Podcasts about War Office

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War Office

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Best podcasts about War Office

Latest podcast episodes about War Office

New Books in History
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

New Books in Military History
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in Military History

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

New Books Network
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Books in European Studies
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in European Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

New Books in French Studies
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in French Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/french-studies

New Books in Diplomatic History
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in Diplomatic History

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in British Studies
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in British Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 72:01


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/british-studies

featured Wiki of the Day
Territorial Force

featured Wiki of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 15, 2025 5:13


fWotD Episode 2871: Territorial Force Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Saturday, 15 March 2025 is Territorial Force.The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry into a unified auxiliary, commanded by the War Office and administered by local county territorial associations. The Territorial Force was designed to reinforce the regular army in expeditionary operations abroad, but because of political opposition it was assigned to home defence. Members were liable for service anywhere in the UK and could not be compelled to serve overseas. In the first two months of the First World War, territorials volunteered for foreign service in significant numbers, allowing territorial units to be deployed abroad. They saw their first action on the Western Front during the initial German offensive of 1914, and the force filled the gap between the near destruction of the regular army that year and the arrival of the New Army in 1915. Territorial units were deployed to Gallipoli in 1915 and, following the failure of that campaign, provided the bulk of the British contribution to allied forces in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. By the war's end, the Territorial Force had fielded twenty-three infantry divisions and two mounted divisions on foreign soil. It was demobilised after the war and reconstituted in 1921 as the Territorial Army.The force experienced problems throughout its existence. On establishment, fewer than 40 per cent of the men in the previous auxiliary institutions transferred into it, and it was consistently under strength until the outbreak of the First World War. It was not considered to be an effective military force by the regular army and was denigrated by the proponents of conscription. Lord Kitchener chose to concentrate the Territorial Force on home defence and raise the New Army to reinforce the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France, a decision which disappointed the territorials. The need to replace heavy losses suffered by the BEF before the New Army was ready forced Kitchener to deploy territorial units overseas, compromising the force's ability to defend the homeland. To replace foreign-service units, the Territorial Force was doubled in size by creating a second line which mirrored the organisation of the original, first-line units. Second-line units assumed responsibility for home defence and provided replacement drafts to the first line. The second line competed with the New Army for limited resources and was poorly equipped and armed. The provision of replacements to the first line compromised the second line's home defence capabilities until a third line was raised to take over responsibility for territorial recruitment and training. The second line's duties were further complicated by the expectation, later confirmed, that it too would be deployed overseas.Territorial units were initially deployed overseas to free up regular units from non-combat duties. On the Western Front, individual battalions were attached to regular army formations and sent into action, and the territorials were credited with playing a key role in stopping the German offensive. The first complete territorial division to be deployed to a combat zone arrived in France in March 1915. Territorial divisions began participating in offensive operations on the Western Front from June 1915 and at Gallipoli later that year. Because of the way it was constituted and recruited, the Territorial Force possessed an identity that was distinct from the regular army and the New Army. This became increasingly diluted as heavy casualties were replaced with conscripted recruits following the introduction of compulsory service in early 1916. The Territorial Force was further eroded as a separate institution when county territorial associations were relieved of most of their administrative responsibilities. By the war's end, there was little to distinguish between regular, territorial and New Army formations.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:11 UTC on Saturday, 15 March 2025.For the full current version of the article, see Territorial Force on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm standard Aditi.

Spybrary
Her Secret Service and The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence

Spybrary

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 23, 2024 42:09


Shane Whaley engages in a riveting discussion with historian and author Dr. Claire Hubbard-Hall. Known for her expertise in the history of women in intelligence, Claire brings to light the overlooked yet monumental roles women have played in British Intelligence. Her book titled Her Secret Service - The Forgotten Women of British Intelligence aims to challenge the male-dominated narrative of intelligence history. Recognition and Roles: Changing Perceptions The episode also discusses the broader evolution of women's roles in British intelligence, shedding light on figures like Jane Sismore, MI5's first officer, and Mary Shearer, MI5's first female agent handler. Claire elaborates on how societal changes, particularly during wartime when men were at the front, necessitated the inclusion of women in more substantial roles. However, progress was slow, often hinging on the approval and support of male counterparts.   Winifred Spink, a strikingly attractive woman born into a Plymouth Brethren family, was a rebel and suffragette who defied conventions of her time. Fluent in French and German, she also mastered car mechanics and excelled as a secretary. Shortly before the 1916 revolution, she broke new ground as the first female intelligence officer with the British mission to Petrograd, narrowly escaping execution during her time there. Bold and liberated, she chronicled her numerous romantic liaisons in her diary, referring to them as “another scalp.” Equally remarkable was Olga Gray, who joined MI5 in 1931 and successfully infiltrated the British Communist Party as secretary to its leader, Harry Pollitt, ultimately exposing a Soviet spy ring. Joan Bright, another inspiration for the character of Miss Moneypenny, was lauded as the "organising genius of the War Office secretariat" during the Second World War. She became the gatekeeper to the War Office's secrets and a valuable source for historians throughout her life. Despite her significant contributions, Gray received little support and was eventually abandoned by MI5, showcasing the institutional barriers women faced. Shining a Light on the Forgotten Women of British Intellgence As Dr Claire Hubbard-Hall continues to uncover these hidden stories, her work is instrumental in revising our understanding of espionage history. By highlighting the indispensable roles women have played, she not only corrects historical oversights but also paves the way for future generations to appreciate and recognize the silent heroines of intelligence. For those interested in delving deeper into these narratives, Claire's book "Her Secret Service" is available in the UK and will be released in the US as "Secret Servants of the Crown: Women, British Intelligence" in February. Join us in celebrating the remarkable forgotten women of British Intelligence.  

Writer's Routine
Molly Green, author of 'Courage for the Cabinet Girl' - Wartime novelist discusses starting early, honouring women, and building a train carriage

Writer's Routine

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 41:18


Molly Green writes wartime novels that celebrate the women who stayed home and served their country. Her new novel is 'Courage for the Cabinet Girl'. Set in 19412, with Britain in the throes of the Second World War, it's about Katharina Valentine who feels sidelined. Employed as a shorthand-typist in the War Office, she is transferred to the basement below – home of the top-secret Cabinet War Rooms. Unexpected staff shortages present an opportunity to work directly for Winston Churchill himself, and Katie jumps at the chance. We talk about her working writing under 3 different names, why a job she had 40 years ago still makes her start early, and why she gets angry when people think she's wrong. To save money on one of the biggest writing retreats of the year, head to writersrising.com and use the code 'wr10'. Support your favourite authors, local bookshops and this podcast by buying books on our dedicated site over at https://uk.bookshop.org/shop/writersroutine@writerspodwritersroutine.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

featured Wiki of the Day
Frederick Browning

featured Wiki of the Day

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 17, 2024 2:45


fWotD Episode 2692: Frederick Browning Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Tuesday, 17 September 2024 is Frederick Browning.Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Arthur Montague "Boy" Browning (20 December 1896 – 14 March 1965) was a senior officer of the British Army who has been called the "father of the British airborne forces". He was also an Olympic bobsleigh competitor, and the husband of author Daphne du Maurier.Educated at Eton College and then at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Browning was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Grenadier Guards in 1915. During the First World War, he fought on the Western Front, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for conspicuous gallantry during the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917. In September 1918, he became aide de camp to General Sir Henry Rawlinson.During the Second World War, Browning commanded the 1st Airborne Division and I Airborne Corps, and was also the deputy commander of First Allied Airborne Army during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. During the planning for this operation, he was alleged to have said: "I think we might be going a bridge too far." In December 1944 he became chief of staff of Admiral Lord Mountbatten's South East Asia Command. From September 1946 to January 1948, he was Military Secretary of the War Office.In January 1948, Browning became comptroller and treasurer to Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh. After she ascended to the throne to become Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, he became treasurer in the Office of the Duke of Edinburgh. He suffered a severe nervous breakdown in 1957 and retired in 1959. He died at Menabilly, the mansion that inspired his wife's novel Rebecca, on 14 March 1965.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:05 UTC on Tuesday, 17 September 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Frederick Browning on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Brian.

Zero Blog Thirty
Legend Troop Plays The Bagpipes Right In The Enemy's Face

Zero Blog Thirty

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2024 52:25


Bill Millin was the "Mad Piper" who played allied commandos ashore under heavy German fire at Sword Beach in Normandy on D-Day, on the extreme eastern flank of Operation Overlord. He was the only piper to lead allied troops into battle that day following a War Office ban which said pipers would attract sniper fire. But his commander, Brigadier Lord Lovat – Simon Fraser, hereditary chief of the Clan Fraser – was a law unto himself. "Ah, but that's the English War Office, Millin," Lovat told him. "You and I are both Scottish so that doesn't apply."You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/ZeroBlog30

History of South Africa podcast
Episode 163 - British engineers build forts and semaphores while disabled chief Mgolombane Sandile signs a treaty

History of South Africa podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2024 23:05


This is episode 163, the year, 1845. New Cape Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland had shown he was a man of action — as a veteran of the Peninsular Campaign against Napoleon you'd expect that, particularly as he fought at Waterloo. This new man of action governor had some doubts about a few things here in sunny South Africa. He doubted the effectiveness of Andries Stockenstrom's Eastern Cape Ceded territory system for a start. He would sort that he thought with the introduction of a new system which was actually an old system. More about that later. Maitland also doubted the effectiveness of two other treaties signed by his predecessor Sir George Napier with Griqua leader Adam Kok the third and King Moshoeshoe the First of the Basotho. But we need to turn south, back to the Eastern Cape Frontier. The 1840s were a high point of settler power in the Eastern Cape and wool was driving development. As the state expanded, pressure grew on the Ceded Territory, between the Fish and Keiskamma Rivers. It was also a time of reinforcing both the military forts around the frontier, and the communication systems. Starting in the mid-1830s, the British had extended their forts and signalling systems. They had been caught off-guard by the amaXhosa who'd raided the Eastern Cape without warning at the start of the Sixth Frontier War and it was imperative they improve their communication. After the frontier war of 1835-6, the planning of the system of frontier defence fell on the Royal engineers including Lieutenant-Colonel Griffith George Lewis and Captain WFD Jervois, as well as a civilian employee of the War Office, Henry L Hall. Lewis commanded the Royal Engineers in the colony at the time. He repeatedly expressed his frustration at the tardiness of the British government in allocating funds for the effective defence of the frontier districts. These funds of course were squeezed out of the British taxpayer, so the political leadership would not always release investments of this sort immediately. Lewis was one of those folks we come across every now and again, someone who seems to understand the big picture and the need for action. He wrote extensively on frontier defence policy, and complained that for years after the close of the war no clear decisions had been taken on how funds were to be utilised. His warnings like those of Sir John Hare the lieutenant Governor of the Eastern Cape were not being heeded. Jervois built the stockades at Peddie, Trompetter's Drift, Double Drift and fort Brown, all found in the frontier districts of the Eastern Cape. Jervois would end up in the Channel Islands by the way, and designed and built a whole series of fortifications that were to become famous during the Second world War. The imperial government also approved of Lewis's scheme for ‘signal towers', and new roads and bridges to improve communications between these forts and the headquarters at Grahamstown where new barracks were to be built on the old Drostdy Ground. Lewis had been instrumental in building a series of towers to improve communications with Fort Beaufort and Fort Peddie, starting from Fort Selwyn in Grahamstown. The survey to establish suitable points on which to erect the stations was done by Henry Hall, stationed in the Eastern Cape in the period 1842–1858. Robert Godlonton had decided that his Grahamstown Journal was going to up the ante once more when it came to both the Kat River settlement where the khoekhoe lived, and the Ceded Territory. Appropriating the language of civilisation, Godlonton wrote in the journal that “…Colonisation would be then synonymous with civilisation, and the natives instead of being depressed or destroyed, would be raised from their wretched grovelling condition and participate in all the advantages which civilised government is calculated to bestow.” The fact that the amaXhosa people did not regard themselves as in a grovelling condition was utterly ignored by Godlonton.

History of South Africa podcast
Episode 163 - British engineers build forts and semaphores while disabled chief Mgolombane Sandile signs a treaty

History of South Africa podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 24, 2024 23:05


This is episode 163, the year, 1845. New Cape Governor Sir Peregrine Maitland had shown he was a man of action — as a veteran of the Peninsular Campaign against Napoleon you'd expect that, particularly as he fought at Waterloo. This new man of action governor had some doubts about a few things here in sunny South Africa. He doubted the effectiveness of Andries Stockenstrom's Eastern Cape Ceded territory system for a start. He would sort that he thought with the introduction of a new system which was actually an old system. More about that later. Maitland also doubted the effectiveness of two other treaties signed by his predecessor Sir George Napier with Griqua leader Adam Kok the third and King Moshoeshoe the First of the Basotho. But we need to turn south, back to the Eastern Cape Frontier. The 1840s were a high point of settler power in the Eastern Cape and wool was driving development. As the state expanded, pressure grew on the Ceded Territory, between the Fish and Keiskamma Rivers. It was also a time of reinforcing both the military forts around the frontier, and the communication systems. Starting in the mid-1830s, the British had extended their forts and signalling systems. They had been caught off-guard by the amaXhosa who'd raided the Eastern Cape without warning at the start of the Sixth Frontier War and it was imperative they improve their communication. After the frontier war of 1835-6, the planning of the system of frontier defence fell on the Royal engineers including Lieutenant-Colonel Griffith George Lewis and Captain WFD Jervois, as well as a civilian employee of the War Office, Henry L Hall. Lewis commanded the Royal Engineers in the colony at the time. He repeatedly expressed his frustration at the tardiness of the British government in allocating funds for the effective defence of the frontier districts. These funds of course were squeezed out of the British taxpayer, so the political leadership would not always release investments of this sort immediately. Lewis was one of those folks we come across every now and again, someone who seems to understand the big picture and the need for action. He wrote extensively on frontier defence policy, and complained that for years after the close of the war no clear decisions had been taken on how funds were to be utilised. His warnings like those of Sir John Hare the lieutenant Governor of the Eastern Cape were not being heeded. Jervois built the stockades at Peddie, Trompetter's Drift, Double Drift and fort Brown, all found in the frontier districts of the Eastern Cape. Jervois would end up in the Channel Islands by the way, and designed and built a whole series of fortifications that were to become famous during the Second world War. The imperial government also approved of Lewis's scheme for ‘signal towers', and new roads and bridges to improve communications between these forts and the headquarters at Grahamstown where new barracks were to be built on the old Drostdy Ground. Lewis had been instrumental in building a series of towers to improve communications with Fort Beaufort and Fort Peddie, starting from Fort Selwyn in Grahamstown. The survey to establish suitable points on which to erect the stations was done by Henry Hall, stationed in the Eastern Cape in the period 1842–1858. Robert Godlonton had decided that his Grahamstown Journal was going to up the ante once more when it came to both the Kat River settlement where the khoekhoe lived, and the Ceded Territory. Appropriating the language of civilisation, Godlonton wrote in the journal that “…Colonisation would be then synonymous with civilisation, and the natives instead of being depressed or destroyed, would be raised from their wretched grovelling condition and participate in all the advantages which civilised government is calculated to bestow.” The fact that the amaXhosa people did not regard themselves as in a grovelling condition was utterly ignored by Godlonton.

The Wings Over New Zealand Show
WONZ 292 – Wings Over Britain: Andy Saunders

The Wings Over New Zealand Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 10, 2023 86:14


Guest: Andy Saunders Host: Dave Homewood Recorded: 12th of July 2023 Published: 10th of December 2023 Duration: 1 hour 26 minutes, 14 seconds In this episode Dave Homewood caught up with author, journalist and historian Andy Saunders in his ‘War Office' writing room in Eton, under the flightpath to Heathrow. Andy talks about his childhood [...]

Nightlife
Nightlife Travel - The Old War Office in London

Nightlife

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2023 15:26


Luxury travel and lifestyle reporter Ute Junker checked out The Old War Office and gave Nightlife listeners the scoop with Philip Clark.

The Foggy Jack Podcast
The Newspaper Man's Guide to Uncovering a Secret Code

The Foggy Jack Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 25, 2023 29:12


When a newspaper man finds a secret code left in the way wax figures are playing cards, they figure the Nazis are coming to dive-bomb Q-factory. He and a rival newsie, a woman with a pretentious fake french accent, head out to the secret location with War Office passes. No one believes them until the strafing runs begin. Then they chase a spy who is supposed to light a match at ten o'clock and light up the target area with an outline drawn in flaming oil.   --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/foggyjack13/message

The Red Box Politics Podcast
Secrets Of Churchill's Office

The Red Box Politics Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2023 44:48


The old War Office in Whitehall, once used by Winston Churchill as the nerve centre of Britain's war effort, has been hidden from public view for more than a century. Matt is given a guided tour of the historic building, which has been converted into a hotel, to uncover its secrets.Plus: Columnists Manveen Rana and Matthew Parris discuss the relationship between the West and Ukraine, Boris Johnson-themed pastries, and when a politician's spouse should step into the limelight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Leader | Evening Standard daily
London's ‘seven-star' hotels building boom

The Leader | Evening Standard daily

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2023 10:50


Despite the grim economic outlook, London's enjoying an unprecedented boom in luxury hotel launches that will see thousands of lavish new rooms opening over the next two years.The Standard's front page reports at least 13 high-end hotels are scheduled to open by 2025, many from world-renowned operators launching in the capital for the first time, while others get major refurbishments to tempt elite customers from their cash.It comes as the £1.1 billion Peninsula London near Hyde Park Corner prepares to open its doors, with the starting price at £1,300-a-night - but does that include breakfast?The Peninsula will be followed by the £1.5 billion Raffles London, which has been built in Whitehall's cavernous former War Office building, rebranded Raffles London at The Owo, The Leader podcast is joined by Evening Standard business editor Jonathan Prynn and John O'Ceallaigh, founder of luxury travel consultancy Lute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

House of Mystery True Crime History
Iona Whishaw - To Track A Traitor

House of Mystery True Crime History

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2023 44:15


It's an early morning in May when Lane is pulled from a deep sleep by a concerning phone call from Scotland—her grandfather has had a heart attack. Lane hastily makes plans to fly overseas, and a dejected Inspector Darling prepares himself for a stint of bachelorhood. But before he can begin to dwell on it the Nelson Police learn that Ben Arden, a local cad, has gone out for a late-night boat ride and not returned, which immediately sets the town rumour mill churning.In Scotland Lane finds her grandfather on the mend but her estranged sister Diana caught up in stressful—and mysterious—circumstances of her own. As Lane follows the thread leading from South Africa to Aberdeen to the War Office in London it becomes apparent that her sister is on the run, and that keeping secrets seems to be a Winslow family trait.Back at the Nelson Police station a strange assemblage of clues begins to amass around the Arden case, stretching from the local printshop all the way back to the Great War. But progress is interrupted when the mayor himself issues a demand that Darling travel to England to tie up a decades-old mystery with local connections. True to form, upon Darling's arrival in London he is quickly swept up in Lane's mission, which threatens to endanger the entire family.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/houseofmysteryradio. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/houseofmysteryradio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Choses à Savoir HISTOIRE
Pourquoi un musicien fut épargné lors du Débarquement ?

Choses à Savoir HISTOIRE

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2023 1:53


On le sait, la cornemuse, au même titre sue le kilt ou le chardon, est l'un des principaux emblèmes de l'Écosse. Les "pipers", le nom donné à ces joueurs de cornemuse, donnaient d'ailleurs, chaque matin, et jusqu'au jour de son décès, une aubade à la Reine d'Angleterre.Mais ils avaient aussi une autre mission, plus martiale. C'est en effet au son nasillard des cornemuses que les soldats britanniques devaient marcher au combat. Ces mélodies entraînantes étaient censées leur donner du courage. Les "pipers" sont encore présents dans les combats de la première Guerre mondiale.Censés entraîner leurs camarades, les joueurs de cornemuse se plaçaient en première ligne lors d'un engagement. On imagine qu'ils constituaient alors des cibles faciles pour le camp adverse.Constatant les très lourdes pertes qui éclaircissaient les rangs de ces musiciens militaires, le "War Office" (le Ministère de la Guerre britannique) interdit alors la présence des "pipers" dans l'armée, du moins dans les premières lignes.Mais lord Lovat, qui commandait l'une des brigades participant au débarquement de Normandie, le 6 juin 1944, ne se sent pas tenu d'obéir à de tels ordres. Comme ils émanaient d'une autorité anglaise, cet aristocrate écossais ne se croyait pas obligé de leur obéir.Or, lord Lovat avait son "piper" personnel, Bill Millin, qui avait 22 ans au moment du débarquement. Selon l'usage, il lui demande donc de se placer au premier rang, lors des opérations, et de jouer des airs traditionnels, pour galvaniser ses camarades.Bill Millin prend donc la tête de la troupe, au sein de laquelle s'élève alors une musique bien connue des soldats. Selon certains témoignages, le tir nourri des Allemands aurait cessé un instant, au moment même où Bill Millin aurait commencé à jouer.Une pause que les Alliés auraient utilisée pour s'emparer de la plage sans coup férir. Plus tard, le "piper" participe à l'attaque d'un pont, dont il ressort encore indemne. Il semblerait, d'après certains témoignages, que les Allemands, le prenant pour un fou, n'aient pas tiré sur lui. Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Choses à Savoir HISTOIRE
Pourquoi un musicien fut épargné lors du Débarquement ?

Choses à Savoir HISTOIRE

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2023 2:23


On le sait, la cornemuse, au même titre sue le kilt ou le chardon, est l'un des principaux emblèmes de l'Écosse. Les "pipers", le nom donné à ces joueurs de cornemuse, donnaient d'ailleurs, chaque matin, et jusqu'au jour de son décès, une aubade à la Reine d'Angleterre. Mais ils avaient aussi une autre mission, plus martiale. C'est en effet au son nasillard des cornemuses que les soldats britanniques devaient marcher au combat. Ces mélodies entraînantes étaient censées leur donner du courage. Les "pipers" sont encore présents dans les combats de la première Guerre mondiale. Censés entraîner leurs camarades, les joueurs de cornemuse se plaçaient en première ligne lors d'un engagement. On imagine qu'ils constituaient alors des cibles faciles pour le camp adverse. Constatant les très lourdes pertes qui éclaircissaient les rangs de ces musiciens militaires, le "War Office" (le Ministère de la Guerre britannique) interdit alors la présence des "pipers" dans l'armée, du moins dans les premières lignes. Mais lord Lovat, qui commandait l'une des brigades participant au débarquement de Normandie, le 6 juin 1944, ne se sent pas tenu d'obéir à de tels ordres. Comme ils émanaient d'une autorité anglaise, cet aristocrate écossais ne se croyait pas obligé de leur obéir. Or, lord Lovat avait son "piper" personnel, Bill Millin, qui avait 22 ans au moment du débarquement. Selon l'usage, il lui demande donc de se placer au premier rang, lors des opérations, et de jouer des airs traditionnels, pour galvaniser ses camarades. Bill Millin prend donc la tête de la troupe, au sein de laquelle s'élève alors une musique bien connue des soldats. Selon certains témoignages, le tir nourri des Allemands aurait cessé un instant, au moment même où Bill Millin aurait commencé à jouer. Une pause que les Alliés auraient utilisée pour s'emparer de la plage sans coup férir. Plus tard, le "piper" participe à l'attaque d'un pont, dont il ressort encore indemne. Il semblerait, d'après certains témoignages, que les Allemands, le prenant pour un fou, n'aient pas tiré sur lui. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Voices of Today
The Red Lacquer Case Sample

Voices of Today

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2023 2:44


The complete audiobook is available for pruchase at Audible.com: voicesoftoday.net/rlc The Red Lacquer Case Narrated by Graham Scott Sally Meredith is in deadly danger after her mercurial uncle Fritzi, the genius chemist and inventor M. Frederic Lasalle, disappears into the night. He leaves her as the only person who knows how to open the Chinese puzzle box in which he has concealed the formula for his latest invention: a new gas, sudden, swift, and deadly beyond anything ever before devised. Soon, Sally is in the clutches of sinister foreign agents, and her former fiancé Bill Armitage, of the War Office, with the aid of a Scotland Yard detective, desperately searches for her…

Farming Today
07/04/23 - The UK National Willow Collection

Farming Today

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 7, 2023 13:35


The UK's National Willow Collection was set up in the aftermath of WWI when a War Office review identified there had been a shortage of willow to make containers for ammunition. 100 years on, plastic is now used to do many of the jobs willow once did. But the collection is now run by Rothamsted Research, where scientists are looking at the potential for new materials to be made from willow that could replace plastic. In this programme, Sarah Swadling visits the Collection, which has over 1500 different willows and celebrates it's 100th anniversary this year. Presented and produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Sarah Swadling

Priesthood Dispatches Podcast
PD's 1st Birthday Party

Priesthood Dispatches Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2022 33:41


Join PD in the War Office for a look back at the last twelve months and where it all began.If you feel that you can support PD programming by leaving a tip then please use the following link:https://paypal.me/priesthooddispatches?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GBFor more from PD visit:www.mormonpd.orgYou can now enjoy PD on the go by downloading the podcast from Acast of Apple Podcast using the following links:https://shows.acast.com/priesthood-dispatches-podcast/howtohttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/priesthood-dispatches-podcast/id1606902304Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/priesthood-dispatches-podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

London Walks
Today (May 18) in London History – the biggest street party in London’s history

London Walks

Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2022 11:57


AeroSociety Podcast
Classic Lecture: Cody – the hero? By Peter Reese AMRAeS

AeroSociety Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2022 61:47


An American showman turned aviator, Samuel Franklin Cody used his imagination, endless courage and engineering virtuosity to become the first man in Britain to fly in an aircraft of his own making. But can he rightly take a place amongst the world's heroes? In this lecture, historian Peter Reese tells the story of how a man moved from performing a Wild West Show to becoming an aeronautical pioneer by building and flying some of the earliest man-carrying kites and aeroplane, before showing how, once the War Office declared against constructing aeroplanes in favour of airships, he raced his own aeroplanes and outflew his contemporaries. Peter Reese addressed the National Aerospace Library's volunteers on 29 November 2021 and the podcast was edited by Eur Ing Mike Stanberry FRAeS.

The John Batchelor Show
4/8: Nick Lloyd, THE WESTERN FRONT

The John Batchelor Show

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2021 7:05


Photo:   War Office  First World War, Official Panoramas Collection, Western Front. FIELD OF VIEW: Passchendaele Ridge, Ypres Salient. DIRECTION OF VIEW: 106 degrees North North East to South East by East. CAMERA LOCATION: Gravenstafel Crossroads 4/8: Nick Lloyd, The Western Front: A History of the Great War, 1914-1918 – March 30, 2021. Hardcover. https://www.amazon.com/Western-Front-History-Great-1914-1918/dp/B09NS2DT8X A panoramic history of the savage combat on the Western Front between 1914 and 1918 that came to define modern warfare. The Western Front evokes images of mud-spattered men in waterlogged trenches, shielded from artillery blasts and machine-gun fire by a few feet of dirt. This iconic setting was the most critical arena of the Great War, a 400-mile combat zone stretching from Belgium to Switzerland where more than three million Allied and German soldiers struggled during four years of almost continuous combat. It has persisted in our collective memory as a tragic waste of human life and a symbol of the horrors of industrialized warfare. In this epic narrative history, the first volume in a groundbreaking trilogy on the Great War, the acclaimed military historian Nick Lloyd captures the horrific fighting on the Western Front beginning with the surprise German invasion of Belgium in August 1914 and taking us to the Armistice of November 1918. Drawing on French, British, German, and American sources, Lloyd weaves a kaleidoscopic chronicle of the Marne, Passchendaele, the Meuse-Argonne, and other critical battles, which reverberated across Europe and the wider war. From the trenches, where men as young as 17 suffered and died, to the headquarters behind the lines where Generals Haig, Joffre, Hindenburg, and Pershing developed their plans for battle, Lloyd gives us a view of the war both intimate and strategic, putting us amid the mud and smoke while at the same time depicting the larger stakes of every encounter. He shows us a dejected Kaiser Wilhelm II―soon to be eclipsed in power by his own generals―lamenting the botched Schlieffen Plan; French soldiers piling atop one another in the trenches of Verdun; British infantryman wandering through the frozen wilderness in the days after the Battle of the Somme; and General Erich Ludendorff pursuing a ruthless policy of total war, leading an eleventh-hour attack on Reims even as his men succumbed to the Spanish Flu. 35 black-and-white illustrations, 8 maps

Travels Through Time
Robert Lyman: A War of Empires (1944)

Travels Through Time

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2021 57:38


On this Remembrance Day the eminent historian Robert Lyman takes us to Burma, a country that was the crucible of action for a range of competing powers in the Second World War. In Burma the invading Japanese confronted the British, India, Chinese and Americans in a story that really became, as Lyman makes plain, ‘a war of empires.' * For thirty years Robert Lyman has been studying the war in the Far East. While not as well-known as the conflict with the Nazis in Europe, events in south east Asia were crucial. The fortunes of the allied armies there did not only lead to VJ Day in 1945, they also had a powerful effect in shaping the post-war world that followed. In this episode Lyman takes us back to the Indian/Burman border on the cusp of 1944. He explains how a revitalised Indian army and an incredibly talented British general, Bill Slim, were about to combine to tremendous effect. As ever, much, much more about this episode is to be found at our website tttpodcast.com. Robert Lyman is the author of the new book, A War of Empires: Japan, India, Burma and Britain. Click here to order Robert's book from John Sandoe's who, we are delighted to say, are supplying books for the podcast. This episode is supported by Osprey Publishing. Show notes Scene One: The Chindwin River, December 1943, on the border between India and Burma. Men of the Madras Regiment, Indian Army Scene Two: 1st June 1944, Chief of Imperial General Staff's office (General Sir Alan Brooke), War Office, Whitehall, London Scene Three: 10 September 1944, Sittaung, Chindwin River. Men of the 11th East African Brigade, 14th Army. Memento: A katana (a Japanese samurai sword) People/Social Presenter: Peter Moore Guest: Robert Lyman Production: Maria Nolan Podcast partner: Unseen Histories Follow us on Twitter: @tttpodcast_ Or on Facebook See where 1944 fits on our Timeline 

The Chess Circuit
Episode 25: Kevin Thurlow talks to Adam and Ben about A History of Chess in the Civil Service

The Chess Circuit

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2021 60:10


Ben Graff reviews this excellent book here - https://chesscircuit.substack.com/p/a-history-of-chess-in-the-english This book covers more than a hundred years of chess in the Civil Service, with information about the clubs, the individuals, the events they contested, the successes, and the arguments that sometimes resulted. Clubs regularly featured leading players of the day and the Civil Service representative team frequently beat strong counties in 50-board matches, as well as participating in a mammoth 500-board match against the rest of England. Names of chess clubs bring a whiff of nostalgia, with India Office, War Office and Civil Service Rifles no longer in existence. Leading players served their country not only in their departments, but at establishments like Bletchley Park in the Second World War. Several civil servants represented their country in international matches. Over a thousand players participated in the league at one stage. "The original plan was to include maybe 50 annotated games, as we had no idea how much material we would find. When it became clear that there was a lot of information, we (or maybe I) thought it better to concentrate on the history aspect. I have built a database of about 1400 games from CS league, matches and tournaments, and also CS players playing elsewhere, which I am adding to, and I thought I might offer John Saunders the games for Britbase at some stage. Once the book got over 500 pages, adding the games was difficult!" - Kevin Thurlow. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thechesscircuit/message

Myanmar Oral History Project - life stories
U Kyaw Thein Lwin born 1927, a third interview with him covering the years immediately before and after independence

Myanmar Oral History Project - life stories

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 29, 2021 57:39


This interview covers his three meetings with Aung Sun - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aung_San, the assassinated father of Aung San Suu Kyi which took place between 1945 and 1947, his time in the War Office post independence and his posting to Dartmouth in the UK for training before being recalled by General Ne Win - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ne_Win - as he was wrongly accused of being too close to the Karens at a time when the first independence Government led by Burmese U Nu was suspicious of those who were not Burmese.  It also covers how General Ne Win used the same politics to remove his competitor for head of the Armed Forces.   KT believes WW2 war hero, Lt General Smith Dun, a Karen should, on merit, have kept the role -  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Dun

Waldina
"The Philadelphia Story" - Victory Theater - July 20, 1942

Waldina

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2021 58:33


"The Philadelphia Story" - Victory Theater - July 20, 1942 The stars of the film appeared in a one-hour radio adaptation on the premiere episode of the War Office's special Victory Theater summer series. This episode was specially produced by Lux Radio Theatre volunteer personnel as their donation to the Victory Theater series, and it aired under government, not Lux, sponsorship. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/waldina/message

The Battle Fever Podcast
The Bears Corner Ep54- LIVE

The Battle Fever Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2021 79:45


What an action packed show to lead us into Episode 55 and our Live Show from the War Office. Join Paul and Scott in the studio and Snags at Geo at home. Saint Phnx will be on to chat Rangers and their new single aaaannnddd we have the RYDC very own Colin Stewart to talk about the RYDC amongst other things. In association with G4Claims Ltd#KeepTheBattleFeverOn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forgotten Wars
Episode 1.40 Concentration Camps' Origin Story-Part 3 … in this installment of the Anglo-Boer War

Forgotten Wars

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2021 45:08


Finally ... the story of Boer & black concentration camps in southern Africa during the South African War of 1899-1902. 1. If you want a Q&A episode, send questions you have about the Boer Wars or these concentration camps to me using the following link: https://forgottenwarspodcast.com/contact/. The more quality questions I get, the more likely I'll produce a Q&A episode. 2. A thorough article about the history behind a deeply troubling photo from a concentration camp, a photo used by many as click bait: https://journals.co.za/doi/10.10520/AJA02590190_616 3. Want to try Master Class or support the show in some other way, go to this link: https://forgottenwarspodcast.com/donate/ 4. If you want to learn more about concentration camps during that moment in history across the world, you may appreciate this article ... one of several I used to prepare for this episode: https://www.jstor.org/stable/26266238. You will need a free Jstor account to access this article.

Critical Race Theory (CRT)
Outbreak of the Crimean War

Critical Race Theory (CRT)

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 5:06


Hoping to assist with nursing the wounded on the outbreak of the Crimean War, Seacole applied to the War Office to be included among the nursing contingent but was refused, so she travelled independently and set up her hotel and tended to the battlefield wounded.

English Programme
Outbreak of the Crimean War

English Programme

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2021 5:06


Hoping to assist with nursing the wounded on the outbreak of the Crimean War, Seacole applied to the War Office to be included among the nursing contingent but was refused, so she travelled independently and set up her hotel and tended to the battlefield wounded.

The Nazi Lies Podcast
The Nazi Lies Podcast Ep. 1: Hitler Lived

The Nazi Lies Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2021 29:25


Mike: Hitler's dead, right? [Theme song] Nazi SS UFOs Lizards wearing human clothes Hinduism's secret codes These are nazi lies Race and IQ are in genes Warfare keeps the nation clean Whiteness is an AIDS vaccine These are nazi lies Hollow earth, white genocide Muslim's rampant femicide Shooting suspects named Sam Hyde Hiter lived and no Jews died Army, navy, and the cops Secret service, special ops They protect us, not sweatshops These are nazi lies Mike: In the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Berlin, during which Adolf Hitler took his own life, there was a lack of clarity on the part of the Allied forces as to the fate of the Führer. This was because in the hours before the final surrender of the bunker in which Hitler hid out with his top military commanders, Hitler's underlings burned the bodies of himself and his wife Eva Braun. That story took months to piece together and years to confirm. In the meantime, intelligence agencies and news outlets around the world were assailed with reports of sightings of Hitler. Based on selections of these reports, a genre of conspiracy literature asserted that Hitler survived the Battle of Berlin, fled to Denmark, then to Argentina. According to some tellings, he departed from there either to a subterranean base in the South Pole, or to a base on the moon. Hitler survival theories became popular among post-war neo-nazis who saw themselves in service of a secret shadow reich, biding their time and preparing the infrastructure for a national socialist resurgence. Neo-nazi publishers and writers began promoting the conspiracy theory in the service of the survival of national socialism, and continue to do so to this day. Today, we are joined by Dr. Luke Daly-Groves whose book Hitler's Death: The Case Against Conspiracy delves through declassified archives from the US and UK to discover the truth about what happened in the Berlin bunker. Daly-Groves has his PhD (congratulations) from the School of History at the University of Leeds. He's currently a teaching fellow at his alma mater and an associate lecturer at the University of Central Lancashire. Thanks for being here with us Luke. Luke Daly-Groves: It's my pleasure, thanks very much for having me on. Mike: So based on the way you tell it in the book–it's riveting, I would guess you'd like to tell our listeners about the final days of Hitler. Luke: Definitely. I think the last days of Hitler are a really good subject to try to convince somebody to not be a nazi or to sort of go against nazi ideas which I think is one of the aims of your– one of the noble aims of your podcast. Because what it does in the last days of Hitler, when you study it, is it encapsulates all the horrors of the Third Reich in this really small confined space of the Führerbunker below the streets of Berlin. So all the horrors of Nazism, they basically come to a head in the final days of Hitler in April; this is April 1945. So Berlin at this stage is already a shell of its former self because it's been bombed to bits by the Allied airforces, itself a symbol of the failings of Hitler. Hitler is increasingly old, sick, frail. He's displayed symptoms of Parkinson's disease. So this isn't the sort of Messiac-style figure which early Nazi propaganda portrays. This isn't the great savior of Germany. This is a sick, old, frail man with terrible ideas giving orders to ghost armies, orders which are sometimes impossible to carry out, in a war which almost certainly in some senses he doesn't fully accept that he's lost. So he sort of oscillates between– as i say in the book, he oscillates between despair and hope. So sometimes he thinks, you know, “Someone might come at the last minute to save us.” So there are sort of key stages in the Battle of Berlin which sort of mark the fall of the regime. And one of them is Hitler's final birthday on the 20th of April where he emerges from the bunker–a very rare emergence. And he speaks to members of the Hitler Youth who've gathered in front of the Reichschancellory garden. Another key highlight, what's wrong with Nazism; this man has young boys fighting the war for him, sometimes as young as eight years old. And then on the 22nd of April, he has the famous sort of breakdown in the map room where he admits that the war is lost. He says he'd rather shoot himself than be captured. And then he says that people are basically free to an extent to do what they want. After several attempts to convince him to flee to Berchtesgaden where he has his sort of holiday home, he doesn't take the opportunity. But other Nazis do, and one of those Nazis is Göhring. And Göhring sends an offer to basically tear the Third Reich. Hitler considers this a betrayal. And you know, he goes off the rails because of that. So he's being, as he sees it, betrayed by those around him. And then there is this rather– I talk about it sort of illuminating the horrors of Nazism and the absurdity of it all. Hitler, shortly before his suicide, he marries Eva Braun who becomes Eva Hitler. And then he dictates his last will and testament. Now, in the last will and testament, it's really an important document because he blames the war on the Jews; he gives a nod to the holocaust which is really grim; he sort of alludes to this prophecy speech that he makes throughout the war; he predicts that if there's another World War, it will result in the death and annihilation of Jewry in Europe; and he sort of leaves this in the final will. And the final thing he says in the will is that he wants the world to sort of uphold the racial laws and oppose international Jewry. And he says in the will as well; he explains his marriage that he's only felt that he's able to undertake marriage because now he's completed his duties as führer; he's chosen to die rather than be humiliated by capture; and he wants the body of him and his wife to be burned in the place where he's done much of his work. If that's not grim enough– Of course it's now somewhat infamous that the two bodies are carried outside–of him and Eva Braun or Eva Hitler at the time– are carried out of the Führerbunker; the party that carried them out had to retreat because the Red Army artillery shells are so relentless pounding the area around the Führerbunker. He's eventually set alight, and shortly after that, Goebbels kills all the young children in the Führerbunker with cyanide. So you have the sort of complete Nazi disregard for human life there. You have the allusions to the holocaust. And then, you know, the fanaticism which results in them killing their own children because they didn't want them to live in a world without Hitler, without National Socialism. So it's completely horrific, and it's apocalyptic in a lot of ways. It's– If you read sort of the accounts of the Battle of Berlin, it's a scene of– As British intelligence put it in the book, it's a scene of hideous ruin; it's destruction. And it's what national socialism led to, and I think that's really important to get across. So that's the sort of Hitler's last days in a nutshell. Mike: So the reason I picked this for my first episode is because I am fascinated by how far the Hitler survival myth goes and where it crosses into neo-nazi conspiracy. Before I get into that, let's talk a bit about why you got into this line of questioning for your book. Luke: Well I– The reason, what really sparked the idea for me to investigate, was that I saw a man called Gerald Williams on Skye News which is a big news channel in the UK. And he was on there giving an interview promoting his book Grey Wolf which is a conspiracy theory book. He sat on the news and he says, you know, he's got concrete proof that Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun survived the Second World War, fled to Argentina with the knowledge and help of the Allied intelligence services. And obviously when I saw this on the news reported as fact, I thought, “This is incredible.” And I received the book as a Christmas present, and I read it. But when I read the book, I was left with more questions than answers. And as a sort of budding young historian, I'm rather old fashioned in that I think it's the duty of historians to discover the truth about the past. So I wanted to find out what was the actual truth of the matter, which inspired me to look for years, really, into the evidence surrounding the case. And what I found and eventually published in my book about the case of conspiracy is that there is very little basis in fact to what the conspiracy theorists allege. And it's actually really damaging when you see it reported in the way that it's often reported as well. So that's why I did this, and what inspired the book. Mike: Okay, so I first heard about Hitler survival myths from the book Black Sun by Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke which I've talked to you about. He does an excellent job of covering in great detail the various forms of neo-nazi conspiracy theory and political religion that has existed since the Second World War. In it he dedicates a chapter to the Hitler survival myths and how it relates to theories of secret underground bases, UFOlogy, and a Nazi shadow government at the center of the earth. This strain of mythology emanates from a book by Hungarian emigré to Argentina, Ladislao Szabó, called Hitler Esta Vivo (or Hitler Is Alive in Spanish) written in 1947. In the book, he claimed that Argentina (and Denmark) were only waystations on a journey to Antarctica where the Third Reich had established a secret underground base miles below the ice and earth. This, Szabó explains, was the reason why the US mission to Antarctica in 1946 ran into difficulties and had to abort. So this book was translated into French and caused a bit of a media row. Then, there was Nazi UFO theory owing to an interview in Der Speigel in 1950 in which a former Nazi Flugkapitän said that in 1942 he had come up with the idea of a flying saucer powered by a rotary turbine disk and three jet engines below. He claimed the project was put into development at BMW later that year. He was convinced that the Czechs stole his design in a 1948 burglary and had since flown their own version of his designs. Additional reports claimed that the model had actually been built in the Third Reich and taken on a test flight in April of 1945. Novels and conspiracy theory books elaborate on these theories claiming that UFOs sightings were Nazi surveillance flights from Hitler's Antarctic base. So yeah, I'm definitely looking to make several episodes delving into this weird mythology. But anyway let's talk about sources. So your sources mostly come from where. Luke: So the sources that I– The key sources in my book are from intelligence organizations, primarily British and American intelligence organizations. In America a sort of favorite among the conspiracy theorists is the FBI files. So they've got several volumes on Adolf Hitler and the sort of rumors of his escape. In Britain, it's mainly several War Office files; files that were collected by the War Office, and they're entitled “Whereabouts of Adolf Hitler.” And they haven't really been published in much detail, at least not from these angles by historians before. And I also use Soviet intelligence documents as well, or at least I've read them and refer to them. They're published in English translation in a collection–edited collection–called, “Hitler's Death.” and they were really useful as well. There's also memoirs of Hitler's staff from the final days in the bunker, which I've used. So it's a real sort of international perspective on the Hitler case. Mike: Okay, so as we've discussed, our politics are pretty different, so my reaction to all these intelligence agencies and law enforcement was to be immediately suspicious that your sources you know were CIA, MI-5, military, etc. But I've kind of warmed up to that because it's like why would these agents lie to each other? You know these are internal documents. So how redacted were these documents and did you figure out ways around that? Luke: Yeah, so this is a really important point because this is something which conspiracy theorists– And you've probably seen them yourself on social media platforms, they'll like say all, “Oh you can't trust these sources because they're from the FBI; they're from the CIA; they're from MI-5.” And of course, intelligence services by their very nature are there to try and sort of cover things up. But there's two points– There's several points, in fact, to make on this question. The first is that conspiracy theorists can't have it both ways. So they take a lot of their evidence for this idea that Hitler escaped to Argentina from FBI and CIA documents. At the same time, they can't turn around and say, “Every other document that's filed alongside it is nonsense because you can't trust it because it's in an FBI or CIA file.” So they select and say, “Well, this document says Hitler escaped to Argentina.” But they ignore the conclusion of the FBI agent on the page later which explains that he's investigated and that the rumor isn't true. Similarly they'll take another rumor which says he's escaped to South America, and they'll ignore the rumor which says that he's in New York on the next page. So you can't have it both ways. And it's the same with eyewitness testimony. You can't turn around and say that none of the eyewitnesses from the Führerbunker are reliable because they're all Nazis; they could be lying, and at the same time say, “But all of these eyewitnesses from Argentina are reliable.” At the same time as questioning sort of the very credibility of eyewitness testimony as a source of historical evidence. So I guess that's the first point. Second point which I make on this is that– And I open a chapter in the book with Christopher Hitchen's razor, you know, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and that which can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.” So there's absolutely no evidence, in all the documents that I've read on this topic, that MI-5, the FBI, or any intelligence agency, for that matter, internally covered up the truth about Hitler's death. Quite the opposite, what comes through in the files is that they are concerned with historical truth. And they in fact are so concerned with historical truth that they're suspicious of each other which is really useful for historians because then what you get several semi-independent, and in the Soviet case almost fully independent, investigations which all reach really very similar conclusions using different evidence. And that conclusion is that Hitler killed himself in the bunker. And that's so important. So if this was a cover-up, you wouldn't see the disputes. So the FBI and American military intelligence on the ground in Germany to some extent, they are initially distrustful of British sources because they're just distrustful of British intelligence to some extent. Yet they do their own investigations, and they end up agreeing with the conclusions of British intelligence using different evidence. So that's important knowing that independent sources are consistent with the conclusion that hitler killed himself. Another way that you get around it is you– You've already alluded to a key point which is that a lot of these sources weren't intended for publication. So I use MI-5 files. And you know, the British Government for decades didn't admit that MI-5 even existed. So these files were never meant to be seen by historians. And yet within them, and we can talk about this later, you can see the motives of the intelligence officers and why they're sort of undertaking it. And another way around it is you look at private papers. So you look at private letters sent between intelligence officers which I've done to some extent with Trevor-Roper's correspondence in my book. And you know everything argues against a cover-up. The fact that the evidence comes slowly: Hugh Trevor-Roper returns to England, and it's only then that he's called back to Germany to look for Hitler's last will and testament. It's not sort of like clockwork. And there's disagreements over how to deal with the evidence and how it should be published and dealt with. So it's real; it's live; it's an unfolding case; and you can tell that from the documents. You know, historians are trained to look at these things, and we're sort of aware of the issues with intelligence files, and it's always important to question your sources. And I've done that throughout, and I can't come to any other conclusion than that there is no cover-up. And finally, you asked about redactions. The British files are hardly redacted at all, so I think in Britain the way the intelligence organizations deal with it is they tend to weed full documents rather than redact them. Whereas, in America, especially FBI files, are much more sort of liberal with the black censor's pen. It's not usually a problem because what they tend to do when they do that is just protect sources. So they'll sort of black out names of informants or agents and that sort of thing. WIth the Hitler case, it's not really been a big problem at all because what you can do, say if very rarely you get a really large redaction, you can judge sort of reactions to the case by looking at, “okay, well what do the agents talk about around the case? What are their attitudes towards it?” And again you know cropping up to deal with these Hitler rumors, they use language such as, you know, fantastic which at the time simply meant, you know, it's not believable. It's a fantastic story, and this sort of thing. So you can judge the attitudes of intelligence officers even around the redactions. Mike: Cool. Okay, so now that we've talked about the documents, let's talk about, you know, about what the documents actually say. So what did you glean from the documents? And how do they change over time? Luke: Okay so there's three things, key things, that I got from the secret intelligence investigations into Hitler's death and the documents that describe them. The first is the motivations of those who spread the survival rumors. So why did people spread rumors about Hitler surviving the Second World War? The second is the motivations of the intelligence officers and the intelligence organizations that were investigating. So why did they investigate it? And the third is evidence of Hitler's death, of his suicide, and on the same coin, evidence to disprove the survival rumors, so the idea that he survived. The documents contain these three things. So on the first point, evidence of why people spread rumors of Hitler's survival, and you can read all sorts of examples of this in the book. But journalism, sensationalism, moneymaking, newspaper owners tended to be quite common, spiritualists tended to be quite common. Because don't forget, the FBI investigate these things, and they trace them back to the source. And when they find out the source is unreliable, they tend to conclude against the rumor accordingly. But also ideological reasons as well. So I know that this is The Nazi Lies Podcast, so we probably don't want to talk too much about the Soviet motivations for spreading the Hitler survival rumors. Mike: We can definitely get into it. Luke: What's that? Mike: You can definitely get into that. Luke: I don't want to get into it too much because I could talk a while about it. But historians don't know for certain why Stalin did this, but for whatever reason, Stalin decided it was to his advantage to claim that he hadn't found Hitler's body, and that he could have flown away to Spain or Argentina at the last moment. And this then encourages a wave of other conspiracy theories, and people sort of jump on the bandwagon with all these different motivations. So on the theme of ideology you have sort of Stalinism is one aspect of it. And on the other side of the coin, you have nazis in Germany on the ground. So in the book, I mention the Werwolf Movement claims that Hitler is with them at one point. They interview a Nazi U-boat commander about the rumors, and he says it's being spread to keep the idea of nazism alive, to keep the flame alive. So the German people seem ready to receive the Führer when he returns. And this is a theme in some zones of British-occupied Germany. Swastikas are painted on walls with the warning that the Führer is going to return and deal with the traitors. And this goes on. I think the latest example in my book is 1949, there's somebody at Cologne railway station handing out leaflets with swastikas on them saying, you know, “The Führer is alive. Be ready to welcome him back. Heil Hitler.” And this was obviously a concern for the intelligence organizations who were investigating. So why did they investigate the rumors? Well, we talked about several motivations. There's newspaper men, there's journalists, and these themselves are sort of revealing as to why the survival rumors aren't true. Because there was sort of a key rumor that Hitler was in an Argentinian ranch. J. Edgar Hoover, the head of the FBI, himself, he sort of traces this to a 97-year-old spiritualist prophet, and then obviously concludes that there's no reliable or tangible evidence that he escaped to Argentina. And he says this himself in the FBI files. He says, “I have not received any credible evidence that Hitler's escaped.” And it's so important to sort of point that out. So why do intelligence officers investigate? At first they– They give several reasons in the documents themselves. So at first they want to know the truth about Hitler's death. How did he die? And this is evident throughout the documents. And Trevor-Roper himself says he concerned with historical truth. He even says, “The truth is the best form of propaganda.” And I agree with that because the way that the Nazis go down, it's not a good thing for their regime, especially not in the modern world, at all. As I've said before, it's a scene of hideous ruin. So they're concerned with historical truth. They want to find out what actually happened to Hitler. But then later, once they've sort of made themselves certain that Hitler has committed suicide, and I'll discuss how they do that a little bit in a moment, then they're more concerned about why these people are spreading these rumors than the rumors themselves. So they convince themselves of the evidence that they've gathered that Hitler's dead and he committed suicide, but then they start to think, “Okay, well why are people saying that he survived the war?” And of course they get concerned when they see that it's Nazi sympathizers and nazi movements to some extent that are spreading these rumors because one of the missions of the Allied occupation was denazification and democratization. And obviously you can't have people using the idea of Hitler surviving the Second World War to further the nazi ideology. So that was a concern. And they also wanted to try and see if other Nazis escaped down the same sort of routes that they are claiming that Hitler and Martin Bormann may have escaped as well because the rumors of them two became quite linked. Within that, and the third thing I got from the documents, is the evidence of Hitler's death. The Western Allies started accumulating this from May 1945 and started just a little bit later than the Soviets because of course the Soviets were the first at the Führerbunker. But they all start collecting different evidence. The Soviets don't really share their evidence with the Western Allies as the Cold War begins to frost. But I can see from the documents that the Western Allies were right to be sort of certain that Hitler had killed himself because they had a huge variety of evidence to conclude that. So they had several eyewitnesses who'd been interrogated, including the head of the Hitler Youth, Artur Axmann, who saw Hitler dead on his sofa. They had captured telegrams from the Führerbunker and also sort of from other officials who were dealing with the Third Reich which refer to Hitler's death. They had his last will and testament in which he talks about his death in there. His marriage certificate. On the Soviet side they had Hitler's dentist identify Hitler's jaw and his teeth which they dug up in front of the Reichschancellory garden. In the Soviet intelligence files you can actually read the interrogations of the dental staff. And they also confirmed later that the bloodstains on the sofa were Hitler's as well. So you have an abundance of eyewitness evidence, an abundance of documentary evidence, and some forensic evidence as well. So you get all this from these documents. It really is fascinating. Mike: So your book, Hitler's Death, has been out for about two years now. Have you gotten any reactions to it? Luke: Yeah, so the reactions from academics and sort of experts has been largely positive. In fact, I'd almost go as far to say mostly positive. So I was happy with that, and I've had some really nice reviews from members of the general public as well. It's a bit of a weird sort of hybrid book in that it is an academic book, and it is written in a largely academic style. But it's pitched towards a more general audience because I think the conclusions and the topic are important, and I wanted to sort of get them out there to a wider audience. It's largely succeeded in doing that and doing its job which is to give historians and other people that want to investigate this a sort of central reference to tackle any sort of future Hitler survival nonsense which might come about, and also to squash the current Hitler survival nonsense. And I think it's done a good job in doing that. I've noticed myself on social media, the amount of people claiming that Hitler survived the war has reduced. But, you know, the sad thing about it is I don't think you can ever permanently kill an idea. And I think it's the same with nazism and neo-nazism as well. There's always going to be a few people who believe this stuff, but what we can do is to keep that number to the minimum possible. And that would be perfect if we could do that. Mike: Well for what it's worth, I think it's a fascinating read and does a great job of taking readers through the Anglo-American military and intelligence agency documents pertaining to Hitler's death. Luke Daly-Groves thank you so much for being on the first episode of The Nazi Lies Podcast. The book again is Hitler's Death out from Osprey Publishing. Luke: Pleasure, thank you very much. [Theme song]

Bose, Shey Aajo Jibito
Bose argues with the British War Office

Bose, Shey Aajo Jibito

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 6:14


Bose charges the British War Office for denying Indian students the right to enrol in the army training. He taunts the officers and angers them.

Bose, Shey Aajo Jibito
Indians wish to enroll in Military training

Bose, Shey Aajo Jibito

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 6:44


Subhash gets accustomed to the discipline of the British culture. The Indian students wish to be enrolled into the military training programme against the wishes of the university authority. Subhash is selected to speak to the War Office to allow enrollment of Indians into training.

Forgotten Wars
Episode 1.25 A General Gets Broken

Forgotten Wars

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2021 29:51


This story centers on mistakes made around Ladysmith ... on Mournful Monday. Notes: Make sure to check out the article I mention about an "American-led" brigade of Irishmen before it is sealed behind a paywall. This link will take you to the blog section of Forgotten Wars: https://forgottenwarspodcast.com/blog/ It would also mean a lot if you'd support the show at patreon.com/forgottenwars The show can't go on without your support.

Forgotten Wars
Episode 1.21 Milner's War? Part 2

Forgotten Wars

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2021 46:29


Was Milner most responsible for starting the Second Boer War aka the South African War ... OR were others just as responsible? This episode and the previous episode attempt to give you background to help you work to come to your own conclusion. As a newcomer and an American, I can honestly tell you that I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other. But my podcast episodes are only a start. If you'd like access to all the sources I consulted for these episodes, consider supporting the show below. 1) Get more from the show and help it grow by visiting our Patreon page at patreon.com/forgottenwars 2) If you have show questions or guest suggestions, email us at forgottenwarspodcast@gmail.com

Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast
TDP 970: @BigFinish 20 for 20 - #DoctorWho - The Nowhere Place

Doctor Who: Tin Dog Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2020 11:39


2197. The fighter-carrier Valiant has just crossed Pluto's orbital path. Its captain is expecting trouble from alien raiders. She is not expecting the Doctor and Evelyn. She does not believe members of her crew when they say they can hear an ancient bell ringing. A bell that strikes terror into their hearts. 1952. The Turret Class locomotive Ivy Lee is hurtling through the night. On board, there should only be two passengers: both of them carrying documents from the War Office. But now, there are also two unexpected visitors on the train. One is the guard with ill-fitting trousers, the other is an excessively dotty old lady. The Doctor and Evelyn have arrived and 'Time's End' is approaching. **THIS TITLE IS NOW OUT OF PRINT ON CD**   https://www.amazon.co.uk/Villain-Venice-JANE-AIR-BOOK/dp/B0884MH4D6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1590695078&refinements=p_27%3AMichael+Sinclair&s=books&sr=1-1

Bawdsey Radar Presents Under the Radar
Army Radar Developments

Bawdsey Radar Presents Under the Radar

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2020 11:58


In the 5th podcast in this series, Phil describes the less well-known contribution to radar development by the War Office scientists who worked on Army radar projects at Bawdsey from 1936 onwards. If you worked at Bawdsey or know someone that did we would love to hear from you. You can contact us on social media or via our website. To find more information on any of the episodes in the series, head to our website here

BFBS Radio Sitrep
Legacy of VJ Day; Defence Review; Beirut Explosion

BFBS Radio Sitrep

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 29:48


75 years on - what's the legacy of VJ day? How should the government review the UK's security and defence needs? We hear what military personnel are doing to help after the devastating explosion in Beirut And why the script of the film 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' caused concern in the War Office. Follow us @bfbssitrep

BFBS Radio Sitrep
Legacy of VJ Day; Defence Review; Beirut Explosion

BFBS Radio Sitrep

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 29:48


75 years on - what’s the legacy of VJ day? How should the government review the UK’s security and defence needs? We hear what military personnel are doing to help after the devastating explosion in Beirut And why the script of the film 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' caused concern in the War Office. Follow us @bfbssitrep

BFBS Radio - Factual & Documentaries
Sitrep 13th August 2020

BFBS Radio - Factual & Documentaries

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2020 29:48


75 years on - what's the legacy of VJ day? How should the government review the UK's security and defence needs? We hear what military personnel are doing to help after the devastating explosion in Beirut. Why did the script of the film 'The Bridge on the River Kwai' cause concern in the War Office?

Tanks Encyclopedia
042 FV4005 Heavy Anti-Tank, SP, No. 1 “Centaur” - Interim BFG

Tanks Encyclopedia

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2020 22:53


In the late 1940s, the British War Office (WO) was concerned that – after the debut of the IS-3 in 1945 – the Soviet Union would continue to develop heavily armored tanks. As such, the War Office filed a requirement for the development of a gun capable of defeating a 60-degree sloped plate, 6 inches (152 mm) thick, at up to 2,000 yards (1,830 meters), and a suitable vehicle to carry it. This requirement led to the development of the ‘Ordnance, Quick-Firing, 183 mm, Tank, L4 Gun’, the largest purpose-built anti-tank gun to have ever been created. It was intended that this gun would be mounted on a new ‘Heavy Gun Tank’ based on the FV200 series chassis. This was designated the ‘Tank, Heavy No. 2, 183 mm Gun, FV215’. A project was also launched to find a way to get the gun into action quickly on an existing hull. This could then be constructed quickly should the Cold War turn hot before the FV215 was ready. This is where the FV4005 project comes in. Article: https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwa... If you liked this video, please consider donating on Patreon or Paypal! Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/tankartfund Paypal: https://www.paypal.me/tankartfund An article by Mark Nash Video mounted by Big Turn: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6Dt... Audio edited by Gabethetanker Voicing by Lucian Stan

The Essay
Epynt

The Essay

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2020 13:45


Jon Gower, writer and keen walker of the Welsh mountains, explores the unique characteristics of each of Wales's five ranges and reflects on what they mean to the people who live among them. For many people, Wales is synonymous with its mountains. They occupy a unique place in the country's ancient mythology, its history and its culture, defining who rules the country, who lives in it, and how they survive. But each of the mountain ranges of Wales has its own unique character. In this series of The Essay, Jon Gower paints a detailed portrait of the landscape of these higher places, and in doing so, explores how they've shaped the country's psyche. In his essay on Epynt, Jon reflects on a landscape that offers meagre grazing for animals, dotted with small ponds and peat bogs, and which remains haunted by the eviction of many inhabitants by the War Office in 1939. Given over to military training, the scything of wind through the tough grasses is for most of the year punctuated by the sound of mortar fire, anti-tank weaponry and machine guns. Producer: Megan Jones for BBC Cymru Wales

The Essay
Snowdonia

The Essay

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2020 13:42


Jon Gower, writer and keen walker of the Welsh mountains, explores the unique characteristics of each of Wales' five ranges and reflects on what they mean to the people who live among them. For many people, Wales is synonymous with its mountains. They occupy a unique place in the country's ancient mythology, its history and its culture, defining who rules the country, who lives in it, and how they survive. But each of the mountain ranges of Wales has its own unique character. In this series of The Essay, Jon Gower paints a detailed portrait of the landscape of these higher places, and in doing so, explores how they've shaped the country's psyche. In the first essay Jon considers Snowdonia as a place of refuge, from the Welsh princes that built their castles here to take advantage of the natural defensive system, to the rare plants finding sanctuary on almost unscalable ledges. In ‘The Black Mountains', Jon looks at the way these hills, benign and balmy on some occasions, at others beset by fierce weather, have attracted writers and poets to it like a honeypot, from Owen Sheers to Jan Morris: just as Ordnance Survey maps are covered in contour lines, so too is the landscape around here seemingly covered in lines, of poetry. Jon sees the Brecon Beacons as being all about water - from their formation by gargantuan glaciers, rumbling slowly across the land gouging valleys and shuffling rocks ever onward, to the many waterfalls tumbling into space. The most remarkable of these is Sgwd yr Eira, the ‘fall of snow', a veritable avalanche of spume and rush where you can actually walk behind the curtain of water. In his essay on Epynt, Jon reflects on a landscape that offers meagre grazing for animals, dotted with small ponds and peat bogs, and which remains haunted by the eviction of many inhabitants by the War Office in 1939. Given over to military training, the scything of wind through the tough grasses is for most of the year punctuated by the sound of mortar fire, anti-tank weaponry and machine guns. And in ‘The Preseli Mountains', Jon explores the most mystical range of mountains, which are barely mountains, though the highest of them, Foel Cwmcerwyn, stands tall and sentinel enough to have guided the sailors of west Wales safely to shore. On a clear day you can see not only the patterned field tapestries of Pembrokeshire – shot through with the gold threads of gorse hedges – but also nine other Welsh counties, and the charcoal edge of Ireland across the sea. Producer: Megan Jones for BBC Cymru Wales

Placecloud: Stories of Place
Festoons and swags on Pall Mall

Placecloud: Stories of Place

Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2020 1:41


A potted history of the RAC club on Pall Mall. Housed in very grand buildings near to Buckingham Palace that were once used as the War Office, the RAC offers members an Edwardian marble swimming pool, Turkish baths, squash courts and chandeliered drawing rooms.

New Books in Diplomatic History
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in Diplomatic History

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain's war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain's ambassador to Austria until his brother's suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent's effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in History
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain’s war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain’s ambassador to Austria until his brother’s suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent’s effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Military History
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in Military History

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain’s war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain’s ambassador to Austria until his brother’s suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent’s effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in European Studies
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in European Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain’s war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain’s ambassador to Austria until his brother’s suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent’s effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in British Studies
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in British Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain’s war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain’s ambassador to Austria until his brother’s suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent’s effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in Biography
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books in Biography

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain’s war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain’s ambassador to Austria until his brother’s suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent’s effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books Network
Reider Payne, "War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era" (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 26, 2019 68:12


Though Robert Stewart, Viscount Castlereagh remains well known today for his role in shaping the post-Napoleonic peace settlement in Europe, his half-brother Sir Charles Stewart has received far less attention despite his own prominent part in the politics and diplomacy of those years. In War and Diplomacy in the Napoleonic Era: Sir Charles Stewart, Castlereagh and the Balance of Power in Europe (Bloomsbury Academic, 2019), Reider Payne describes the adventurous life of the third Marquess of Londonderry and the roles he played in the events of his time. As a young man Charles Stewart initially pursued a career in the military rather than one in politics, and served in the cavalry during Great Britain’s war against revolutionary France in the 1790s. After a brief period in the War Office he resumed his military career and served with the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War. His record as an officer and his relationship with his half-brother led to his appointment as an ambassador – first to Prussia, then to Austria – in which roles he represented Britain at the courts of her most prominent allies during the final stages of the Napoleonic Wars. Though Charles was often better known for his social escapades, he served ably as Britain’s ambassador to Austria until his brother’s suicide in 1822, during which time he was active in both post-Napoleonic diplomacy and the efforts to collect incriminating evidence against Princess Caroline of Brunswick in aid of the Prince Regent’s effort to divorce her. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dead Reckoning Collective
DRC18 - Jariko Denman [War Office Productions]

Dead Reckoning Collective

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 9, 2019 56:51


Take notes from Jariko Denman if you’ve ever been interested in working as a technical advisor for film. He shares lessons learned from 15 years in the 75th Ranger Regiment, 5 years as a ROTC instructor and every second since learning the ins and outs of the film industry. http://www.warofficeproductions.com

Front Row
Saxophonist Jess Gillam, war poster artist Abram Games, author Tayari Jones

Front Row

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 18, 2019 28:16


The saxophonist Jess Gillam was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician award in 2016 and went on to take the Last Night of the Proms by storm last year. She plays live in the studio and talks to Samira about her beginnings in a carnival band in Cumbria and how she wants to expand the repertoire for sax players in classical music. The influential graphic designer Abram Games, who created The Festival of Britain 1951 poster and the BBC’s first television logo, first came to prominence as the 'Official War Poster Artist' during the Second World War. Over 100 of the posters he created while employed by the War Office are on display at new exhibition at the National Army Museum in London. Curator Emma Mawdsley discusses the significance of the artist and his work. Tayari Jones’s novel, An American Marriage, tells the story of a young African-American couple whose lives are torn apart when the husband is imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Tayari Jones discusses the inspiration for her the book which has been championed by Oprah and picked by Barack Obama as one of his favourite summer reads of 2018. Presenter Samira Ahmed Producer Harry Parker

AeroSociety Podcast
Classic Lecture Series: Samuel Cody, the flying cowboy by Peter Reese

AeroSociety Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 22, 2019 38:30


An American showman turned member of the British Army’s Balloon School, Samuel Franklin Cody used his imagination for aviation, endless courage and engineering virtuosity to become the first man in Britain to fly in an aircraft of his own making and to stand beside the Wright Brothers as the first people to be awarded the Royal Aeronautical Society’s medals. In this podcast historian Peter Reese tells the story of how a man moved from performing a Wild West Show to becoming an aeronautical pioneer by firstly building man-carrying kites and then to build and fly the first British aeroplane, before showing how, once the War Office declared against constructing aeroplanes in favour of airships, Cody continued to build and race award winning aeroplanes on his own behalf and outfly other aviators of the period. The podcast was produced by Mike Stanberry FRAeS and recorded specially for the Royal Aeronautical Society’s Podcast series during 2019.

Who Back When | A Doctor Who Podcast
B046 Operation Pandorica, Part 2

Who Back When | A Doctor Who Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2018 28:23


In Part 2 of Operation Pandorica, Eileen is headhunted for The War Office, Wilf goes to make peace with Rory, and an old foe rolls through town.

Home Front - Omnibus
25-29 June 1918

Home Front - Omnibus

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2018 56:43


The second omnibus of Season 14, Needs Must When the Devil Drives, set in Devon, in the week, in 1918, when the War Office called for 10,000 wounded, unfit and older men to help with the looming harvest. At Staverley Court, meanwhile, Hector and Cora receive a field postcard. Written by Lucy Catherine Story-led by Sebastian Baczkiewicz Directed by Ciaran Bermingham Editor: Jessica Dromgoole Sound: Martha Littlehailes Composer: Matthew Strachan Consultant Historian: Maggie Andrews.

Home Front
20 March 1918 - Kitty Lumley

Home Front

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2018 11:54


On this day in 1918, the War Office forbade the use of 'maisons tolérées', and in Folkestone, Kitty encounters the sharp end of intolerance. Written by Katie Hims Story-led by Sarah Daniels Directed by Jessica Dromgoole.

New Books in Military History
David G. Morgan-Owen, “The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914” (Oxford University Press, 2017)

New Books in Military History

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2017 50:57


David Morgan-Owen‘s The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914 (Oxford University Press, 2017) tells a complex story clearly and concisely. In the decades prior to the Great War, British preparations for defense of its commercial and imperial interests were warped by fears of an invasion of the home islands. The specter of a French, or after 1905, a German invasion prevented British officials in the Cabinet, the War Office, and the Admiralty from thinking clearly about how to prosecute a European war. Planning to prevent or defeat an enemy landing kept the Royal Navy in a defensive mindset and kept the British Army from thinking clearly about sending an expedition to the continent. Ironically, whether or not the French or Germans themselves had any clear plans to invade Britain went largely undiscussed. As Morgan-Owen makes clear in the interview, even those who consider themselves well-read on the subject of British grand strategy will learn much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in History
David G. Morgan-Owen, “The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914” (Oxford University Press, 2017)

New Books in History

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2017 51:10


David Morgan-Owen‘s The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914 (Oxford University Press, 2017) tells a complex story clearly and concisely. In the decades prior to the Great War, British preparations for defense of its commercial and imperial interests were warped by fears of an invasion of the home islands. The specter of a French, or after 1905, a German invasion prevented British officials in the Cabinet, the War Office, and the Admiralty from thinking clearly about how to prosecute a European war. Planning to prevent or defeat an enemy landing kept the Royal Navy in a defensive mindset and kept the British Army from thinking clearly about sending an expedition to the continent. Ironically, whether or not the French or Germans themselves had any clear plans to invade Britain went largely undiscussed. As Morgan-Owen makes clear in the interview, even those who consider themselves well-read on the subject of British grand strategy will learn much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in British Studies
David G. Morgan-Owen, “The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914” (Oxford University Press, 2017)

New Books in British Studies

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2017 50:57


David Morgan-Owen‘s The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914 (Oxford University Press, 2017) tells a complex story clearly and concisely. In the decades prior to the Great War, British preparations for defense of its commercial and imperial interests were warped by fears of an invasion of the home islands. The specter of a French, or after 1905, a German invasion prevented British officials in the Cabinet, the War Office, and the Admiralty from thinking clearly about how to prosecute a European war. Planning to prevent or defeat an enemy landing kept the Royal Navy in a defensive mindset and kept the British Army from thinking clearly about sending an expedition to the continent. Ironically, whether or not the French or Germans themselves had any clear plans to invade Britain went largely undiscussed. As Morgan-Owen makes clear in the interview, even those who consider themselves well-read on the subject of British grand strategy will learn much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books Network
David G. Morgan-Owen, “The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914” (Oxford University Press, 2017)

New Books Network

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2017 50:57


David Morgan-Owen‘s The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914 (Oxford University Press, 2017) tells a complex story clearly and concisely. In the decades prior to the Great War, British preparations for defense of its commercial and imperial interests were warped by fears of an invasion of the home islands. The specter of a French, or after 1905, a German invasion prevented British officials in the Cabinet, the War Office, and the Admiralty from thinking clearly about how to prosecute a European war. Planning to prevent or defeat an enemy landing kept the Royal Navy in a defensive mindset and kept the British Army from thinking clearly about sending an expedition to the continent. Ironically, whether or not the French or Germans themselves had any clear plans to invade Britain went largely undiscussed. As Morgan-Owen makes clear in the interview, even those who consider themselves well-read on the subject of British grand strategy will learn much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Books in National Security
David G. Morgan-Owen, “The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914” (Oxford University Press, 2017)

New Books in National Security

Play Episode Listen Later Dec 5, 2017 50:57


David Morgan-Owen‘s The Fear of Invasion: Strategy, Politics, and British War Planning, 1880-1914 (Oxford University Press, 2017) tells a complex story clearly and concisely. In the decades prior to the Great War, British preparations for defense of its commercial and imperial interests were warped by fears of an invasion of the home islands. The specter of a French, or after 1905, a German invasion prevented British officials in the Cabinet, the War Office, and the Admiralty from thinking clearly about how to prosecute a European war. Planning to prevent or defeat an enemy landing kept the Royal Navy in a defensive mindset and kept the British Army from thinking clearly about sending an expedition to the continent. Ironically, whether or not the French or Germans themselves had any clear plans to invade Britain went largely undiscussed. As Morgan-Owen makes clear in the interview, even those who consider themselves well-read on the subject of British grand strategy will learn much. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New Zealand History
Counting redcoats: Who were the imperial soldiers serving in New Zealand in the 1860s?

New Zealand History

Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2017 47:13


In this episode, Charlotte Macdonald and Rebecca Lenihan will discuss the development of a database of men serving in the imperial regiments in New Zealand, the nature of the ‘big data' generated by the War Office, issues, limitations and possibilities to date, and goals for the database's continuing development, along with some preliminary analysis. An initial release of the database is planned ahead of Rā Maumahara – the National Day of Commemoration on 28 October. At least 12,000 imperial soldiers served in New Zealand in the wars of the 1860s. Who were the faces behind the uniforms serving Queen and government in this pivotal moment in New Zealand's history? Where did the soldiers come from? Where did they go to? Many men had served in the Crimea, India or Australia. Some women and children also travelled with the regiments. What did they bring to New Zealand? And how might the wars on these soils be understood within the broader history of the British Empire in the mid-nineteenth century? Professor Macdonald is Professor of History at Victoria University of Wellington Te Whare Wānanga o te Ūpoko o Te Ika a Maui. Dr Lenihan is a post-doctoral fellow at Victoria University of Wellington Te Whare Wānanga o te Ūpoko o Te Ika a Maui, working with Charlotte Macdonald on the Soldiers of Empire project. She is the author of From Alba to Aotearoa: Profiling New Zealand's Scots 1840-1920 (Otago University Press, 2015). Recorded at the National Library of New Zealand, 4 October 2017.

Yesterday's Chip Paper
17. Hokum or Broken? Debunking Dr. Death Ray

Yesterday's Chip Paper

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2017 38:29


Ingenious inventor or crackpot fraud? This is the question on everyone’s mind with this edition of Yesterday’s Chip Paper. When an English inventor lights up the world’s imaginations with claims of his invisible Death Ray, the War Office is quick to try and validate it. So is Harry Grindell Matthews onto something or is this a fraudulent story gone way too far? Also this week, Jim finds the shortest poem in the world and an ode to the old Hollywood great John Wayne. Yesterday’s Chip Paper is a fortnightly(ish) history podcast that looks into the strange, macabre and downright terrifying stories found in historic newspaper archives. Whether it be true crime, tales of adventure or unbelievable characters from history, it’s guaranteed to be downright bonkers. Your hosts, Jim and Violet, are two amateur researchers based on opposite sides of the Atlantic who love delving into the crazy world of historic newspapers and getting to the bottom of history’s strangest headlines from across the world. Newspaper archives used in this episode: British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ Newspapers.com TROVE (National Library of Australia) trove.nla.gov.au/ More on Harry Grindell Matthews: http://www.rexresearch.com/grinmatth/grmatthews.htm http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/harry-grindell-matthews-madcap-inventor-of-the-death-ray-and-the-sky-projector/ Yesterday’s Chip Paper online: Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/paperpodcast Follow us on on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paperpodcast Review us on iTunes GB: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2 Review us on iTunes US: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2

Home Front
31 May 1917 - Gabriel Graham

Home Front

Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2017 12:10


On this day in 1917, the War Office met to discuss how to prevent future aeroplane attacks like that on Folkestone, and Gabriel Graham deals with the fallout locally. Written by Katie Hims Directed by Allegra McIlroy Sound: Martha Littlehailes Editor: Jessica Dromgoole.

Home Front
12 May 1917 - Isabel Graham

Home Front

Play Episode Listen Later May 12, 2017 11:39


On this day in 1917, the War Office announced that it would open voluntary attestation to men up to the age of 50, and Isabel assembles a mixed choir. Singers ..... Nancy Cole, Ksynia Loeffler, Stephen Jeffes, Tom Raskin, Charles Gibbs Organ ..... David Smith Written by Sebastian Baczkiewicz Singers conducted by Sam Evans Sound: Martha Littlehailes Directed by Jessica Dromgoole.

Coming Soon Cast
Episode 086 -Beauty and The Beast | Pet | The 24 Hour War | Office Christmas Party

Coming Soon Cast

Play Episode Listen Later Nov 20, 2016 71:59


In this episode Sean & Vito will discuss trailers for the following 3 films and 1 documentary: Beauty and The Beast, Pet, The 24 Hour War, and Office Christmas Party.

Aussie Waves Podcast
AWP-39-Escape via the Vatican: the amazing WWII story of CQMS William Cook

Aussie Waves Podcast

Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2016 20:31


It’s the ANZAC Day long weekend. And it's also family history time!! Find out how my grandfather Company Quartermaster Sergeant Major William Cook was captured in North Africa in November 1942, was made prisoner of war, and escaped via the Vatican. An amazing story and one I did not believe until my family was recently able to retrieve official War Office documents!! I’ll post these documents on the AWP Facebook page. I know it isn't strictly Australian history, but it is a great story.

The History Network
2007 The Lovat Scouts

The History Network

Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2016 24:41


Despite being well-led, trained, and equipped at the outbreak of the Second Boer War in October 1899, the British army was unprepared for the guerilla-style tactics their enemy employed, suffering more than 3000 casualties and several defeats in the first two months of the conflict. On December 12th, as the leadership in London was attempting to formulate a plan to counter the Boer threat, 28-year old reservist Lieutenant Simon Joseph Fraser the 14th Lord Lovat & 22nd chief of the clan Fraser, approached the War Office with a proposal to raise two companies of Scottish Highlanders, one mounted and one infantry, for use as elite units with the express mission of neutralizing the Boer on their own terms. Dur: 25mins File: .mp3

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)
The Liberal Government and the First World War

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2015 23:21


In the first two years of the First World War, British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith was a distant and detached character, leaving major decisions to the War Office, Winston Churchill and Horatio Kitchener. By 1915 two crises, munitions shortages and Gallipoli had resulted in his subordinates political demise and the creation of a coalition government. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Become a member at https://plus.acast.com/s/explaininghistory.

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)
The Liberal Government and the First World War

Explaining History (explaininghistory) (explaininghistory)

Play Episode Listen Later Jan 21, 2015 23:21


In the first two years of the First World War, British Prime Minister Herbert Asquith was a distant and detached character, leaving major decisions to the War Office, Winston Churchill and Horatio Kitchener. By 1915 two crises, munitions shortages and Gallipoli had resulted in his subordinates political demise and the creation of a coalition government. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Bletchley Park
Signals Intelligence in World War One

Bletchley Park

Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2014 5:54


August 2014 As the centenary of World War One is marked, Bletchley Park looks back at the early intelligence career of one of its lesser-known geniuses. In this extract, recorded at the Codebreaker’s Legacy Talks in November 2013, bestselling author and Bletchley Park Trustee Michael Smith charts the World War One service of John Tiltman, Bletchley Park's Chief Cryptographer, who was awarded the Military Cross fighting in the trenches. After being badly wounded in the Battle of Arras he transferred to military intelligence beginning a brilliant codebreaking career that was to last more than sixty years. Bletchley Park became the World War Two home of the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS), which was formed shortly after the allied armistice with Germany in November 1919. GC&CS was the outcome of a merger between the two significant codebreaking and signals intelligence departments of the then recent war: Room 40 or I.D. 25 (part of Naval Intelligence located within the Admiralty) and MI1(b) (a sub-section of Military Intelligence located within the War Office). A number of individuals who played important roles in codebreaking during World War One, went on to perform prominent roles at Bletchley Park during World War Two, such as Alastair Denniston, Dilly Knox, Frank Birch, Oliver Strachey, and Nigel de Grey. The great accomplishments of the GC&CS during World War Two owe a great deal to the first official government codebreaking and signals intelligence departments that were established just after the outbreak of World War One. This story will be explored in an exciting new exhibition due to open in 2015 co-sponsored by BAE Systems Applied Intelligence and Ultra Electronics. Picture: ©shaunarmstrong/mubsta.com #BPark, #Bletchleypark, #WW1centenary

World War One
How Britain Went to War

World War One

Play Episode Listen Later Jul 28, 2014 56:46


Leading Whitehall historian Peter Hennessy examines Britain's secret war planning and preparations before 1914. Drawing on official papers, sound archive, and interviews with historians, Hennessy discusses what was in the minds of Asquith, ministers, officials and top soldiers and sailors, as they prepared for a possible conflict and as they finally took Britain into war in August 1914. He explores tensions between senior military and naval officers, between the Admiralty and the War Office, and within the Cabinet, and shows how debates and divisions shaped the war plans and influenced their effectiveness.

Great Lives
Florence Nightingale

Great Lives

Play Episode Listen Later Jun 5, 2013 27:52


Dr Lucy Worsley chooses a figure as familiar as she is unknown, the great champion of Victorian nursing, Florence Nightingale. Known as 'the Lady with the Lamp' for her work in the Crimea. Born in 1820 into an upper middle class family, Florence experienced early life as a bird in a gilded cage and suffered frequent 'nervous collapse'. Prodigiously intelligent, she was also deeply religious, and at 16 declared she had heard the voice of God, calling her to nursing. By her thirties, and despite opposition from her family, Florence had succeeded in training as a nurse. She was working in a Harley Street establishment for the care of gentlewomen when Britain and France joined Turkish forces against the Russians in the Crimea. As reports came in of the men's suffering, she became convinced of her ability to help. Commissioned by the War Office, Florence set sail for the Crimea in 1854, and her work there quickly became well known. Walking the corridors with her lamp, she was adored by the men for her determination to spare them the diseases like cholera and typhus that were decimating their numbers. But she was as steely as she was compassionate, and ran her troop of nurses with a military discipline. In Britain her reputation grew. By the time of her return two years later, Florence was a reluctant celebrity, frail and ill. While her mother and sister basked in her glory, Florence retreated from the limelight, and for some years was bed-bound. It's now believed she had brucellosis, an illness contracted through infected milk, which leads to depression and severe pain. Yet this did not stop her engagement with medicine, and even from her bed she was instrumental in changing the way that healthcare was implemented both in the Army, and in society at large. Statistics was key to this, and a passion for Florence, who saw in the gathering of data, the evidence of God's patterns at work. She also famously established a school for nursing, and professionalised nursing work. Dr Lucy Worsley, television historian, writer and Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that looks after buildings including Hampton Court and the Tower of London, joins Matthew Parris to discuss the complex background of 'the Lady with the Lamp'. And biographer Mark Bostridge explains why Nightingale has a right to be regarded as a great genius of the Victorian age. Producer: Lizz Pearson First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2013.