Land warfare branch of the British Armed Forces of the United Kingdom
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This episode hosts David Higgins to explore the complex and often misunderstood boundary between military operations, humanitarian action, and political stabilisation in modern conflict environments. Drawing on two decades of experience across the British Army, the United Nations, and geopolitical advisory work, we look at how different institutions operating in the same space can interpret the same conflict in fundamentally different ways, and how those differences shape outcomes on the ground. The discussion focuses on David's central argument that civil-military coordination frameworks still assume a level of clarity between “military space” and “civilian space” that increasingly no longer exists. While these distinctions were difficult but workable in conflicts such as Afghanistan and Somalia, today's environments are far more fragmented, with blurred front lines, overlapping actors, and the increasing weaponisation of civilian domains including information, finance, and infrastructure. As a result, coordination mechanisms risk becoming procedurally active but operationally ineffective. David Higgins is Head of Humanitarian Access and Civil-Military Coordination in Somalia for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). He has spent twenty years working across the civil-military boundary as a British Army infantry officer, humanitarian and stabilisation adviser, and geopolitical analyst, including deployments to Helmand Province and roles across Afghanistan, Iraq, and East Africa. He previously served as Head of Geopolitical Analysis at M&C Saatchi World Services and as a reservist Lieutenant Colonel with the British Army's 77th Brigade, and holds a research master's focused on hybrid threats and UK national security. The International Risk Podcast brings you conversations with global experts, frontline practitioners, and senior decision-makers who are shaping how we understand and respond to international risk. From geopolitical instability and organised crime to cybersecurity threats and hybrid warfare, each episode explores the forces transforming our world and what smart leaders must do to navigate them. Whether you're a board member, policymaker, or risk professional, The International Risk Podcast delivers actionable insights, sharp analysis, and real-world stories that matter. Dominic Bowen is the host of The International Risk Podcast and Europe's leading expert on international risk and crisis management. As Head of Strategic Advisory and Partner at one of Europe's leading risk management consulting firms, Dominic advises CEOs, boards, and senior executives across the continent on how to prepare for uncertainty and act with intent. He has spent decades working in war zones, advising multinational companies, and supporting Europe's business leaders. Dominic is the go-to business advisor for leaders navigating risk, crisis, and strategy; trusted for his clarity, calmness under pressure, and ability to turn volatility into competitive advantage. Dominic equips today's business leaders with the insight and confidence to lead through disruption and deliver sustained strategic advantage. Subscribe for all our updates! Tell us what you liked! Tell us what you liked!
Constitutional Chats hosted by Janine Turner and Cathy Gillespie
It's a year after the Battles of Lexington and Concord and only days before the Declaration of Independence would be signed. It's June 1776 and along the shores of South Carolina, British troops are amassing while the colonists rush to construct Fort Sullivan out of the local palmetto logs which would later be commemorated on that state's flag and in its nickname. After a day of fighting involving 10,000 British and American troops, the British abandoned their effort and the patriots proved they could compete in battle with the British Army and Navy. To walk us through this historic battle including its buildup and aftermath, we are honored to welcome historian and scholar Doug Maclntyre. Doug is a fellow of Southern Campaigns of the American Revolution and served on the board of the South Carolina Historical Society and chaired the Fort Sumter – Fort Moultrie Historical Trust.
In the aftermath of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, colonial militiamen converged on Boston to confront the veteran British Army. But over the next six months, newly appointed commander-in-chief George Washington struggled to transform a patchwork of amateur militias into a unified national army.As the conflict wore on, Americans debated whether to escalate the fight and take the unprecedented step of declaring their independence.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Abbie Robinson Wyss CMF shares her remarkable journey from joining the British Army in 2014 to becoming the first qualified female farrier in the Army in 2024. In this episode, Abbie talks about life in King's Troop, the challenges of Army farrier training, balancing ceremonial duties with horsemanship, and the pressure of qualifying through a demanding apprenticeship program. She also discusses her current pursuit of the AWCF and the unforgettable experience of meeting the late Queen and handmaking shoes for the funeral horses. This conversation offers a unique look at military farriery, dedication to the craft, and the opportunities that come from pushing yourself to the next level. I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Subscibe here to hear the full episode and if you do before July 1, 2026, you'll be entered into a draw for a Tyler Joos rounding hammer: mullinsfarrier.supercast.com
We're back with another episode of A (Non) League Of Their Own! Join us every fortnight where we discuss the best Non-League stories from up & down the country, from The National League to The Dog & Duck & everything in between. This week we were joined by Gaz, Jordan & Shents as we discussed everything from manager sackings to weird would you rather dilemmas. We then chatted about pre-season preparations, Jarrod Bowen's Hereford pitch donation & we rank the worst stadiums in the National League North.
We HIGHLY recommend watching this episode on our Youtube, to see the paddles.In this episode of Pad Wives Unfiltered, Sophie and Kirsha have paddles. They have opinions. And they do not always agree.Red Flag Green Flag: the new military relationship edition. Sophie and Kirsha work through the scenarios that every person who has ever started a relationship with someone in the military has either lived through or worried about — and they vote. Green paddle for pad wife approved. Red paddle for get in the bin. And when they land on opposite sides, which happens more than you might expect, that is where the real conversation starts.Scenarios covered include: the first date confession that the job will always come first. The unit friends who already have opinions about you before you have met them. Learning the rank structure when nobody asked you to. The posting news that comes before you feel ready. The homecoming that looks nothing like the TikTok version. The flowers he bought because he knew exactly what he was doing. And several others that are significantly harder to call than they first appear.This is the episode for anyone who is new to military life, navigating a new military relationship, or who has been in this life long enough to have feelings about every single one of these scenarios.Plus — the flags where Sophie and Kirsha genuinely cannot agree are the best bit. And there are several.Follow Pad Wives Unfiltered on Spotify so you never miss an episode. And drop your most controversial flag in the comments — we are making a Part 2.
Baby food should not feel like a trade-off between “quick” and “good”. We sit down with Ed van der Lande, founder of More Toddler Meals, to unpack a deceptively simple question: how do you feed toddlers wholesome meals with real texture and visible ingredients when you are exhausted, out of the house, or racing between nursery pick-ups and work?Ed traces the idea back to a moment on deployment in Somalia, watching his wife carry the full load at home and feeling the friction every parent knows. That frustration turned into an unusual solution: freeze drying. We break down, in plain English, how freeze drying differs from retort and pasteurised pouch foods, why heat can change flavour and texture, and why chewing and oral development matter when little ones are learning to eat. If you care about healthy toddler meals in the UK, convenient baby food, and what “shelf-stable” can look like without turning into puree, this will spark ideas.We also get practical about building a product-based business. Ed shares the leap from British Army major to Amazon, the leadership principles he carried over (high standards, curiosity, customer obsession), and the systems he uses now to keep focus. From home recipe trials and brutally honest feedback to selling at markets, walking into independent retailers, and rethinking online growth, this is a candid look at what it really takes to launch and scale a food brand.If you enjoy the conversation, subscribe, share it with a parent or founder, and leave a review so more people can find the show.Support the show
Just days after President Donald Trump publicly criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over ceasefire violations, fresh strikes between Israel and Iran have cast new doubt over efforts to secure a wider peace deal. The latest flashpoint is Lebanon. Despite a US-brokered ceasefire, Israeli attacks on Hezbollah targets have continued, including recent strikes in Beirut. Iran responded with attacks on Israel, triggering another exchange of fire and raising fears that the fragile truce could unravel. The escalation comes as the Trump administration pushes for a broader agreement with Tehran. While Trump has urged restraint and signalled progress in negotiations, Netanyahu has made clear he believes the conflicts with both Iran and Hezbollah are not over. The renewed violence has exposed growing tensions between diplomacy and military strategy, with critics warning that continued strikes could jeopardise any chance of a lasting deal. As the fighting continues, questions remain over whether peace is within reach - or slipping further away.Piers Morgan discusses the latest developments with Israel's Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel before being joined by a panel featuring Lebanese-American journalist and commentator Rania Khalek, former British Army commander Colonel Richard Kemp, System Update host Glenn Greenwald, former Trump White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley, and Tehran University professor Mohammad Marandi. 00:00 Introduction 01:40 Sharren Haskel responds to Trump saying Israel will ‘do what he wants' 06:10 Haskel on Trump slamming Netanyahu as ‘f*cking crazy' 10:55 Glenn Greenwald on Trump latest in Iran 13:50 Hogan Gidley: “We need to apply more military pressure on Iran” 16:40 Rania Khalek on what Trump should do next 23:30 Trump previously saying he wouldn't start wars 33:30 Mohammad Marandi joins Uncensored Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We're back with another episode of I Had Trials Once and this time we're joined by former Chester & Runcorn Linnets manager...Calum McIntyre Cal sits down with Gaz & Jord as he discusses his time in football having recently left his role as Chester manager. The lads start the pod talking about Cal's early life at Chester and his time living with Gary Stopforth and his late night binges of Top Boy. They then talk in depth about how Calum got into football management, working with Chester's youth team before being promoted to the first team and forming part of Jonno & Bern's backroom staff. The trio then chat about Cal's step into first team management with Runcorn Linnets, signing players for the first time and some of his most memorable moments as a gaffer. Cal then speaks about how he ended up becoming Chester's first team manager, their recent FA Cup runs and the difficulties of working at a fan own club. Cal continues with how his time at Chester came to an end, why fan abuse crossed the line with a fan storming the changing room & also calling his house at 3am plus how he found out Phil Parkinson was replacing him at the club. Finally, he talks about what is next for him in his career and why he can't wait to get back into football management.
Unionism and the FutureLast week, at a meeting of the Executive the DUP chose to block the Good Jobs Bill. Why did they do this? The Bill will be good for all workers. It makes no distinction based on religion, politics, ethnicity or gender. Workers who vote unionist would benefit as much from this Bill as would workers who vote nationalist or for neither of these.The legislation, being proposed by Caoimhe Archibald, the Minister for the Economy, contains common sense measures making it easier for Trade Unions to represent workers; replace zero hour contracts; protect employees tips and gratuities; strengthen neonatal leave and pay; and improve paternity entitlements and redundancy protections for workers who are pregnant.The DUP claim they need more time to scrutinise the legislation but the place for that is on the floor of the Assembly where it can be debated and amended.The truth is that the DUP is opposed to equality Stop the GameIn his most recent comments on the two Ireland-Israel soccer internationals due to be played in September/October An Taoiseach Micheál Martin chooses to waffle and pass the buck to UEFA rather than take a principled stand and oppose the game. He says, ‘Ireland' does not want to be "self-defeating" – whatever than means - in its approach to the games.Martin claims, that while everyone knows the governments opposition to the actions of Israel – he avoids mentioning its disgraceful response to the Occupied Territories Bill – he says that “everything shouldn't be reduced to just one match.” Why not? Russia was banned by EUFA following its invasion of Ukraine. Israel has killed close to 100,000 people in Gaza and the west Bank; stolen Palestinian land and invaded its sovereign neighbour Lebanon. Why should it be treated differently? Róis-Máire Donnelly - A Ballymurphy Woman There was a time when younger people I used to bump into would say to me by way of introduction ‘You used to know my Mammy.' ‘Or my Daddy'. Nowadays they say to me; “You used to know my Granny.”That would have been over fifty years ago when Grannies and Granda's were young and well before the Grandparent stage. That's when I first met the late Mrs Donnelly, the Granny of our Ard Mheara Róis-Máire. It was in 1969/70. She was living in Westrock Drive off the Whiterock Road and then in Springhill Drive. Mrs Donnelly was a lovely woman. She was originally from McDonnell St. in the Falls area and lived for a time in Ballymacarrett in East Belfast before returning to the west of the city.As a young girl May had been one of hundreds of women who prayed outside Crumlin Road prison during the night and into the morning Tom Williams was hanged in September 1942. In the decades that followed, especially during the conflict following the pogroms of 1969, May was one of those Indomitable women in the greater Ballymurphy area who stood against the brutality, harassment and raids of the British Army. May was a kind; compassionate woman whose door was always open to republicans.
Send us Fan MailPete Neal's ("It Wasn't Always Corned Beef and Biscuits" British Army Recipes from World War 1)In this episode of American Civil War & UK History Podcast, Daz is joined by living historian of Pete's Living History Pete Neil to discuss his new book, It Wasn't Always Corned Beef and Biscuits: British Army Recipes from World War One.It Wasn't Always Corned Beef and Biscuits: British Army Recipes from World War One explores the culinary experiences of British soldiers during the First World War, featuring the recipes and meals that sustained the British Tommy both on and off the battlefield. From hearty stews to improvised desserts, the book blends history, nostalgia, and practicality, offering a fascinating insight into the wartime kitchens of the British Army and the resilience of those who prepared the food during one of history's most challenging conflicts.Pervious Episode https://www.acwandukhistory.com/post/world-war-i-feeding-the-british-army-with-pete-s-living-historyPete's Book https://amzn.eu/d/09IFSDIZSocial Media Pageshttps://www.tiktok.com/@petes_livinghistory?_r=1&_t=ZN-96x1sb3FTZGhttps://www.instagram.com/petes_livinghistory?igsh=MTd4eW9pazV3b2F2aA==ACW & UK History's Website.https://www.acwandukhistory.com/ACW & UK History's Pages.https://linktr.ee/ACWandUKHISTORY Support the show
In this episode of Pad Wives Unfiltered, Sophie and Kirsha are talking about patch life — all of it. The funny, the warm, the honest and the things nobody says out loud before you move in.Including the window peering. Because on any normal street, someone pressing their face against your window to have a look at what you've done with the place would be a 999 call. On a patch it is just Tuesday. And somehow that one detail tells you everything you need to know about what military housing actually is.They cover: the worries that come with moving into your first military housethe gossip, the unwritten rules, the social dynamics nobody gives you a guide to. The "you knew what you signed up for" culture and why it needs to retire. But also — and this is the part they love most — the kids community on a patch and why it is genuinely one of the most underrated things about military family life. The way children find their people fast, look out for each other across postings and build a resilience that is specific to this life. The patch kids community is something civilians do not have and it is worth celebrating.They also talk honestly about the anxiety of being apart — the specific worry that sits in your chest during separations, what it does to your routine and your mental load, and what has actually helped. Not the generic advice. The real version.Plus listener questions — relationship anxiety around the first patch move, how kids settle after a posting, and career transfers when you follow a posting.Whether you are about to move into your first SFA, you have been on the patch for years, or you are somewhere in the middle wondering if it is supposed to feel this specific kind of overwhelming — this episode was made for you.Follow Pad Wives Unfiltered on Spotify so you never miss an episode. And send this one to anyone who is about to move in.
Send us Fan Mail"Jonny Whitmore MBE — known to many as Shed — was born in Hinckley, Leicestershire and joined the Royal Corps of Signals, completing P Company early in his career. He deployed to Afghanistan with 22 Signal Regiment and 2 Signal Regiment, before returning to the UK to serve as aSection Commander at ATC Pirbright, training and leading recruits.He later completed the Special Communications Course and joined 299 Signal Squadron (Special Communications), providing global support to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Over a 21‑year career, he finished his service as Squadron Sergeant Major of the Queen's last squadron — the final group of service personnel to swear allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.Jonny was appointed a Member of the British Empire for services to British foreign policy while seconded as a diplomat to the FCDO, working at the intersection of defence, intelligence, and diplomacy.Medically discharged with CPTSD, he moved into trauma‑informed veteran advocacy. Jonny now serves as Veterans Ambassador for Emerald Clinic, championing safe, stigma‑free access to prescribed medicinal cannabis and pushing for more humane, evidence‑based support for veterans.He is also the founder of The Campfire Collective, a veteran‑led woodland initiative built around community, honesty, and reconnection after service. Jonny speaks openly about trauma, identity, and rebuilding a life with purpose — with a focus on truth, service, and helping veterans find their way home."Jonny's links:The UK's Best Value Medical Cannabis Clinic | Emerald MedicinalsFacebook (Campfire Collective)InstagramGuest links are shared as a courtesy to help listeners find the people, businesses, products, or services discussed in each episode. The podcast and host are not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by these third parties unless explicitly stated.If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, please email us at info@vsompodcast.com, or follow us on social media: @veteranstateofmindSupport the show
Today we're looking at the British Army as it exists now… how it's organised, why the regimental system looks so baffling to outsiders, and who these regiments and corps actually are. If you've ever looked at a list of British army regiments and been totally confused as to what each one does then this is the episode for you. Sign up for my newsletter and get a free eBook: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/
My guest this week is former pro rugby player and now a Major in the British Army - Will Simpson. We talked about: Will's dream to become a pro player The steps and opportunities he took to achieve that goal Playing for Ampleforth, Loughborough Uni, Leicester Tigers A team and Doncaster Knights in The Champ His following career with the British Army, and the incredible playing opportunities that provided The genesis of Real Meal - his meal replacement bar, and why it's cornered the market. This is a fascinating insight into the world of rugby just below the elite - I hope you enjoy. LINKS Use code TARP at checkout and subscribe for more savings! - https://realmeal.co.uk/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-simpson-54657b67/ https://www.menshealth.com/uk/fitness/a70865848/army-dad-real-world-training-approach GET STASH England Rugby Store - https://ers.pxf.io/KjV30v British & Irish Lions Store - https://bil.sjv.io/9gNaL4 BUY ME A COFFEE Coffee helps me make more and better episodes. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/amateurrugbypodcast PATREON Join The Amateur Rugby Podcast Patreon community for some extra amateur rugby goodness! (https://patreon.com/amateurrugbypodcast) SUPPORT If you would like to support the podcast in some way there are plenty of options for you on my Support the Podcast (https://www.amateurrugbypodcast.com/support/) page.
** VIDEO EN NUESTRO CANAL DE YOUTUBE **** https://youtube.com/live/9Hz8ZcB9qoA +++++ Hazte con nuestras camisetas en https://www.bhmshop.app +++ En este programa de Bellumartis, gracias a SEAN SCULLION, experto historiador y oficial del British Army, autor de "Españoles contra el nazismo" ** https://amzn.to/3Occ4QW **. Su capacidad para diseccionar la realidad de la guerra irregular sin paños calientes es precisamente lo que buscamos en este espacio. Hoy, basándonos en su exhaustiva investigación, nos adentramos en las arenas del desierto y las costas del Mediterráneo para descubrir la génesis de la guerra irregular moderna: los COMANDOS DE MEDIO ORIENTE y la mítica LAYFORCE. Sin olvidar el papel de un puñado de españoles en esta unidad. ¿Quiénes fueron estos hombres que desafiaron a la logística y al Alto Mando tradicional? SUSCRÍBETE a @BELLUMARTISHISTORIAMILITAR y @BELLUMARTISACTUALIDADMILITAR para no perderte ningún programa y únete a nuestra comunidad de apasionados por la historia militar, la geopolítica y los conflictos del mundo. Apóyanos para seguir creando contenido riguroso e independiente: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bellumartis PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/bellumartis Bizum: 656 778 825 Síguenos también en redes: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellumartis Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/Bellumartis Bellumartis Historia Militar — Porque entender el pasado es prepararse para el futuro. #Comandos #Layforce #SeanScullion #Bellumartis #HistoriaMilitar #SegundaGuerraMundial #WWII #SGM #FuerzasEspeciales #GuerraIrregular
We're back with another episode of A (Non) League Of Their Own! Join us every fortnight where we discuss the best Non-League stories from up & down the country, from The National League to The Dog & Duck & everything in between. This week we were joined by Gaz & G Stop whilst Jordan is on holiday and we discussed everything from play-off finals to big changes at Ramsbottom. We then chatted about accidentally releasing players, world cup players in non-league, Tyson Fury & Zlatan Ibrahimovic buying Morecambe and forcing through transfers!
Dublin is famous for its Georgian squares, medieval cathedral, castle and revolutionary history. But the cornerstone of Dublin's history is undoubtedly the port.Nearly 1,200 years ago, the Vikings established a settlement on the banks of the Liffey, and from that moment, Dublin's fate was tied to the sea. The port became the gateway where Ireland met the wider world. Ships carried goods, armies, ideas and people in and out of the city, connecting Dublin to Britain, Scandinavia, the Mediterranean and the far reaches of empire.But Dublin Port's history is far more than commerce. It witnessed slavery and trade, military occupation and revolution, famine and emigration, labour struggles and war. It was also shaped by a centuries-long battle against nature itself. Sandbanks, silting and storms forced generations of engineers to reshape the coastline with quays, docks, lighthouses and massive sea walls, creating one of Ireland's most remarkable engineering achievements.In this episode, recorded on the Great South Wall, I speak with historian Lar Joye, Heritage Director at Dublin Port, to explore the extraordinary 1,200-year history of Dublin Port. From Viking traders and Norman conquerors to famine emigrants and dock workers this is the story of a place that has witnessed every major turning point in Irish history.Sound by Kate Dunlea.My guest Lar Joye has served as Port Heritage Director at Dublin Port since 2017, where he cares for the 300-year-old Port Archive and leads projects that reconnect the working port with the city through heritage, culture and public access. Before joining Dublin Port, he worked as a film archivist and as Curator of Irish Military History at the National Museum of Ireland, where he led the team behind the award-winning "Soldiers and Chiefs" exhibition on the Irish soldier at home and abroad from 1550 to the present.He is a well-known lecturer and media contributor on topics ranging from the history of Dublin Port and its dockers to Irish soldiers in the British Army and the First World War, and he played a significant role in the Decade of Commemorations between 2012 and 2018. At Dublin Port he has initiated projects such as the Dublin Port Memory and Story oral history project and the development of new walking routes and cultural spaces, illustrating how archives, place and community stories can be brought together for contemporary audiences.Programme of Events for 2026 Events - Dublin PortBus tours of the port: Behind the Scenes Tours are Open - Dublin PortDistributed Museum - Dublin Port Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We're back with another episode of I Had Trials Once and this time we're joined by former Huddersfield, QPR, Cardiff & Leicester goalkeeper Alex Smithies! Alex sits down with Gaz & Jord as he discusses his football career from playing for his boyhood club Huddersfield to training with Vardy & Maddison at Leicester. The lads start the pod talking about Alex's life post football with his career in finance and helping players manager their money and not fall into the same traps we often see in the media. They then talk in depth about his early career at Huddersfield, how he became a number one keeper at just 18 years old, signing his first big contract and scoring the winning penalty in a play-off final. The trio then chat about Alex's surprise move to QPR, Ian Holloway's bizarre coach carter training tactics, how he knew Eberechi Eze was a superstar from an early age and what made Ravel Morrison so good. Alex then speaks about his dream move to Cardiff with Neil Warnock and why he was gutted he never made his Premier League debut at the club as well as what it's like as a keeper when it comes to dropping clangers and how you can only get away with one. Alex continues with his decision to become a third choice goalkeeper at Leicester City in the Premier League, relationship with Jamie Vardy and why James Maddison wanted him to shout abuse at him in training sessions. Finally, he talks about how he recently fell out of love with football before ending the pod on the toughest player he's ever come up against.
Stephen Nolan's no nonsense approach to confronting the biggest issues of the day
The Battle of the Somme was the defining battle of the First World War and was fought from July to November in 1916. The day it started, July 1st, was the bloodiest day in the history of the British Army. Hundreds of thousands would lose their lives in the four months of fighting. This was the beginning of modern all-arms warfare. With this level of bloodshed, it isn't surprising that the battlefield is reputed to be incredibly haunted. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the Battle of the Somme! Check out the website: http://historygoesbump.com Music used in this episode: Main Theme: Creepy Carnival Theme Created and produced by History Goes Bump Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Other music in this episode: Title: "March on the Keep" Artist: Tim Kulig (timkulig.com) Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0997280/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
Ed Stafford is a British explorer, survival expert, author, and television host best known for becoming the first person in history to walk the entire length of the Amazon River — a 860-day journey that earned him a Guinness World Record and global recognition. A former British Army captain, Ed later became the face of several survival and adventure series on Discovery Channel, including Naked and Marooned, Left For Dead, and First Man Out. His adventures exploring remote tribes, extreme environments, and human endurance have made him one of the most recognized modern explorers in the world.Connect with Ed Stafford!https://www.instagram.com/ed_staffordhttps://edstafford.orgCHAPTERS:0:00 – Introduction1:07 – Meet Ed Stafford3:09 – How Ed gained access to Aboriginal tribes and Indigenous communities4:27 – Witnessing Aboriginal healing and didgeridoo therapy firsthand6:04 – Why Ed stranded himself naked on an island for 60 days8:27 – Ed's identity crisis after surviving alone for 60 days10:39 – The moment everything mentally changed during the survival challenge12:48 – Ed talks about Discovery Channel owning all the island footage13:58 – Ed talks about leaving the military to pursue adventure and exploration16:06 – The TV explorer who inspired Ed's entire career path17:01 – Why Ed decided to walk the entire Amazon River18:32 – Why adventure became Ed's tool for personal growth20:18 – Ed's advice on uncertainty, money, and learning to trust life25:06 – Ed talks about people's reactions, including Ranulph Fiennes, to his Amazon expedition25:45 – Ed's first massive speaking gig and the Ford Ranger launch event27:37 – Why successful people combine many skills instead of mastering just one29:14 – How TV deals, sponsorships, and speaking gigs actually work32:26 – Ed admits he made fake Wikipedia pages to build credibility33:06 – The free PR campaign that launched his Amazon expedition34:32 – Why Ed always believed he'd survive the Amazon35:55 – Balancing adventure, marriage, and fatherhood38:01 – How much time Ed spends away from his family each year39:27 – AI, the death of traditional broadcasting, and reinventing himself at 5040:33 – Ed talks about the terrifying bullet ant initiation ritual in Brazil42:00 – Ed's new book, Right of Courage43:18 – Why Ed tells his kids they won't inherit his money45:12 – How Ed met his wife and instantly knew she was the one49:31 – Moving his young family from the UK to Costa Rica52:03 – Ed talks about naming his son after Ranulph Fiennes53:44 – Why emotional intelligence matters more than ever amid the rise of AI55:27 – Ed shares how he positions himself for the future57:50 – How Ed built long-term relationships with Discovery Channel executives1:02:55 – Advice for maintaining relationships during constant career changes1:05:38 – How Ed self-films all his survival content1:08:45 – How the Amazon expedition was planned and supplied1:14:12 – How Cho unexpectedly became Ed's Amazon companion for two years1:19:16 – Was Ed confronted by a drug lord or drug trafficker?1:21:15 – Did Ed carry cash or a credit card throughout his Amazon expedition?1:22:55 – Ed's thoughts on uncontacted tribes inside the Amazon1:26:15 – Ed talks about fundraising and getting sponsors for his expeditions1:33:47 – How Ed filmed, stored, and shipped footage during the expedition1:36:12 – Getting ownership of the footage back after 10 years1:37:16 – Ed's recent life discoveries1:38:13 – Ed's personal goals and focus for the next six months1:40:02 – Connect with Ed1:40:21 – Ed's upcoming book, 1:41:00 – Outro
In this wide-ranging listener Q&A episode of Old Front Line, we dive into some intriguing and human questions thrown up by the Great War.We begin with the fate of the missing. With hundreds of thousands of men listed as “missing” across the Western Front, is there any real evidence that some chose to disappear, seizing the chaos of war to start new lives elsewhere? We explore the realities of desertion, the systems used to record the dead, and whether the idea of men slipping away into anonymity holds up under historical scrutiny.From there, we head to the contested borderlands of Alsace-Lorraine. Annexed by the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War, the region produced soldiers who often found themselves fighting for Germany despite deep cultural ties to France. Were these men treated with suspicion? Were they deliberately dispersed among regiments, and how did questions of identity and loyalty shape their wartime experience?We also turn to the modern landscape of the First World War, answering a question about relationships with landowners across the former front lines. What happens when cemeteries and forgotten sites lie on private land? Do landowners welcome visitors, and how connected do they feel to the history beneath their fields? Finally, we tackle casualty comparisons. While 1 July 1916 stands as the British Army's darkest day on the Battle of the Somme, what were the equivalent days of devastation for the French and German armies? From the Battle of the Frontiers to the Offensive in the Champagne, we examine when losses peaked and what that tells us about the wider war.As always, this episode blends thoughtful listener questions with grounded historical analysis, uncovering the personal stories and bigger truths behind the conflict.Research by David O'Mara: Casualties in 1914 and 1915.315eRI on Substack: The Day Flesh Met Steel.Main Image: The Dawn: Propaganda Poster During the First World War with Two Women Representing Alsace and Lorraine by Henri Royer. Sign up for the free podcast newsletter here: Old Front Line Bulletin.You can order Old Front Line Merch via The Old Front Line Shop.Got a question about this episode or any others? Drop your question into the Old Front Line Discord Server or email the podcast.Send us Fan MailSupport the show
Larry Robertson has spent a lifetime studying what makes people truly worth listening to, following, and trusting. From the battlefields of military leadership to boardrooms across the world, his work has always centered on one enduring belief: leadership is not about power or titles, but about clarity, humanity, and the courage to make a real difference. As founder of Robertson Burns, Larry has advised global executives, transformed leadership cultures, and helped organizations generate billions in new business by teaching leaders how to communicate with authenticity, inspire trust, and lead with purpose. His journey is anything but ordinary. From working cattle stations in Australia and traveling through Asia to serving as a British Army captain and advisor at the highest levels of international leadership, Larry's life has placed him in rooms where decisions shape nations and futures. Yet through every chapter, his mission has remained the same: to challenge people to rise into the fullest version of themselves and create outcomes that truly matter. Through his speaking, coaching, and acclaimed book WHY listen to, work with and follow YOU?, Larry reminds leaders that the greatest influence does not come from authority alone. It comes from who you are, how you show up, and the difference you leave behind. Check out today's guest: www.robertsonburns.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In this episode, Charles Barrington re-examines the life and career of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, focusing on his decisive actions during the early stages of the First World War. The interview explores his leadership at the Battle of Le Cateau and his role in stabilising the British Expeditionary Force during its retreat. Barrington challenges traditional narratives that have overlooked Smith-Dorrien's contributions, highlighting his professionalism, independence of thought and willingness to take difficult decisions. The discussion also considers his later career and legacy within British military history.
We're back with another episode of A (Non) League Of Their Own! Join us every fortnight where we discuss the best Non-League stories from up & down the country, from The National League to The Dog & Duck & everything in between. This week we were joined by Shents as we discussed everything from non-league play-off finals from up and down the country to awkward stories of being released. We then chatted about next season's National League North, players getting dropped for the play-offs, youngest manager in football & Hereford's great escape!
From a 10-bed lying-in hospital to Handel's Messiah, the Rotunda Maternity Hospital has operated continuously for 281 years. A Nurses' Week story. Summary Across the street from Danny’s Dublin hotel stood a large white institutional building with no signage. It turned out to be the Rotunda Hospital — the oldest continuously operating maternity hospital in the world, delivering babies in the same building since December 8th, 1757. Surgeon Bartholomew Mosse founded it after losing his wife and child in childbirth, trained as a midwife in Paris at a time when physicians were penalized for practicing midwifery, and returned to Dublin determined to build something that didn’t yet exist. The first version had 10 beds and delivered 190 babies in its first year, with one maternal death. Unable to raise money for a larger hospital — no one wanted to fund poor women’s care — Mosse attended the world premiere of Handel’s Messiah in Dublin in 1742 and was inspired. He turned the future hospital site into a pleasure garden with orchestras, dances, and theater to attract wealthy donors. He was later imprisoned for debt, escaped through a castle window in Wales, hid in the mountains for three weeks, and died exhausted and broke in 1759, less than two years after the new hospital opened. Sara E. Hampson, one of Florence Nightingale’s original nurses, became the hospital’s first female superintendent in 1891 — a thread that ties Nurses Week directly to this building, Danny almost walked past. Click here to view the printable newsletter. More readable than a transcript. Contents Podcast episode on YouTube Episode Proem: No Signage, No Appointment, No Problem Hello. Welcome to 2026 Nurses Week, May 6th through 12th. I’m very proud to be a nurse. I’ve been a nurse for 50 years. And my grandson’s going to nursing school next year. He’s graduating as a senior and will attend Loyola University in Chicago for its nursing program. I’m very proud. I want to tell you a story about one of the most significant things that happened during our trip to Ireland a couple of weeks ago. We were staying in the north-central city of Dublin, Ireland. Across the street, I saw a big white institutional facade with no signage. It looked like the side of the building. Next to it, on its right, was a dome with a more modern sign that read “Ambassador”. So, I went into the hotel and asked, “So what’s this building?” And they didn’t know. I looked it up, and it turned out to be the Rotunda Hospital. The Rotunda Hospital is the oldest freestanding maternity hospital in the world. Midwifery Was Scandalous. He Did It Anyway. Now let me see. I’ve got some notes here. The hospital was founded in 1745 by a man named Bartholomew Mosse, M-O-S-S-E. He was a certified surgeon. His wife and child died in childbirth. After this tragedy, he left Ireland to serve as a doctor with the British Army. While he was away, he received midwifery training at a hospital in Paris and obtained his midwifery license, which was unusual. In fact, fellows of the Royal College of Physicians were even penalized if they practiced midwifery. But Mosse wanted to change that. So, he built this small place, 10 beds, that… Let’s see, when did it open? I guess it opened in 1745. Mosse’s ambition was to build a dedicated maternity hospital in Dublin to provide medical care and shelter to the city's penniless mothers. This came after he encountered unspeakable conditions during his practice, particularly in the aftermath of the 1739 famine. So he established this 10-bed hospital. It was in a small theater called the New Booth Theatre. It says here that it was the first lying-in hospital of its kind in the world. It had only 10 beds, but in its first year, 190 babies were born, and just one mother died. But obviously, they couldn’t meet demand with 10 beds. When No One Funds Poor Mothers, Try Dancing Mosse tried to raise money to build a larger hospital, but nobody really wanted to give money to poor women. So he happened to attend the world premiere of Handel’s Messiah on April 13, 1742. While he was there, he was inspired to raise money by entertaining the wealthy. Somebody sent me a picture of the Handel statue that’s in front of the theater where the premiere was, which I thought would be interesting. According to my research, on the evening of April 13th, 1742, Handel conducted the world premiere of his Messiah on Dublin’s Fishamble Street, and Mosse was present. Historians suggest that this moment crystallized Mosse’s idea of using high-society entertainment to fund a hospital for the poor. So Mosse turned the proposed hospital site into a pleasure garden with a live orchestra, theatrical performances, and dances in a coffee house, marrying philanthropy with frivolity to reach the wealthy. Debt, Daring Escape, Death Here’s a little interesting tidbit. Lotteries nearly destroyed Dr. Mosse. Before he was able to return to Ireland, he was arrested and charged with being 200 pounds in debt, and he’s thought to have been imprisoned in Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey, Wales. The story was that he managed to escape through a window and hid in the Welsh mountains for three weeks before reaching Ireland. He then vindicated himself by publishing his receipts and lottery accounts, whatever. But less than a year after the hospital opened, he was taken seriously ill, exhausted, heavily in debt, and petrified about the prospect of arrest and imprisonment. He died on February 16th, 1759. Fix the Air, Save the Babies. Then and Now. Around 1781, when the hospital was poorly ventilated and every sixth child died within nine days of birth, they realized the problem was poor ventilation. Ventilation was improved, and mortality dropped to 1 in 20 over the following five years. They’re also planning to celebrate their millionth birth in 2026. It’s just amazing. I met a saleswoman in a sweater store who asked where we went in Dublin. When I told her about the Rotunda Hospital, she said she had a difficult pregnancy and birth without insurance. She received care at the Rotunda Hospital, with her baby in neonatal intensive care for three weeks and herself as an inpatient for two weeks. Awesome care! So, when we were there, I, an old white guy in a wheelchair, motored into the Rotunda Hospital and stopped at the registration desk to ask if I could speak with someone. I had not made an appointment. I was leaving the next day. Very nice people. I tried to get hold of people in their library, research, and marketing, but they were busy, of course. Oldest? It's Relative. I’m really impressed by the idea of being the world's longest-operating specialist hospital. I was trying to get some perspective on that, so I looked up the oldest continuously operating hospitals, and here’s what I learned. I learned that in the United States, the oldest continuously operating hospital is Bellevue Hospital in New York City, which opened in 1736 as a six-bed infirmary.[1] So, it began as a haven for the indigent and is still a major public hospital on the East Side of Manhattan. It opened nine years before Mosse opened his first lying-in hospital. The other long-running hospital is the Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia[2], established in 1751 by Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Thomas Bond. It’s still operational as part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System. The oldest hospital is the Hôtel-Dieu in Paris[3], which officially opened in 650 AD, and that’s the hospital where Mosse became a midwife. There’s St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, founded in 1123[4]. And there’s the Hospital de Jesús Nazareno in Mexico City, opened in 1524. But really, the Rotunda is the oldest maternity-only specialist hospital, continuously operating in the world, which is a more specific and arguably more impressive claim than the general acute care hospitals Bellevue and Hôtel-Dieu, which have both moved buildings, changed missions, and been rebuilt. The Rotunda has been delivering babies in the same building since December 8th, 1757. That’s really something. Reflection: Nightingale Was Here Too So, let’s bring this back to Nurses Day and to Florence Nightingale. Interestingly, Sara E. Hampson was one of the original Nightingale nurses and the first lady superintendent of the Rotunda Hospital in 1891. So yay, nursing. Yay, history. I’m really looking forward to exploring more of this amazing hospital in Dublin. I wonder who was in charge all these years, and how it survived past Mosse and through those first decade or first few years? And then, how did the Rotunda Hospital survive war, famine, pandemics, and technological change? What research occurred there? Is there a diaspora of Rotunda alumni? Anyway, more to come. Thanks. Referenced in episode [1] By Harper’s Weekly – Harper’s Weekly, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=6014479 [2] William Strickland (1788-1854) Engraver: Samuel Seymour (1796-1823), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons [3] I, Clio, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons [4] See page for author, CC BY 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons Are you part of the Rotunda Hospital diaspora? Find me at dannyhealthhats@gmail.com. Tell me your version. Please comment and ask questions: at the comment section at the bottom of the show notes on LinkedIn via email YouTube channel DM on Instagram, TikTok to @healthhats Substack Patreon Production Team Kayla Nelson: Web and Social Media Coach, Dissemination, Help Desk Leon van Leeuwen: editing and site management Oscar van Leeuwen: video editing Julia Higgins: Digit marketing therapy Steve Heatherington: Help Desk and podcast production counseling Joey van Leeuwen, Drummer, Composer, and Arranger, provided the music for the intro, outro, proem, and reflection Claude, Perplexity, Auphonic, Descript, Grammarly, DaVinci Inspired by and Grateful to: Dr. Lisa Masinter and Dr. Michele Whitt, Janice Tufte, Linda DeRosa, Luc Pelletier, Cherie Binns Photo Credits Ann Boland, Paul Boland, Janice Tufte, Danny van Leeuwen, and as referenced in the transcript Related episodes from Health Hats https://health-hats.com/pod133/ https://health-hats.com/ob-nurse-cannabis-nurse/ https://health-hats.com/build-it-and-they-will-come/ Artificial Intelligence in Podcast Production Health Hats, the Podcast, utilizes AI tools for production tasks such as editing, transcription, and content suggestions. While AI assists with various aspects, including image creation, most AI suggestions are modified. All creative decisions remain my own, with AI sources referenced as usual. Questions are welcome. Creative Commons Licensing CC BY-NC-SA This license enables reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. If you remix, adapt, or build upon the material, you must license the modified material under identical terms. CC BY-NC-SA includes the following elements: BY: credit must be given to the creator. NC: Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted. SA: Adaptations must be shared under the same terms. Please let me know. dannyhealthhats@gmail.com Material on this site created by others is theirs, and use follows their guidelines. Disclaimer The views and opinions presented in this podcast and publication are solely my responsibility and do not necessarily represent the views of the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute® (PCORI®), its Board of Governors, or Methodology Committee. Danny van Leeuwen (Health Hats)
In this episode, Dr Nafees Hamid speaks with Dr Craig Larkin (Research Lead on Memory and Conflict for the XCEPT research programme), Dr Clara Voyvodic (Lecturer in Peace Studies at the University of Bradford), and Maria El Sammak (XCEPT Research Assistant and King's College London MA student in the War Studies department) about the powerful and often divisive role of nostalgia in global politics. As populist leaders from the United States to Turkey increasingly harness nostalgic sentiment to mobilise political support, this episode explores whether this longing for the past is a harmless comfort or a driver of division. Drawing on research on “The Golden Age" of Lebanon, rebel governance in Colombia, The Troubles in Northern Ireland and beyond, the conversation reveals how collective nostalgia can foster intolerance and nativism. Together, they examine why the future can feel so precarious and whether art can help us imagine a more inclusive path forward. This episode is produced as part of the XCEPT programme, which seeks to understand the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour in conflict-affected populations and to support practical solutions for peace. Learn more at www.xcept-research.org. Image credit: RORY NUGENT.com / Shutterstock.com. British Army patrol with neighbourhood kids in West Belfast, Northern Ireland (February 25th 1994)
We talked to our old friend Dr. Dorman about his new book, The British Army, Society and Soldiering in Ireland, 1699-1793. . Also, our first two dates for the Culture fest have sold out but there's some tickets left for the last day of The Big Bag of Cannes Film Festival on the 08th of May . You can follow the show on socials on Instagram or on TikTok or if you want to see the full episode we're finally uploading to YouTube and would love an auld subscribe! . . . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Brian Wood MC, is a British Army veteran and recipient of the Military Cross for exemplary gallantry on active operations. His life story was told in a Sunday Times bestselling book and later adapted into a 90-minute BBC Two drama, bringing national recognition to his service and resilience.Since leaving the military, Brian has become a leading mental health advocate and fundraiser for veteran charities. He has completed extreme endurance challenges, including 25 marathons in 25 days (2022) and 35 marathons in 35 days (2023), in honour of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.In January 2026, Channel 4 aired Arctic Adventure: Ultimate Survival, documenting his 514km expedition into the Arctic Circle to raise awareness for mental health and support SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Send us Fan MailStuart Smalldridge served in Afghanistan with 42 Commando, Royal Marines on Operation Herrick 9This episode contains descriptions that some listeners may find upsetting.Note: Stuart served alongside Ben (War Story Episode 002), and crossed paths with Scott Ryder, 2nd Commando Regiment (War Story Episode 022) on a joint operation in Uruzgan Province.If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, please email us at info@vsompodcast.com, or follow us on social media: @veteranstateofmindGez's new books: Voices of Victory (World War 2 oral history): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Voices-Victory-Powerful-eye-witness-accounts/dp/1035070049/Warrior (Roman historical fiction): https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/geraintjones/warrior-by-geraint-jonesSupport the show
Katya Witney speaks to England's head coach & captain, Charlotte Edwards & Nat Sciver-Brunt, about the World Cup squad announced this week as well as the huge summer ahead. Katya then unpicks the squad in further detail with Lauren Winfield-Hill, before rounding up the array of stories emerging from both the international & county game including England's surprise training camp with the British Army. 0:15 Intro//1:44 Charlotte Edwards on World Cup squad//8:10 Tilly Corteen-Coleman//13:27 Dani Gibson & Freya Kemp//16:55 Alice Capsey//20:19 Preferred XIs//22:30 Tammy Beaumont's England future//27:00 Nat Sciver-Brunt on a huge summer for women's sport//39:05 International & county round-up//48:45 England Army camp The Metro Bank Girls in Cricket Fund in collaboration with the ECB aims to triple the number of girls' cricket teams by breaking down barriers and creating supportive and inclusive spaces. Help transform the game, head to https://www.metrobankonline.co.uk/cricket/ to champion the future of girls' cricket. Lord's tickets: https://tickets.lords.org/
In the second edition of the King's College London War Studies War Stories podcast miniseries, hosted by King's alumni Rupert Lane and Nick Denning (War Studies, 2002-2005), Ru and Nick speak to Jamie Irwin (War Studies, 2000-2003), who served with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Afghanistan on HERRICK 14, with the British Army, having previously served in Iraq on TELIC 12. Ru and Nick take a deep dive into the high intensity counter-insurgency conflict in Helmand, Afghanistan, 2011, through the eyes of an armoured commander (Warthog Group). They delve into the challenges Jamie's unit faced fighting the Taliban in the Afghan summer covering the experience ofarmoured warfare, through tactics, morale and combat, working in a hostile environment with a civilian population just trying to survive. Further Reading: 1. BBC Documentary: Fighting on the Frontline: War Wagons https://bit.ly/48uJdhG Key Locations Described: · Zumbalay, Adin Za'i, FOB Price (Gereshk), Lashkar Gah, Nad E'Ali
Giles Fraser and the panel discuss religious views on military action and how conflict is justified theologically across different faiths and contexts. They reflect on the personal story of Michael Elstub, and his journey from military service to becoming a Quaker and peace campaigner.Panel: Mandeep Kaur MBE - Sikh Chaplain to the Armed Forces Prof David Chandler - Professor of International Relations, Centre for the Study of Democracy, University of Westminster Sheikh Dr Usama Hasan - Imam and counter-extremism practitioner Major General Timothy Cross CBE - retired British Army officer and military logistics expert and lay minister in the Church of EnglandProducers: Katharine Longworth and Peter Everett
We're back with another episode of A (Non) League Of Their Own! Join us every fortnight where we discuss the best Non-League stories from up & down the country, from The National League to The Dog & Duck & everything in between. This week we were joined by Shents & G Stop as we discussed everything from Rochdale vs York's final day clash, which teams will win the play-offs & what our highlights of the season are. We then chatted about Shents first season as a manager, reacting to Radcliffe's season, how Bury & Jonno will get on next season & what our favourite end of season trips were.
Thanks to Osprey Publishing for sponsoring this series 'The British army Vs...' You can check out all the books mentioned via this link - ospreypublishing.com In today's episode, we explore how the British Army learned to fight in North America during the French and Indian War, facing a completely different kind of warfare against Native American warriors in the American wilderness. From the shock of early encounters like the Battle of Monongahela to the gradual adaptation of redcoat tactics, this is the story of how British soldiers were forced to rethink everything they knew about war. Fighting in dense forests against an elusive enemy who used ambush, concealment, and mobility, the British Army had to evolve or fail. This video breaks down the clash between European linear warfare and irregular woodland fighting, and explains how the redcoats adapted, improved, and ultimately became effective in one of the most challenging theatres of war in British military history.
Colonel John Blashford-Snell is a renowned former British Army officer, explorer, and author, celebrated for his extensive expeditions around the globe. With over 100 expeditions under his belt, he founded Operation Raleigh and the Scientific Exploration Society, and he was awarded the CBE for his services in scientific research. On this episode of the Colombia Calling podcast, we discuss his various expeditions in Colombia, such as in 1971, Colonel John Blashford-Snell led an expedition through one of the world's most challenging terrains—from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego in. Range Rover. Imagine navigating dense jungles, swamps, and the unknown risks of the Darien Gap! With the help of a dedicated team and local scouts, they faced challenges that would leave many in awe. They encountered everything from treacherous mud to wild animals, all while ensuring the safety and respect of local communities. We also discuss his expeditions to Colombia's Sierra Nevada in 2016, the Colombian Amazon in 2017 and searching for New Caledonia, the former Scottish settlement in Panama, in 1977. The Colombia Briefing is reported by Emily Hart.
The Irish War of Independence & Revolution saw the IRA pitted against Crown forces across the island. However, on the ground in Ireland, allegiance was often more complicated than is sometimes remembered.Ireland had a long tradition of service in the British Army, and during the conflict thousands of Irishmen served not only in British military ranks but also in the police forces sent to crush the revolution. Even the Black and Tans, remembered as outsiders and occupiers, included surprising numbers of Irish recruits.This episode explores the uncomfortable and often forgotten story of the Irish who fought for Britain. Who were these men? Why did they serve the Crown, in Ireland and across the Empire? What drew them into the British Army, the Royal Irish Constabulary, and even the ranks of the Black and Tans? And what does their story reveal about Ireland's deep and complicated relationship with the British Empire?This is Episode 5 of Brothers in Pain, a global history of the Irish Revolution. The series is researched, written, and presented by Dr Brian Hanley. Brian is a historian at Trinity College Dublin and has written extensively on the Irish Revolution, republicanism, and radical politics in the twentieth century. You can find a list of his publications here: https://www.tcd.ie/history/staff/brian-hanley.phpWritten, Researched and Narrated by Dr Brian HanleyProducer: Fin DwyerSound: Kate DunleaNote from Brian:In researching these episodes, I have been indebted to the work of the following scholars:Anna Lively, Sam McGrath, Bruce Nelson, Terry Dunne, David Brundage, Niamh Coffey, Gerard Shannon, Maurice Casey, Kelly Anne Reynolds, Chris McNickle, Joe Doyle, Liz Gillis, F. M. Carroll, Patrick Mannion, Jimmy Yann, Niall Cullen, Pádraig Óg Ó Ruairc, Keith Jeffrey, Arthur Mitchell, John Borgonovo, Kate O'Malley, Michael Doorley, Robin Adams, Kevin Kenny, Fearghal McGarry, Catherine M. Burns, Síobhra Aiken, Patrick J. Mahony, Darragh Gannon, Matthew Pratt Guterl, and James R. Barrett. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Andrew Fox joins Live From The Table to talk about personal courage, Gaza, Hamas casualty numbers, Israel's military strategy, Iran, the Strait of Hormuz and what modern war actually looks like. Andrew Fox is a former British Army officer (three tours in Afghanistan), now a senior fellow at the Henry Jackson Society, a London-based think tank. Fox has been to the frontlines in Gaza, Lebanon and Ukraine. He wrote the first papers worldwide exposing the Hamas fatality figures manipulation in Gaza and showing how Israel actually fought on the ground in Gaza from a tactical perspective. mrandrewfox.substack.com https://x.com/mr_andrew_fox 0:00 Intro 1:00 Serving in Afghanistan 4:00 Looking back on the war 7:30 Hamas casualty numbers in Gaza 10:00 Why Andrew looked into the numbers 12:00 Hamas figures, IDF figures, and media coverage 15:30 Civilian casualties and Hamas's strategy 18:15 Child fighters and Hamas 19:25 Why Andrew speaks up for Israel and Jews 22:00 Problems inside the IDF 28:40 Iran and the wider war 31:50 Why stopping Iran's nuclear program matters 37:30 Strait of Hormuz 42:00 What kind of Iran deal would make sense? 47:20 Why this is different from the JCPOA 54:00 Gaza casualty ratios and urban war 57:00 Was the Gaza war worth it? 1:02:00 Why Israel went into Gaza first 1:04:30 Final thoughts
Geoff Stear was a young medic in the British Army when he was sent to the Falkland Islands as part of a military clean-up operation. It would leave him with lifelong PTSD. A dog named Charlie helped him get his life back.
This week Dave touches briefly on the documentary LORNE (3:10), about the "Saturday Night Live" creator Lorne Michaels. Then he and Evan talk about FUZE (4:25), the latest from director David Mackenzie, probably known best for HELL OR HIGH WATER (listen to our take here, with our first co-host Kris Jenson; we covered Mackenzie's RELAY on Patreon a couple months back). In FUZE, a British Army major tries to defuse an undetonated World War II bomb in central London while a group of diamond thieves uses the brouhaha surrounding it as cover for a heist. On this week's Patreon episode, we talk about the 1996 comedy-drama BIG NIGHT.
"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America...do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved. " In this episode, we take a deep dive into military history and examine how both American and British military leaders understood and analyzed the tactical, strategic, and political complexities of the American War for Independence. Topics include the following: -a description of the first military engagements of the war, the Battles of Lexington and Concord in April 1775 -the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Bunker('s) Hill, and the withdrawal of British forces from Boston -asymmetries between the Colonial militias and the British Army -the development of light infantry with rifled weapons who could harass massed formations of regular troops -the capabilities and limitations of the British Army and the Royal Navy at the time -an overview of logistics and lines of communication -the conduct of the war in the first fifteen months as described in the Declaration of Independence The cover image features a painting of the Battle of Lexington by William Barnes Wollen (1910)
Huw Davies, an associate dean and professor of British military history at King's College London and author of several books, including The Wandering Army, joins School of War to discuss what the 18th-century British Army can teach us about modern warfare. How does battlefield failure drive military innovation? How did institutions of the past respond to change? And in an era of drones, autonomy, and AI, have we learned from the past, or are we destined to repeat it? Times: 02:40 18th century military enlightenment 06:30 War of the Austrian Succession 12:43 The British officer class 18:39 Tension between ancients and moderns 20:20 Discovering Sir Henry Clinton's notebook 20:48 False caricature of the British Army 27:02 Challenges of North American warfare 29:32 Battle of the Monongahela 35:09 Importance of light infantry 38:17 Rifle evolution 39:00 Why armies resist change 43:40 Lessons for today 46:42 Human behavior in war 47:10 Learning curve of war technologies 49:11 Is Ukrainian drone warfare a turning point? Follow along on Instagram, X @schoolofwarpod, and YouTube @SchoolofWarPodcast Find more at The Free Press.
We'd like to invite you to subscribe (for free) to our YouTube Channel. In 2026, its name will change from Addressing Gettysburg to Addressing History so as to enable us to produce new content that explores a wider breadth of American history. Our first attempt at that was produced last year and we just released the first episode of this new series. It's called "Tavern Talks" and our goal is to give we, the People, equal footing with our historian guests in a way no one else cares to try. Our first episode is about Valley Forge and features Kenneth Gavin. There are some visuals that you will not be able to see because this is the audio-only version, obviously. That's why we encourage you to bite the bullet and finally get over to YouTube and subscribe to our channel. See you there!
The Western Front: Commanders and the Great War 9 sources·APRIL 11, 2026These sources primarily consist of interview transcripts with historian Nick Lloyd, who discusses his comprehensive research on the Western Front during the Great War. He highlights the complex coalition warfare between the Allied powers and the evolving military strategies used to combat the German army's maneuvers. The text examines the distinct personalities and high-stakes decisions of key figures like Joffre, Petain, and Pershing as they navigated the transition from mobile conflict to trench warfare. Additional segments focus on the logistical challenges of manpower, the friction between political and military leaders, and the arrival of American forces in 1917. Interspersed throughout are brief faith-based testimonials from Walnut Hill Community Church regarding personal recovery and community support. Together, the materials provide a multifaceted look at the military history of World War I and the lasting impact of its unresolved tensions.1. Nick Lloyd discusses the complex dynamics of early British leadership, including Prime Minister Asquith, Lord Kitchener, and Sir John French. He highlights the British Army's massive expansion from a small expeditionary force to 60 divisions and the eventual rise of David Lloyd George as a wartime leader. (1)1942
I get invited by the British Army to meet the King's Horses and the Household Calvalry!
On December 31st, 1600, Queen Elizabeth I signed a charter. What she created wasn't a trading company. It was the world's first corporate empire — and everything that followed was a hostile takeover disguised as commerce.This is the history of the East India Company and the Dutch East India Company (VOC) — two corporations that rewrote the history of India, the British Empire, and modern finance in a single century. This isn't the version they taught you in school. This is how it actually worked.This is Episode 1 of Corporate Empires — the investigative documentary series that tracks how corporations became more powerful than the nations that chartered them.What You'll Discover:➤ The Charter That Transferred Sovereign Power — How a single royal document gave private merchants the right to wage war, sign treaties, and govern millions➤ The VOC's Hidden Weapon — The Dutch East India Company invented the permanent share and created the Amsterdam Stock Exchange — the template for all modern corporate finance➤ The Army Behind the Balance Sheet — How the British East India Company maintained 150,000 soldiers — more than the British Army itself — as an enforcement mechanism for profit➤ The Bengal Playbook — How Robert Clive didn't win the Battle of Plassey through superior force. He bought it. Bribed Mir Jafar. And turned a battle into a corporate acquisition of 40 million people➤ State-Backed Narco Trafficking — How Britain's addiction to Chinese tea created a silver crisis — and how the East India Company solved it by flooding China with Bengali opium, triggering the First Opium War➤ The Corruption Engine — Why corruption wasn't a flaw in the British Empire's corporate system. It was the system. Underpaid employees, private trade, and rotten boroughs in Parliament were features, not bugs➤ The Enduring Playbook — From United Fruit to IMF structural adjustment programs, the East India Company's methods didn't die in 1874. They evolved.The East India Company didn't colonize India. That word is too small. They executed the world's first hostile corporate takeover of a sovereign nation — and they wrote the playbook that corporations still use today.The history of the British Empire is inseparable from the history of corporate greed at a civilizational scale. This is that story.Same forces. Different century.
In September 1777, just fourteen months after declaring independence, Philadelphia fell to the British Army. For nearly nine months, the new nation's capital was occupied territory. But what did that actually mean for the people who lived there? Not the generals, not the Congress: ordinary Philadelphians who had to decide whether to flee or stay, share their homes with British officers, watch their fences get chopped up for firewood, and figure out which neighbors to trust when it was all over. In this episode, Aaron Sullivan, a professor of History at Rider University, George Boudreau, a public historian and Executive Director of the Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion Museum in Germantown, PA, and historical interpreter Kalela Williams, now the Director of the Virginia Center for the Book, take us inside occupied Philadelphia. Together, they reveal how a city that was never fully committed to independence experienced nine months of British rule, and what the occupation cost everyone who lived through it: Quaker women negotiating with soldiers at their back gates, merchants whose fortunes rose on British hard currency while their neighbors went hungry, and Black Philadelphians who looked at the upheaval and asked whether it might open a door to freedom. Plus: the most extravagant party thrown in eighteenth-century America, staged while the city's almshouses overflowed. Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/332RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES
In this episode, Sean and James examine the brutal 1917 campaign at Third Ypres, better known as Passchendaele, which was one of the most infamous battles of World War I. They trace the strategic aims behind Haig’s offensive, the early success at Messines, and the grinding advance that followed as rain, mud, and relentless German defenses turned Flanders into a nightmare landscape. The hosts explore key moments from the campaign, including the devastating failures of August, the British Army’s methodical September attacks, and the final Canadian push that captured the ridge. They conclude with the immense human cost, the controversy surrounding Haig’s leadership, and the battle’s lasting place in the memory of both British and German soldiers.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The British Army is at your door. They need a room. What do you do? For thousands of civilians living in cities occupied during the American War for Independence — Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Newport, Charleston, Savannah — this wasn't a hypothetical. It was a reality that upended daily life and revealed a side of the revolution we rarely talk about. Lauren Duval, author of The Home Front: Revolutionary Households, Military Occupations, and the Making of American Independence, joins us to explore what the War for Independence actually looked like from inside the household. Women who negotiated quartering terms and held their ground. Men who came to blows over who controlled the parlor. Enslaved people who used the chaos of occupation to reunite families and reach British lines. The revolution didn't just happen on battlefields. It happened at kitchen tables, in back gardens, and on doorsteps.Lauren's Website | Book |Show Notes: https://www.benfranklinsworld.com/403 EPISODE OUTLINE00:00:00 Introduction00:01:38 The Home Front of the American Revolution00:05:24 The Gensis of the Revolutionary Household00:10:49 Why Focus on Urban Port Cities00:19:46 The British Occupation's Impact on City Life00:25:55 Quartering a British Officer: The Drinker Household00:33:38. Quartering Experiences in Male-Headed Households00:39:22 Lower-Class Experiences During British Occupation00:40:55 The Impact of British Hard Currency on Urban Labor Markets00:44:21 Black Experiences During British Occupation00:51:21 The Overall American Experience of the War for Independence00:54:01. The Time Warp00:59:47 ConculsionRECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODES