, 2024
1hr 15m
91: D Day 80 - Episode 1
In this first special episode, we travel to Normandy to tell the stories of the D Day landings on the 80th anniversary of this incredible historical achievement by the Allies. We tour the beaches and listen to the story of the Pegasus Bridge through the eyes of Major John Howard, and listen to Piper Bill Millin on Sword Beach. Why did he play his pipes? We visit the Montgomery memorial before g...
1hr 6m Jun 11, 2024
1hr 6m
90: Forgotten but now Remembered
In this episode we discover the stories of men who died in the Great War but were not correctly remembered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission until recently. We find out about the Officer whose named was added to the Thiepval Memorial just 20 years ago because his parents refused to accept his death during their lifetime. We also look at the tragic story of the young soldier who couldn’t...
51m Jun 06, 2024
51m
89: On the Trail of an Infantryman on the Western Front
In this episode we travel to the Western Front following the story of a typical British soldier between 1916 and 1918, when he was killed in action. We travel from the Somme, to Arras and Passchendaele, before finding the location of where he died during the Lys Offensive in April 1918. What did he experience? How horrific were the conditions at Passchendaele? How did they achieve their objecti...
1hr 8m May 31, 2024
1hr 8m
88: From Trenches on the Somme to the Battlefield Above – the Story of Jack Lidsey with Andrew White
In this episode we feature the story of a young British infantry officer and his experiences on the Somme in July 1916. Jack Lidsey then became an Observer in the Royal Flying Corps. Through his words in his personal diary, we look at what happened to him in the skies above the Western Front. Jack’s story ends when he became the 29th victim of the Red Baron. The story is discussed with the auth...
1hr 4m May 22, 2024
1hr 4m
87: Battlefield Pilgrimages Between the Wars with Professor Mark Connolly
In this episode we talk to Mark Connolly about how battlefield tours evolved during and after World War 1. We discuss who these first pilgrims were and what they saw and emotionally experienced on the old Western Front battlefields? Who was the schoolteacher who went across to France on a battlefield tour in 1914 and how did charitable organisations arrange and fund the initial post war private...
1hr 2m May 16, 2024
1hr 2m
86: The Accrington Pals at Serre Part 2
In this episode we continue the story of the Accrington Pals at Serre on 1st July 1916. We listen to the music that was inspired by those young men and discover more of the stories of the lads from that Northern town on the 1st day of the Somme. What is their story? We find out through the eyes of the soldiers who were there.
52m May 09, 2024
52m
85: The Accrington Pals at Serre Part 1
In this episode we travel to the Somme and walk in the footsteps of the Accrington Pals. We tell their story through the eyes of the Pals who were there. Who were they? What happened to them? Who was their CO who survived the day but died in tragic circumstances decades later. And who was the underage Officer who lost his leg but refused to leave the army? And the story of the heartbroken girl ...
58m May 02, 2024
58m
84: Sunk at Sea and Interned - with Rebecca Clarke
In this episode we talk to Rebecca Clarke about her husband’s Grandfather Arnold Clarke who was on board HMS India when it was torpedoed and sunk in August 1915. Arnold was one of the survivors and was interned in a camp in neutral Norway. How did he cope with being imprisoned for 3 years? How did they keep themselves occupied? We find out. We also discuss my tribute to 2 soldiers who died on t...
1hr 3m Apr 25, 2024
1hr 3m
83: The Tragedy of a Crashed Lancaster – 80 Years On
In this week’s podcast we travel to Lincolnshire for a very emotional ceremony at the site of a crashed Lancaster Bomber on the 80th anniversary of this awful incident. What happened on that day and who were those victims on board the Lancaster? We discover the answers by talking to the witnesses of the accident, including my own Mum who was 6 years old. We also talk to Megan Maltby from the Co...
1hr Apr 18, 2024
1hr
82: A Promise Fulfilled – From the Somme to Melbourne and Collingwood Football Club
In this episode we travel to the Somme and follow in the footsteps of a Collingwood Aussie Rules Footballer, Percy Rowe. Percy went to France alongside his best mate Doc Seddon. He left behind his new wife Louie and newborn son. When Percy died of wounds Doc promised he would look after his widow and son. He fulfilled that promise and we tell this incredible love story whilst walking the ground...
1hr 5m Apr 11, 2024
1hr 5m
81: A Walk in the Footsteps of the 36th Ulster Division in Thiepval Woods
In this episode we are taken on a guided walk from the Ulster Tower into the original trenches within Thiepval Woods where the 36th Ulster Division advanced from on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. We discover the stories of several soldiers who were awarded the Victoria Cross on that day and our guide Rocky explains what happened on 1st July 1916, whilst discussing some artefacts they...
1hr 14m Apr 02, 2024
1hr 14m
80: The Commonwealth War Graves Visitor Centre with Lucie Boidin
In this episode we visit the Commission’s Headquarters in Arras and go on a guided tour of the Visitor Centre where we discover how the headstones are created and maintained. Lucie also talks about the work of the Commission’s craftsmen and gardeners who look after the cemeteries and create the features such as the entrance gates and boundary walls that we are familiar with. We also get an upda...
1hr 11m Mar 28, 2024
1hr 11m
79: The Canadians at Courcelette with Poppy Mercier
In this episode we travel to the Somme village of Courcelette that was captured in a single day by the Canadians in September 1916. We look at the stories of the soldiers from both sides of the wire and discover the horror of hand to hand fighting. We also talk to local historian Poppy Mercier who explains what it is like to live on the battlefield and how it has established a connection betwee...
1hr 5m Mar 19, 2024
1hr 5m
78: 24 Hours at Anzac Cove
In this episode we look at the personal stories of the ANZAC forces that landed at Gallipoli on 25th April 1915. We hear from the soldiers themselves as they explain what happened on that fateful day and we examine the story of Lieutenant-Colonel Lancelot Fox Clarke who was killed leading his men into action. We also talk to historian and broadcaster Graham McKechnie who tells the story of Blai...
1hr 17m Mar 08, 2024
1hr 17m
77: Boy Soldiers with Richard Van Emden
In this episode we talk to historian and author Richard Van Emden about the underage “boy soldiers” who enlisted in the Great War. We discover what motivated them, how they got through the enlistment process and what happened to them when they fought on the Western Front.
1hr 6m Mar 01, 2024
1hr 6m
76: Tales from the Menin Gate
As the names of the missing on the Menin Gate are currently out of sight, in this week's episode we look at some of the stories behind the canvas tarpaulin. We discuss the "teddy from the trenches" given to her father by his 10 year old daughter and the grief stricken mother who died on the anniversary of her son's demise. And the brothers who died together, on the same day.
55m Feb 23, 2024
55m
75: The Missing of Fromelles with Lambis Englezos
In this episode we talk to an Australian amateur historian, Lambis Englezos, who discovered the remains of 250 Australian soldiers killed in the Battle of Fromelles in July 1916. Lambis talks passionately about how he proved that the men were buried at Pheasant Wood and how he then spent years convincing the authorities of the mass graves. He also reveals new information about the whereabouts o...
1hr 1m Feb 16, 2024
1hr 1m
74: Interview with a World War 2 Veteran - John Morris
In this bonus episode we talk to World War 2 veteran John Morris who is 101 years old and served in North Africa, Italy and the Balkans. With is crystal clear memory he talks about his service as an anti aircraft gunner, fighting with Partisans, escaping after being captured and being called a "D Day Dodger". He then talks about how he avoided death several times in his civilian life after the ...
1hr 1m Feb 12, 2024
1hr 1m