Amazing War Stories with Bruce Crompton

In the late hours of hours of June 5th, 1944 six Horsa gliders, towed by Halifax bombers made their way across the channel.  Inside the lead glider, codenamed Chalk 91, sat 30 men readying themselves for one of the most daring missions of D-Day. Little did the men realise that the next 24 hours would turn into a desperate battle for survival, as they became surrounded, deep behind enemy lines attacked by tanks, snipers and the full might of the Nazi army.  Sadly, some would never see home again.  These soldiers wore the maroon berets of the airborne forces, known to enemy as The Red Devils.  To us, they have become known as The Dare Devils of D-Day Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive discounts here: http://eepurl.com/imr7Dk Buy our D-Day magazine here: https://bit.ly/AmazingVehiclesDDayMagazine Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Henry Whitington - Archivist, Army Flying Museum Chris "Freddie" Kruger - Ex British Para, Amateur Historian & Curator, The Crompton Collection Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the late hours of hours of June 5th, 1944 six Horse gliders, towed by Halifax bombers made their way across the channel.  Inside the lead glider, codenamed Chalk 91, sat 30 men readying themselves for one of the most daring missions of D-Day. Little did the men realise that the next 24 hours would turn into a desperate battle for survival, as they became surrounded, deep behind enemy lines attacked by tanks, snipers and the full might of the Nazi army.  Sadly, some would never see home again.  These soldiers wore the maroon berets of the airborne forces, known to enemy as The Red Devils.  To us, they have become known as The Dare Devils of D-Day Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive discounts here: http://eepurl.com/imr7Dk Buy our D-Day magazine here: https://bit.ly/AmazingVehiclesDDayMagazine Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Henry Whitington - Archivist, Army Flying Museum Chris "Freddie" Kruger - Ex British Para, Amateur Historian & Curator, The Crompton Collection Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the 9th of October, 1943, one of the bloodiest air battles of the war was unfolding over German skies.  Over 300 hundred fighters were attacking the Flying Fortresses of the American 1st air division, who were on a daylight bombing raid to Anklam, East Germany. The dog fighting was savage, the Germans relentless.  The men on the bombers who flew that day were seasoned war fighters and those that returned said they had never experienced anything like it. It was one of the first times the American planes from the 8th Airforce had been able to strike this far into the Nazi homeland.  New modifications to their fortresses meant they could now travel much greater distances - but it also presented them with a new problem. The disadvantage of long range bombing missions meant that the friendly escort fighters with smaller fuel tanks couldn't keep up with you - so you were flying without their protection.  Without the fighters for cover the Germans would attack with virtual impunity. This is the remarkable true story of 10 men in one of those flying fortresses, a plane called Lightning Strikes.  By the end of the mission, three quarters of the bomber group were either destroyed or badly damaged and 50 men never made it back… They were The Ragged Irregulars of Bassingbourne.. Sign up to our newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/imr7Dk Buy merchandise to support our cause in our shop: https://shop.amazingwarstories.com/ Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Major Rob Paley - Official Historian of the 'Bloody' 100th now known as the 100th Air Refuelling Wing Jim Cleary - Curator, 453rd Bomb Group Museum, Norfolk - visit https://www.amazingwarstories.com/museum/the-453rd-bombardment-group-museum/ Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amazing War Stories: Extra Ammo is the supporting VODCAST of the Amazing War Stories Podcast - click the link in the show notes to watch the video version. In each of these new episodes, hosts Ed Sayer and Bruce Crompton talk about military heroes and examine rare military artefacts. In this pilot episode, we tell the 'origin' story of Bruce, how he got into military collecting and talk about some of his rarer pieces - including the famous original helmet from the movie Full Metal Jacket, Joker's glasses, and how Stephen Spielberg almost wrote off one of Bruce's vehicles on the set of Saving Private Ryan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a moonlit night of 28th August 1944 an American Sherman M4A1-76 tank sat on a hillside watching the approaching train in the valley below. Sitting on top was a sergeant, Lafayette G Pool. There was nothing normal about this soldier however, he was the US Army's most feared tank commander and by the end of his service he had clocked over a dozen enemy tank kills. The war film Fury is a movie like no other - directed by David Ayer it follows the exploits of a tank commander called Don “War Daddy” Collier played by Brad Pitt. Many fans don't realise that the nickname of Pitt's character was actually borrowed from a real person, and that man would almost single handedly drive the 3rd Armoured division straight into the guts of Nazi Germany. This is the true story of War Daddy - The Real Fury. Sign up to our newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/imr7Dk Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Owen Thornton - Associate Producer, Fury Davis Smith - Ex-US Marine Tank Commander David Willey - Curator, The Tank Museum, Bovington Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the early hours of the 15th May 1982 three SeaKing helicopters lifted off the British aircraft carrier HMS Hermes in complete darkness. On board were 42 soldiers of the Special Air Service - their destination, an enemy airfield whose position threatened the entire British landing force. The stakes were high. If the assault failed, the British could not only lose nearly half its special forces soldiers in one go but an Argentinian strike from the airbase could lead to the failure of the troop landings... and the war itself. Like any SAS raid it was a huge roll of the dice, but as the regiment's motto says, Who Dares Wins and the troopers on board those helicopters had no intention of losing...They were... The Punishers of Pebble Island. Sign up to our newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/imr7Dk Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Matt Hellyer, Former SAS Warrant Officer, CEO Pilgrims Bandits Julie Miller - Curator, Combined Services Museum Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the 29th August 1942 a soldier of the Australian Maroubra Force placed his hand on the bipod of his Bren gun, the barrel was still too hot to hold and loaded a fresh magazine. The enemy, only yards away, were crashing through the jungle towards them. The Australian Force were massively outnumbered, exhausted and disease ridden - they knew they were staring defeat in the face. No Allied army had yet beaten the fearsome Imperial soldiers of the Japanese Army in battle. But that would soon change. The soldier gritted his teeth, grabbed the charging handle and cocked his weapon. As the Japanese ran screaming towards him he charged back at them, firing from the hip... Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Lt. Col. Todd Vail, Australian Army Kurtis Lowden - Deputy Curator, Australian Armour and Artillery Museum Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Additional Research Charles Phillips Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the morning of June 10th, 1942 six armed men in three rubber dinghies filled with explosives, paddled ashore to a small beach near Malia, Crete. Their mission - to destroy as many planes as possible at the Luftwaffe Airbase at Heraklion. But already, the operation wasn't going to plan. They had landed in the wrong location and the occupied island was not only crawling with German soldiers but also Nazi spies the allies called Quislings.  This is the remarkable true story of the SAS's first seaborne operation. By the end, the six heroes were forced to play a deadly game of cat and mouse as the nazis and traitors, tried to capture the fleeing SAS operatives. Sadly, not all of them would survive. They were The Hitmen of Heraklion. Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about George Jellicoe and this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Jason Fox - Ex-SBS and DS on SAS Who Dares Wins Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Andrew Wallis - Curator, Guards Museum, Wellington Barracks, London Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the night of 6th June 1944 at 4:50 am, an army medic jeep pulling a small two wheeled trailer, careened through the little French town of Troarn. It was under blistering attack from a garrison of Panzergrenadiers that had set up their headquarters there. But on board the jeep there were no medical supplies, or indeed, medics. All had been replaced by 7 parachute engineers with half a ton of explosives. They're objective, to blow a bridge that was a crucial crossing for a german counter-attack. This is the remarkable true story of Major Tim Roseveare and a heroic band of 7 parachute engineers. By the end of the night, sadly, some would be captured and killed, but their legends still live on to this day. They were, The Demolition Men of D-Day... Visit: amazingwarstories.com to find our more about Tim Roseveare and this initiative. Have a war story to tell? email mystory@amazingwarstories.com Contributors: Phil Campion - Ex-SAS and radio host on Force Radio Dr Chris Mann - Director of The War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Ben Hill - Deputy Curator, Airborne Assault Museum, Duxford Episode Credits- Written, Researched and Executive Produced by Ed Sayer Associate Producer Lois Crompton Editing, Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Produced in glorious 3D audio, Bruce Crompton tells amazing true war stories taken from museum collections in order to help safeguard the nation's historical treasures before they are lost from the public forever. For the ultimate, immersive experience please wear headphones. Series launching April. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Former Special Forces Operative (and star of Channel 4's SAS Who Dares Wins) Jason Fox joins Bruce along with Royal Marines Colonel Nik Cavill to tell the story of this remarkable Commando Raid that started on Boxing Day 1941SummaryOn the 27th December, 1941, in a small island town in the north Norwegian fjords, a German soldier crunched through the snow back to his barracks. All was calm apart from the sounds of Christmas songs still emanating from some of the bars and houses. Suddenly, in the distance, the thump of explosions and the bright lights of fireworks clearly showed people were still enjoying the yuletide celebrations.However, on the edge of the town, a massive assault was actually underway. The fireworks were flares and the explosions were the sound of HMS Kenya’s huge guns firing from the middle of the fjord. Within a few moments hundreds of British Commandos would be assaulting the peaceful hamlet...Contributors-Dr Chris Mann, Deputy Director of War Studies Department, Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and author of 'British Policy & Strategy towards Norway, 1941-45'. To purchase please visit palgrave.com/DrChrisMann Website for Royal Military Academy Sandhurst: army.mod.uk/rma-sandhurst/Jason Fox; Explorer, former Special Forces Operative, TV personality and author of Life Under Fire: Instagram jason_carl_fox/ Twitter jason_carl_foxColonel Nik Cavill Royal Marines Commando: Website royalnavy.mod.uk/royalmarines Facebook royalmarines/We have also joined forces with the fantastic Royal Marines Charity to help raise awareness of their Lift the Lid campaign to raise awareness for of support available to veterans, serving personnel and their families of the armed forces suffering from mental health issues. Please visit their website theroyalmarinescharity.org.uk/lifting-the-lid/ for further information of help available 24/7Further information and support for veterans is also available at nhs.uk/veterans-nhs-mental-health-services/Follow them on social media at Facebook: The Royal Marines Charity Twitter: @theRMcharity Instagram: @thermcharityThis episode has also partnered with the dedicated fundraising team for the Royal Marines Museum to raise money to have the new museum open to visitors by 2022. To donate, please visit JustGiving page: Royal Marines Museum DonateFollow them on social media at Facebook: @RoyalMArinesMuseum Twitter: @RoyalMarinesMusTrack played at the end of the show kindly provided by-Military Wives Choirs – BraveWritten for the Military Wives Choirs by Sean Hargreaves, John Haywood and Laura WrightFeaturing Laura Wright and the Royal Marines Corps of DrumsTo support the Military Wives Choirs charity, please visit militarywiveschoirs.orgDid you know we now had a merchandise store? Visit Amazing-War-Stories-StoreFor more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstoriesEpisode Credits-Written & Researched by Charlie PhillipsDirector & Executive Producer Ed SayerAssociate Producer Lois CromptonEditor Tony SimmonsSound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Group See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On June 6th 1944 a band of US Army Rangers undertook one of the second world war’s most daring missions. Ahead of the main D Day landings, under ferocious fire, they had to land on an exposed beach, scale a 100ft cliff before attacking a well armed and heavily defended German force.Against overwhelming numbers their mission was to silence the huge artillery guns that would target the invading Allied Armies that were about to land on D Day. But we can now reveal a secret about this famous operation that was classified for over 60 yearsThis is the true story of 7 of the Rangers who took part in the mission to protect the hundreds of thousands of other troops landing on the Normandy beaches - sadly not all of them would make it through.They were the Cliff Rangers of CalvadosLet us know what you think of this week's episode- use #AmazingWarStories to join the conversationContributors--Gary Sterne author of 'Cover-Up at Pointe du Hoc' and curator of the Maisy Battery, Normandy Website- maisybattery.com/ Facebook- facebook/maisybattery -Davis Smith former US Marine weaponry & tactics specialist advisorFor more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstoriesEpisode Credits-Written & Produced by Paul WoodingExecutive producer Ed SayerAssociate Producer Lois CromptonSound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Groupinfo@amazingwarstories.comwww.amazingwarstories.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the night of the 10th November 1941 two submarines stealthily left the harbour at Alexandria and headed for Northern Libya. On board were 53 Commandos and 6 Special Boat Service operatives.Underway was one of the most audacious missions of the entire Second World War - a secret attempt to assassinate Hitler’s top General - Erwin Rommel. If they succeeded, it could alter the course of the entire conflict.Let us know what you think of this week's episode- use #AmazingWarStories to join the conversationContributors--Colonel Nik Cavill Royal Marines Commando: Website royalnavy.mod.uk/royalmarines Facebook royalmarines/-Julie Miller, curator of the Combined MIlitary Services Museum: Website cmsm.co.uk/ Facebook CombinedMilitaryServicesMuseumFor more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstoriesEpisode Credits-Written & Researched by Charlie PhillipsDirector & Executive Producer Ed SayerAssociate Producer Lois CromptonEditor Tony SimmonsSound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Groupwww.amazingwarstories.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When legendary footballer Walter Tull joins the army in the First World War he becomes the first black British officer to lead white men into battle and is mentioned in dispatches for a dangerous raid in Italy. He suffers shell shock, trench fever, is gassed, faces flame throwers and finally German stormtroopers in the battle of the Somme. In this special episode to mark Remembrance Sunday Historian Andy Robertshaw reveals an astonishing discovery - the potential resting place of Walter Tull, The Striker of The Somme.For more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstoriesLet us know what you think of this week's episode- use #AmazingWarStories to join the conversationWith very special thanks to our contributors--Andy Robertshaw historian & military adviser andyrobertshaw.com -Walter's family who run the Finlayson Family Archive - waltertullarchive.comMuseums--War Years Remembered Museum -Website waryearsremembered.co.uk Facebook WarYearsRemembered Instagram /waryearsremembered-The Kent Museum of Moving Image -Website kentmomi.org/ Facebook /KentMOMI Instagram Kent_MOMI/-The Museum of the Great War, France -Website historial.fr/Further information on Walter Tull-claptonfc.com/WalterTTTbooklet.pdftottenhamhotspur.com/walter-tull.pdftottenhamhotspur.com/walter-tull-rememberedntfc.co.uk/tullfirstworldwarglasgow.co.uk/Not-Forgotten-part-2.pdfnorthamptonchron.co.uk/walter-tullEpisode Credits-Written & Produced by Paul WoodingExecutive producer Ed SayerAssociate Producer Lois CromptonResearcher Ross Barnwell Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Groupinfo@amazingwarstories.comwww.amazingwarstories.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the freezing night of December 20th 1944 men of the US 82nd Airborne, 504 Parachute Infantry Regiment fought head-on with a deadly SS Panzer Group that vastly outgunned them. This little known battle, which raged for nearly 2 days, would prove to be a pivotal turning point in the Second World War. This is the story of just 5 soldiers from a company of over 100 men, all of them heroes, all of them prepared to pay the ultimate sacrifice.Let us know what you think of this week's episode- use #AmazingWarStories to join the conversationContributors--Davis Smith former US Marine weaponry & tactics specialist advisor-December 44 Historical Museum La Gleize Website dec44.com and on Facebook /Dec44MuseumWith special thanks to author Frank van Lunteren -Website http://www.frankvanlunteren.com For more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstoriesEpisode Credits-Written & Produced by Ed SayerExecutive producer Paul WoodingAssociate Producer Lois CromptonSound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Groupwww.amazingwarstories.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In almost complete darkness, on the 27th February 1942, 120 men from the newly formed Parachute Regiment, went on a bold mission - to steal technology from a new German Radar installation that was causing heavy losses on Allied aircraft. This is the true story of 7 of the men who took part in that sensational operation. Sadly, not all of them would make it out unharmed-Let us know what you think of this week's episode- use #AmazingWarStories to join the conversationContributors--Jon Baker- curator of Airborne Assault Museum & Paradata https://www.paradata.org.uk/ Facebook- @airborneassault Twitter- @AirAssultMuse Instagram- @airborne_assault_museum-Lieutenant Colonel Richard Lewin https://www.army.mod.uk/ Facebook- facebook.com/PARARESERVE Twitter- 4parareg Parachute Regiment facebook.com/PARA/For more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstoriesEpisode Credits-Written & Produced by Ed SayerExecutive producer Paul WoodingAssociate Producer Lois CromptonSound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Groupwww.amazingwarstories.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On the cold evening of the 20th of December 1943 over 650 Allied planes took off from their bases in England and headed for Frankfurt on what they hoped would be a decisive blow against Nazi Germany. But for one crew in particular this sortie would become a desperate fight for survival from which not all of them would return. This is the remarkable true story of the 7 men assigned to Lancaster bomber MG-A JB652. Let us know what you think of this week's episode- use #AmazingWarStories to join the conversationContributors--Richard Pymar- curator of The Halesworth Airfield Memorial Museum Station 365 www.halesworthairfieldmuseum.co.uk-Flight Lieutenant Neil Farrell-International Bomber Command Centre www.internationalbcc.co.uk/ Exclusive artwork donated by famous illustrator Piotr Forkasiewicz www.peterfor.com/For more about this episode and all of the incredible stories we have in store this series, follow us on your favourite social media platform on-Facebook.com/AmazingwarstoriesInstagram @amazingwarstoriesTwitter @amazewarstories Episode Credits-Written & Produced by Ed Sayer Executive producer Paul Wooding Associate Producer Lois Crompton Sound design & 3D mastering by Vaudeville Sound Groupwww.amazingwarstories.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Produced in glorious 3D audio, Bruce Crompton tells amazing true war stories taken from museum collections in order to help safeguard the nation's historical treasures before they are lost from the public forever. For the ultimate, immersive experience please wear headphones. Series launching 16th October. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.