Category: Podcasts
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3906 – James Douglas: The Black Douglas, part 2
‘Edward II of England, stung by constant humiliations from Scottish raids, was assembling the largest army ever to invade Scotland. Over twenty thousand men, the flower of English chivalry, the finest knights in Europe, all converging on one goal – to crush Robert the Bruce and his lieutenants once and for all.’ This episode has…
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321 – Case Green: The Invasion of Czechoslovakia
In 1938, Europe was once again facing the prospect of a major war. The immediate crisis centred on Czechoslovakia, a new state created at the end of the First World War. It was a country with a substantial industrial base, a significant arms industry and, importantly, a heavily fortified frontier with Germany. Hitler was determined…
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WSS114 – The Show Must Go On?
In this episode, Guy brings us the latest news from the world of wargaming before chatting to Glyn Williams about the history of the Crusade show at Penarth. They also discuss what Glyn has learned from running wargaming shows over the years, and why he has decided to step away from running them. References:Fire &…
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3905 – James Douglas: The Black Douglas, part 1
‘In the nurseries of northern England, mothers would hush their crying children with a simple rhyme: “Hush ye, hush ye, little pet ye, the Black Douglas will not get ye.” But this was no fairy tale monster – this was a real man, a Scottish knight whose name became a legend of terror across the…
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320 – Patton Reconsidered
In this episode, we’re going to look at one of the most recognisable American generals of the Second World War: George S. Patton. Patton has become almost a character in his own right. The aggressive general with the famous speeches, the polished boots and the determination to keep his tanks moving. His reputation as one…
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AW426 – Band on the Run
Murray chats with Robert L. O’Connell about his new book ‘Band on the Run’ from Simon & Schuster (2026) which explores the March of the 10,000 and Xenophon’s Anabasis
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319 – The Alexandra Hospital Massacre: The Fall of Singapore
In February 1942, as Japanese forces closed in on Singapore, Alexandra Hospital found itself caught in the final days of the British defence of the island. The hospital was still treating wounded soldiers and civilians when Japanese troops entered the grounds. What followed was a massacre in which patients, medical staff and others were killed,…
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3904 – Xerxes I of Persia: King of Kings
The Persian King who invaded Greece in 480 BC is remembered for his defeat at the Battle of Salamis, but he was much more than that. Xerxes was the king of the Persian Empire from 486 until 465 BC. He is remembered in Western scholarship for his defeat by combined Greek forces during his invasion…
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318 – Transport Pilots of WWII
The C-47 Dakota, or Skytrain as it was known in American service, was one of the most important aircraft of the Second World War. It carried paratroopers into battle, towed gliders packed with men and equipment, flew vital supplies to surrounded troops, and crossed some of the most inhospitable terrain on Earth. Yet the crews…
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317 – Generalship on the Eastern Front
The war on the Eastern Front was fought on a scale unlike anything the world had ever seen. Stretching from the Baltic to the Black Sea, it consumed millions of soldiers, saw entire armies destroyed, and ultimately decided the fate of Nazi Germany. When we tell the story of this campaign, we often focus on…