Footsteps of the fallen
One last trip around the battlefields
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Welcome to the podcast's 200th episode, and the end of Season 8.
Sadly, the curtain is falling, and this will be the last episode of this wonderful journey through the Great War.
In this final journey through the footsteps of the fallen, I take a metaphorical last walk around the battlefield, à la Desert Island Discs - if I had one last trip, where would I go, and why?
Thank you for all your support over the years; please keep in touch with me at [email protected], or yo...
Vimy
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Welcome to our 199th podcast and the penultimate episode of Season 8!
I'm in a nostalgic mood this evening, and we're looking at the Canadian masterpiece battle, the capture of Vimy Ridge, on Easter Monday, 1917.
Through meticulous planning, shared intelligence and pure bloody-minded grit, the Canadians swept up Vimy Ridge and captured the strategic heights as part of the opening phase of the Battle of Arras.
We look at the planning and the battle itself to find out what happened on that snow-swept day in April 1917.
<...
Trench Talk - Jeremy Banning
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Welcome to the latest podcast!
It's a real pleasure to be joined by military historian, researcher and cycling battlefield guide, Jeremy Banning.
In our wide-ranging discussion, we talk about meeting the many veterans Jeremy shared his time with, working on documentaries for the BBC, cycling the battlefields and the long-lasting friendship formed with the last Tommy, 111-year-old Harry Patch.
Megiddo - Allenby's masterpiece battle
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Welcome to the latest episode!
Today we travel to the Middle East and hear about the Battle of Megiddo, a little-known but stunning Allied success in September 1918.
Meticulously planned and executed by General Allenby, the battle ended Turkish resistance in WWI and resulted in the capture of more than 75,000 Ottoman soldiers.
High Wood
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Welcome to the latest episode.
Today, we visit the battlefield at High Wood, one of the deadliest killing grounds of the Great War. Over 8000 men died in the three months of fighting here and we discover what happened during those fateful months in 1916.
Beaumont Hamel
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In this latest episode, we visit one of the must-see locations on the Somme, the Newfoundland Park at Beaumont Hamel.
We hear the story of the fighting, discover what went so wrong for the men from Newfoundland and find out about the final capture of the village in November 1916.
The Battle of the Frontiers
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Welcome to the latest episode, in which we look at the opening salvos of the Great War, the so-called Battle of the Frontiers, in which the French suffered the greatest single-day loss of life of the entire War.
The Battle of Dogger Bank
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Welcome to the latest podcast. In this episode, we begin by mulling over what it means to be English, and look at two of those bastions of Englishness - Test Match Special and the Shipping Forecast.
We then follow the shipping forecast and look at the Battle of Dogger Bank, the January 1915 showdown between the Royal Navy and the German High Seas fleet. We hear about the mysterious work of Room 40, German naval raids on the seaside towns of Northumberland and the battle itself, which was a pyrrhic victory for the Ro...
We seem to have destroyed the village.....Achicourt 1917
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On the afternoon of the 8th April 1917, a German plane flew over the small village of Achicourt near Arras, where preparations were underway for an attack to be made by the 56th Division the following day.
The visit of the German plane set off a catastrophic chain of events that destroyed the village, killed countless soldiers and civilians, and resulted in one of the largest explosions ever seen on the Western Front to that point in the War.
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Not a bit of cover to be seen - the Battle of Aubers
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In our latest podcast, we present an overview of the Battle of Aubers, which was delivered to the Great War Group earlier in March.
What was supposed to be a gentle stroll across the Artois countryside turned into one of the worst days of casualties of the Great War for the British, with over 11,000 men being killed, wounded or missing for no material gain, and the offensive was abandoned after just one day.
The Balloonatics
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Welcome to the latest podcast!
In today's episode, we look at the work and perils of the Balloon Corps. Vital for observation and artillery support, balloon work was one of the most dangerous jobs in the military, with a shockingly short life expectancy.
We begin at Couin Military Cemetery, where a top hat and cane marked the grave of one of Edwardian theatre's most celebrated dandies (and also a balloon corps observer), Basil Radford, aka Gilbert the Filbert. We hear about the role of balloons, their design, and question wh...
What really happened? Episode 1: The Unknown Warrior
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Welcome to the latest podcast!
In the first of a new themed series, we take a deep dive into some of the great questions of the First World War. Each episode is carefully researched, drawing on both primary and secondary sources to explore the truth — or the uncertainty — behind some of the conflict’s most important issues.
In this episode, we examine the burial of the Unknown Warrior: the story behind the selection of the body, the confusion surrounding the process, the pomp and ceremony of the interment, and why th...
The Black Stork of Flanders
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Welcome to the latest episode!
Today we walk the battlefield from Ypres to Poelkappelle and discover the personal stories of some of the men who lie in the cemeteries in this part of the Salient, including that of the greatest French air ace, Georges Guynemer.
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The beginning of the end
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Happy New Year!
By July 1918, the German offensive was running out of steam; heavy losses, combined with overstretched supply lines, put the Germans in a perilous position. The German Commander, Ludendorff, gambled everything on one final push, the so-called Friedenstrum, or Peace Offensive. The offensive failed and the door was opened to Allied Victory.
In this episode, we look at the events of July 1917, discover the conflict between Ludendorff and his military planners, and hear the story of two of Britain's greatest flying aces.
Questions and answers - episode 2
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Welcome to the final podcast of 2025!
In our second question-and-answer episode, we answer some listeners' questions, covering topics including Home Front recruitment, the evolution of gas masks, rum jars, and the Carlisle Programme.
Got a question you'd like answered? Please email me at [email protected].
Happy New Year! The podcast will be back in 2026!!
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A walk near Ypres - Polygon Wood to Hill 60
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In our latest podcast, we meander across the battlefield to the east of Ypres, starting at Polygon Wood and heading south to Hill 60. We look at the cemeteries and memorials and find out some of the personal stories of men who fought and died on this part of the salient.
I wish every one of you a very Happy Christmas and thanks for your support in 2025.
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The Battle of the Bees
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In November 1914, the British attempted to capture the strategically vital port of Tanga in German East Africa. Poor planning, an indecisive commander, poorly trained troops and the fanatical idealism of brilliantly trained Askari troops combined to turn the operation into a disaster for the British.
In this episode, we look at Germany's colonial history in East Africa, the skill and excellence of the remarkable German General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, and meet an enigmatic British intelligence officer who may, or may not, have been one of the world's leading ornithologists. We hear ab...
Trench Talk - Walking the Western Front with Briana Gervat
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Welcome to this latest episode of Trench Talk!
Today I sit and talk with Briana Gervat, an author and photographer who, in the aftermath of the COVID lockdown, decided to connect with history and walk the length of the Western Front.
She documented her journey in a book, There Will Come Soft Rains, and in this wide-ranging discussion, we talk about her deeply spiritual journey across all 450 miles of the old front line.
You can buy a copy of the book here https://amzn.eu/d/4B8...
The rose and the thistle
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Welcome to the latest episode!
In a slightly shorter episode than usual, we travel to Belgium and discover the story of two lieutenants, Lt Ronald Poulton Palmer and Lt Frederick "Tanky" Turner, rugby captains of England and Scotland respectively.
Rivals on the rugby pitch and comrades in the military, we look at the lives and careers of these two great characters, their deaths and the remarkable ceremony that brought a little piece of London to Belgium.
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<...Questions and answers - episode 1
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Welcome to our first-ever questions and answers episode! In today's episode, we address questions posed by listeners and delve into a range of topics.
If you have a question you'd like answered, please email me at [email protected], and we will see if we can get it into a future Q&A episode.
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The Pool of Peace
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Welcome to this latest episode!
Today we are in Belgium and walk the battlefield to the south of Ypres, beginning at Bedford House Cemetery and finishing at the Spanbroekmolen mine crater, the "Pool of Peace", created by the largest mine explosion from the Battle of Messines. We visit the cemeteries and memorials on this part of the battlefield to learn what happened, and what can still be seen.
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Trench Talk - Sussex to the Somme with Martin Barry
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In this latest episode of Trench Talk, it's a pleasure to be joined by international cricketer, battlefield guide and WW1 fanatic Martin Barry.
Martin works as a battlefield guide and volunteer for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, overseeing the vast military plot at Hastings Cemetery. In today's episode, he shares some of the personal and tragic stories of the men who lie buried in this small corner of Sussex.
We hear tales of murder most foul, tragic accidents, unfortunate events, and discover Martin's lifelong fascination with the Red Baron.
...Hill 70 - a listener's request
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Welcome to today's episode!
For the first time, we have created a listener's request podcast; I was contacted by a listener who discovered his Grandfather had been killed at Hill 70 while serving with the Cameron Highlanders at the Battle of Loos in 1915. The listener is planning his first-ever trip to the Western Front and wants to walk the battlefield where his Grandfather was killed. He asked if I could do a podcast about that area - your wish is my command!
We begin with an overview of the fighting o...
Trench talk - Uniforms of the Great War with Taff Gillingham
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Welcome to the first Trench Talk of the season, where Taff Gillingham joins me. Taff is a military historian and specialist historical advisor for the film, TV and theatre industries and has worked as an advisor on many well-known productions from Downton Abbey to the film 1917.
Taff is an expert on WW1 uniforms and kit, and in this fascinating and wide-ranging conversation, he shares his encyclopedic knowledge.
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Bois Grenier
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Welcome to the first episode of Season 8!
Today, we travel to the forgotten front and the village of Bois Grenier. The fields in this sleepy corner of agricultural France contain dozens of German bunkers and blockhouses from the time of World War I. The sector was a nursery sector - a relatively quiet location where new battalions could learn the regimes of trench warfare. The peace was shattered on the afternoon of the 25th September 1915 when a diversionary attack for the Battle of Loos had disastrous effects for the men of...
Faithful unto death - the story of the Chinese Labour Corps
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Welcome to the final episode of Season 7!
In today's episode, we look at the little-studied role played by the Chinese Labour Corps during the Great War.
Over 90,000 Chinese labourers served in France and Belgium, engaged in manual labour and the dangerous work of clearing munitions and bodies from the battlefields.
Who were these men, and how did they end up so far from home?
The podcast will be back for Season 8 on Sunday July 6th 2025.
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In the shadow of the Springboks - Delville Wood to Courcelette
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Welcome to the penultimate episode of Season 7!
Today we are on the Somme and walk the battlefield from Delville Wood to Courcelette via High Wood and Martinpuich.
We begin we looking at "The Turning Point" a remarkable but little-known narrative of the Somme battle written by the eccentric Harold Perry-Robinson. We visit Delville Wood cemetery and memorial and hear the history of the site, as well visiting the only remaining tree from the Great War.
We walk to High Wood - "Ghastly by day, ghostly by night, t...
The Brickstacks
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Welcome to the latest episode!
Today, we walk the canal at Cuinchy, one of the forgotten battlefields of the Great War. Cuinchy was the site of the infamous brickstacks and the scene of bitter fighting throughout the entire war.
We walk the battlefield to discover the military history of what happened here, and hear the personal stories of the dead as we visit some of the nearby cemeteries.
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Fromelles
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Welcome to this latest episode in which we walk the battlefield of Fromelles. On the evening of the 19th July 1916, men of the newly arrived Australian 5th Division were thrown into battle against the heavily fortified village of Fromelles in Artois. In one night, over 5000 men were killed, wounded or missing and the line remained staunchly in German hands.
We begin at Pheasant Wood and meander across the battlefield, visiting some key sites and hearing the stories of the men buried in the cemeteries in and around the old front lines.
...We don't take umbrellas to war.
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The weather played its part in the Great War, perhaps in more ways than first imagined. The Great War lasted over 1500 days, and over 600 saw rain on the Western Front. The winter of 1914 saw torrential rain and temperatures drop to -10 in France, and the autumn of 1917 in Flanders saw four months' worth of rainfall in just 33 days.
London's Met Office offered to help at the outbreak of war, but a terse telegram from GHQ rebuffed this offer. However, the increased use of aircraft and poison gas quickly made senior command unde...
Neuve Chapelle
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On the 110th anniversary, we travel to France and walk around the battlefield of the first major offensive launched by the British on the Western Front at Neuve Chappelle.
Initial successes were tempered by poor decision-making and poor communications between divisional commanders and the offensive ground to a halt in the face of heavy German resistance. Casualties were 11,000 killed, wounded and missing in three days, but no fewer than nine VCs were awarded for the fighting in this area. These quiet farmers' fields hide the secrets of the past, but there i...
Hohenzollern
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Welcome to this latest episode of the podcast.
Today, we walk the battlefield around the area of the Hohenzollern Redoubt, the formidable German strongpoint located on the battlefield at Loos, which was attacked by the 9th Scottish Division on the opening day of the battle of 25th September 1915. Fighting continued until the middle of October when men of the 46th Midland Division tried and failed to retake the redoubt.
What happened here, and what can be seen when you walk the battlefields today?
Supporting maps and the wa...
Trench Talk - Chris Sams and the Battle of Jutland
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Welcome to the first Trench Talk of Season 7!
It's a real pleasure to be joined by naval historian and writer Chris Sams as we talk about the Battle of Jutland in 1916. The long-awaited showdown between the Royal Navy and the Kriegsmarine turned into an unexpectedly bad day for the British. We look at what happened that afternoon off the coast of Denmark and talk about other naval matters in this fascinating and wide-ranging conversation.
Chris' book on the German navy can be found here.
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..."I can't find the damned things!" - Ploegsteert to Le Gheer
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Welcome to the first episode of 2025!
Today, we head to Belgium and walk a less-trodden route south of Plugstreet Wood towards the hamlet of Le Gheer. From the village of Ploegsteert, we head south and east across the farmer's fields to discover the long-lost history of this part of the battlefield. These seemingly bare fields tell the story of the rank and file of the Allied infantry who fought and died in this so-called quiet sector of the front. There is much to be found if one knows where to look.
Out of money and out of luck - life beyond the trenches
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Welcome to the final episode of 2024!
One of the great misnomers of WW1 is that soldiers spent all their time in the trenches fighting. Fighting battles took up a tiny amount of soldiers' time, so what did soldiers do when not in the line?
In this episode, we look at life behind the lines, where soldiers had the opportunity to spend their pay on treats to make soldiering more bearable. Many soldiers indulged in the age-old vices of women and gambling; gambling was technically illegal, but thousands of francs w...
Feeding Tommy
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A famous saying asserts that an army marches on its stomach, and in this episode, we examine food and drink for men on the front line.
The challenge of feeding an army was immense, and the war office employed science to calculate the exact calorific intake needed by a soldier to survive.
Feeding the men was one thing; feeding them something palatable was something else. We look at trench rations, from the infamous Army Biscuits to cans of "dog vomit," and see that the culinary life of a soldier i...
Liquid fire
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In the early hours of the 30th July 1915, men of the Rifle Brigade and Kings Royal Rifle Corps were attacked near Hooge by German soldiers using a new and appalling weapon of war - liquid fire. The subsequent counter-attack that afternoon by the British was a military disaster that could have been avoided had the protests of senior commanders in the line been listened to.
We examine what happened that day, discover the story of the man who won the first VC for the new armies, and meet the enigmatic and e...
He is not missing, he is here.
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Welcome to this latest episode, in which we explore the history behind one of the world's great monuments, the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in the Belgian city of Ypres.
We hear the history of the Last Post, look at the famous lions and their connection to Australia, hear the stories of some of the dead, and contemplate what makes this an iconic place of remembrance.
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I can't say my prayers on a stolen carpet..
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Welcome to the latest episode!
In today's episode, we look at the role played by Army Chaplains during the Great War. Responsible for the spiritual and personal welfare of soldiers, the Chaplain was a source of great comfort for men during the hell of trench warfare.
We look at the history of the Army Chaplain Department and discover the massively important role that Chaplains had in the lives of men at war and meet some of them, including the famous Woodbine Willie, "Tubby" Clayton and the Reverend Theodore Hardy...
The black lions of Cantigny
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Welcome to this latest podcast, in which we travel to the southern part of the Somme battlefield, a shell-cratered morass on which the men of Canada, Australia and France died in their thousands in the final 100 days of the War.
We tour the battlefield and visit the cemeteries and memorials, which bear testament to the sacrifice of so many who fell so close to the end of four years of conflict.
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