Battleground - Goalhanger - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

381. Battleground: Special Forces — The Listener Mailbag Mar 18, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Battleground, Saul David and Patrick Bishop dive into a packed mailbag to answer your thoughts and questions on the elite units and daring raids that defined 20th-century special operations.

Among the topics of discussion in today's episode are: operations by Norwegian SOFs during WW2, the daring Italian manned-torpedo raids on the British fleet at Alexandria in 1941, and Operation Jaywick - the audacious 1943 raid on Singapore Harbour.

Join the Conversation:If you have a question about the history of special forces or any of the conflicts we cover, email us at podbattleground@gmail.com or follow us on X @PodBattleground.

Producer: James Hodgson

A Goalhanger Podcast

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380. Tragedy, Resilience, and Defiance: Reflections from a Week Across Ukraine Mar 13, 2026

Show notes

Recording from an overnight train traveling across Ukraine, Saul David and Julius Strauss reflect on an intensive week-long journey from Odesa to Kyiv. In this episode, they bear witness to the jarring dualities of a country at war—reporting directly from the site of a devastating missile strike on a Kharkiv apartment block.

They also share insights from Odesa on the repair of the electrical grid and the ongoing struggle against infrastructure attacks. And do an analysis of the ongoing dispute with Hungary and Ukraine’s growing diplomatic influence in the Gulf.

Join Saul and Julius for an atmospheric debrief on the endurance of the Ukrainian spirit, captured in transit as they head toward the final leg of their tour.

Join us as we conclude our deep dive into one of the most significant Special Forces operations in British history.

If you would like to watch this podcast you can watch it on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uaEu09gbu5k

Julius Strauss writes the blog Back from the Front and also owns and runs Wild Bear Lodge, a bear-viewing lodge, in Canada. Here are the hyperlinks:

Substack: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/

Wild Bear Lodge: https://wildbearlodge.ca/

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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379. The Raid: Inside the SAS Assault on the Iranian Embassy: Part 2 Mar 11, 2026

Show notes

At 7:07 p.m. on May 5, 1980, the Metropolitan Police officially handed control of the Iranian Embassy siege to the SAS. What followed were seventeen minutes of high-stakes drama that would change the reputation of the Special Air Service forever.

In this episode, Patrick Bishop and Saul David break down the frantic tactical reality of Operation Nimrod. We explore the "Blue" and "Red" team assaults, the infamous moment an operative became entangled in his abseil rope, and the live television broadcast that captivated millions across the globe.

Beyond the flashbangs and the smoke, they tackle the difficult questions:

The Controversy: Was there a "shoot-to-kill" policy? We examine the accounts of hostages and the fate of the surviving terrorists.
The Global Impact: How Margaret Thatcher used the success of the raid as diplomatic leverage to try and free American hostages in Tehran.
The Legacy: How a "textbook" assault on the edge of Hyde Park transformed the SAS from a shadowy unit into a world-renowned anti-terrorist force.

Join us as we conclude our deep dive into one of the most significant Special Forces operations in British history.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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378. Why Hungary and Iran Matter for Ukraine Right Now Mar 08, 2026

Show notes

If you are interested in reading more from Julius Strauss, you can find his substack here: https://backfromthefront.substack.com/

In a bonus edition of Battleground Ukraine, Saul David and Julius Strauss are joined by Boldizsar Gyori to discuss the recent surge in tensions between Hungary and Ukraine and assess why recent developments could be very significant for Ukraine going forward.

Additionally, they discuss the implications of the latest developments in the ongoing conflict in Iran and the wider Middle East region and weigh up the potential impact they might have on Ukraine.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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377. The Iran Distraction: How the Middle East Mega-Drama Redraws the Map for Kyiv Mar 06, 2026

Show notes

While the world’s gaze is fixed on the "mega-drama" unfolding across Iran and the Middle East, the tremors are being felt on the battlefields of Ukraine. In this episode, Roger Moorhouse and Patrick Bishop dive into the high-stakes geopolitical fallout of a widening Middle Eastern conflict and what it means for Kyiv.

As the U.S. and Israel burn through interceptor stocks, we ask the critical question: Is there enough room in the American arsenal for both the Middle East and Ukraine? With Donald Trump’s priorities shifting and production lines struggling to keep pace, Ukraine finds itself slipping further back in the queue for life-saving air defence.

In this episode, we discuss:

The Arsenal Drain: How the deployment of Patriot batteries across the Gulf and Israel’s "nitty-gritty" need for ammunition is creating a global scarcity that threatens Ukrainian airspace.
The Shaheed Shift: Why the disruption of Iranian exports might not be the win for Ukraine it seems, as Russia ramps up domestic production of the Geran-2 drone.
Trump’s "Forever War" Dilemma: The diplomatic consequences of a potential stalemate in Iran and why the U.S. President appears "out of the picture" regarding the Ukraine story.
Europe’s Exposed Weakness: A look at the "divided and hesitant" response from the EU’s Big Three and the conspicuous silence of Kaja Kallas and Ursula von der Leyen.

The Force de Frappe: France’s bold move to evolve its nuclear doctrine as Europe begins the painful process of weaning itself off U.S. dependency.

Is Putin the ultimate beneficiary of the chaos in Tehran? Join us as we unpack a week where the sidelines of the conflict have never felt more consequential.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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376. The SAS and the Iranian Embassy Siege: Part 1 Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

In 1980, the SAS was a shadowy unit few had heard of. Six days at the Iranian Embassy changed that forever.

In the spring of that year, the eyes of the world turned to a quiet corner of South Kensington, London. Six armed gunmen had stormed the Iranian Embassy, taking 26 hostages and sparking a high-stakes standoff that would change the face of counter-terrorism forever.

In the first of a special two-part series, hosts Saul David and Patrick Bishop trace the origins of the crisis, exploring the geopolitical tinderbox that led the gunmen to 16 Princes Gate and the desperate "strategy of patience" employed by the British government.

They also look at how the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre forced Britain to create a dedicated counter-terrorist capability within the SAS. The moment the gunmen struck, the secret weapon hidden on a British police officer, and the agonising deliberations inside COBRA and the "bluff" that finally triggered the order to send in the SAS.

As the sun sets on Day Six, the order is given: "Go in."

The hostage-takers think a coach is coming to take them to the airport. They are wrong. Don't miss Part 2, where we break down the legendary SAS raid itself: the room-by-room clearance, the near-disasters, and the legacy of the most famous special forces operation in British history.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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375. Ukraine’s Spring Surge Feb 27, 2026

Show notes

As we pass the fourth anniversary of Putin’s full-scale invasion, Patrick Bishop and Saul David explore whether the tide of the war is finally turning in Ukraine's favour. Following a winter of stasis, Ukrainian forces have reclaimed 400 square kilometres in mere weeks—outpacing Russia’s entire December gains.

In this episode, we dive into the factors driving this sudden shift:

The Starlink Effect: How Elon Musk’s decision to block Russian access has been exploited to the maximum by Ukrainian forces.
The Personnel Crisis: With Russian casualties reaching a critical watershed, we discuss the "contract-niki" system and the ominous new legislation that could see Russian reservists deployed for "special tasks."
Economic "Death Zone": We analyse the state of the Russian economy—where military spending is consuming the country faster than it can be repaired.
The "Zero Line": A chilling look at a recent BBC documentary detailing Russian commanders executing their own men.

In the second half, Patrick and Saul tackle listener questions from across Europe. We discuss the vulnerability of the Baltic states, the potential for a UK independent nuclear deterrent in a post-Trump NATO landscape, and a heated debate over the BBC’s controversial decision to scale back its Ukraine coverage.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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374. Operation Eagle Claw: Disaster in the Desert Feb 25, 2026

Show notes

In the latest instalment of our Battleground: Special Forces series, Saul David and Patrick Bishop deconstruct one of the most ambitious and ill-fated missions in modern military history: Operation Eagle Claw.

In April 1980, with 53 American diplomats held captive in the US Embassy in Tehran and President Jimmy Carter’s political future hanging by a thread, the newly formed Delta Force was called upon for its first-ever mission. The plan was a daring, multi-stage rescue involving clandestine desert airstrips, sea-stallion helicopters, and CIA agents. But between the sandstorms of the Great Salt Desert and a series of mechanical failures, the mission spiralled into a tragedy that would leave eight servicemen dead at the site known as Desert One.

As Saul notes, while the mission was a devastating blow to American prestige, it provided the hard-won lessons that would later enable the success of operations like the raid on Osama bin Laden.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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373. Battlefield Gains, Geneva Stalemates, and the "Helmet of Memory" Feb 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Battleground Ukraine, Saul David and Roger Moorhouse break down a week of high-stakes diplomacy and unexpected battlefield shifts as the war approaches its four-year anniversary.

The duo discusses the rapid collapse of the latest trilateral peace talks in Geneva, which ended in acrimony after just two hours as Russian negotiators refused to budge on territorial demands. Meanwhile, Kyiv sees a "gleam of sunshine" on the ground: Ukrainian forces have retaken 78 square miles of territory near Zaporizhzhia—the most significant gain in such a short window since 2023—thanks in part to a strategic communications blackout involving Starlink terminals.

Finally, we tackle the "disgraceful" Olympic disqualification of a Ukrainian athlete, Marco Rubio’s diplomatic tour of Eastern Europe, and the history of WWII German Special Forces.

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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372. The Cockleshell Heroes: Twelve Men, Two Survivors Feb 18, 2026

Show notes

In this gripping episode of Battleground, Patrick Bishop and Saul David explore one of World War II's most daring commando raids: Operation Frankton, better known as the Cockleshell Heroes mission. In December 1942, twelve Royal Marines volunteers led by Major "Blondie" Hasler embarked on a near-impossible mission to paddle canoes 60 miles up the Gironde estuary to sabotage German blockade runners in the port of Bordeaux.

Against brutal Atlantic conditions, freezing temperatures, and constant threat of discovery, these men demonstrated extraordinary courage and determination. But the mission came at a devastating cost—only two of the twelve would survive. Patrick and Saul examine the meticulous planning, the catastrophic setbacks, and the ultimate question: was the strategic gain worth the human sacrifice?

If you have any thoughts or questions, you can send them to - podbattleground@gmail.com

Producer: James Hodgson

X (Twitter): @PodBattleground

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.