Old Front Line
WW1 Podcast with Paul Reed
Category: WW1 History
Somme: Contalmaison to Bazentin
For the final episode of Season 5 we are back on the Somme. At Contalmaison we discover the story of how the history of Great War football weaves through that village, how a pioneering eye surgeon from Liverpool came to be killed there, and… Continue Reading “Somme: Contalmaison to Bazentin”
Great War Music with Beverley Palin
In this special Trench Chat, we meet historian, re-enactor and professional musician Beverley Palin, and discover the story of two original WW1 instruments she has restored and now plays, and discuss the importance of music to the generation of the Great War. Beverley Palin… Continue Reading “Great War Music with Beverley Palin”
The Pillboxes of Flanders
Concrete bunkers – pillboxes – are an iconic symbol of the Great War, and in this episode we look at the book ‘The Pillboxes of Flanders’ published in the 1930s, examine their history and use, and then visit some of the surviving examples of… Continue Reading “The Pillboxes of Flanders”
Trench Chat: The Caretakers with Caitlin DeAngelis
In this latest Trench Chat we speak to historian and writer Caitlin DeAngelis who has just finished a fascinating new book ‘The Caretakers: War Graves Gardeners and the Secret Battle to Rescue Allied Airman in World War II’. We discuss her research for the… Continue Reading “Trench Chat: The Caretakers with Caitlin DeAngelis”
From Training to Trenches
In this episode we look at how British soldiers joined the army, either before the war or when the New Army of volunteers was created in 1914, what their training and preparation for war consisted of, and what their route to the trenches was. … Continue Reading “From Training to Trenches”
First Day Of The Somme
On the anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, we take a virtual walk along all eighteen miles of the Somme front from Gommecourt to Montauban, connecting to the landscape and discovering the stories of those who fought and fell on 1st July 1916:… Continue Reading “First Day Of The Somme”
The Monocled Mutineer
In 1986 the BBC Drama ‘The Monocled Mutineer’ was released, starring Paul McGann who plays Percy Toplis. In this episode, we look at the series and ask what is the truth behind Toplis and the claim that he dressed as an officer and took… Continue Reading “The Monocled Mutineer”
Gas! Gas! Gas!
In this episode we look at a weapon that came to symbolise the First World War – Poison Gas. We look at the history behind its use, the ‘Birth of Chemical Warfare’ at Ypres in April 1915 and what measures were made to protect… Continue Reading “Gas! Gas! Gas!”
Somme Walks: Hawthorn Ridge to the Sunken Lane
In another episode recorded on the battlefields, we walk the crest of the Hawthorn Ridge near Beaumont-Hamel on the Somme, visiting Hawthorn No 1 Cemetery, across to the Hawthorn Mine Crater, and down to the famous Sunken Lane and Beaumont-Hamel British Cemetery. The Hawthorn… Continue Reading “Somme Walks: Hawthorn Ridge to the Sunken Lane”
Trench Chat: Black Poppies with Stephen Bourne
In this latest Trench Chat, we are joined by Stephen Bourne, author of Black Poppies. His important book, now in its third edition with a children’s version, tells the often-neglected contribution of Black soldiers in the British and Commonwealth forces in the Great War.… Continue Reading “Trench Chat: Black Poppies with Stephen Bourne”
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