Fighting Through WWII Stories & History

Latest Episodes:

96 Christmas at War with the V1 missiles - 2023 Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

Christmas at war, with more seasonal tales, including a special feature on what Christmas was like in various countries around the globe during WW2. Specials in this episode:German Boy Soldier's Christmas Shoes V1 Doodlebug bombs over Manchester The Last Flight of Lancaster DV189 The Journal of Flight Sergeant Jim Browning Christmas at war around the world

And just to remind you, if you want to fill your December with a catch up on all the previous Christmas episodes for this podcast, you can access them easily by clicking on the episodes item on the website menu and selecting - Christmas!

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Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/96-christmas-at-war-around-the-world-2023

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

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Links to features in the show:

Manchester V1 attack WW2 and comments https://aircrashsites.co.uk/air-raids-bomb-sites/luftwaffe-v1-attack-on-manchester-christmas-eve-1944/

Bomber enemies in WWII became friends https://nation.time.com/2012/12/20/a-christmas-story-but-not-by-charles-dickens/

Eugene Fluckey's book Thunder Below about USS Barb submarine. https://amzn.to/4a9dS3k

http://freesound.org/people/Snipperbes/sounds/145365/

95 Bob Metcalfe memoirs PART TWO Dunkirk/N Africa/Sicily/Italy WW2 Nov 26, 2023

Show notes

PART TWO Featuring No time for dreams: a soldier's six-year journey through World War II. By Robert W. Metcalfe, 4th Green Howards.

PLUS:

What someone's father found in the jungle AFTER the war.

Who wrote to Bob Metcalfe upon publication of his book.

Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/95-Dunkirk-Special-PART-TWO-Bob-Metcalf-World-War-Two-history/

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

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YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

Buy Me a Coffee:

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Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/FightingThrough

Links to features in the show:

Thomas W Gray story - The Eighth Air Force Historical Society (official) Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/8THAFHS/permalink/6392716644111145/

WW2 Stories of Chaos and Courage Robert Gough https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1401905480216353/?mibextid=zDhOQc

Spitfire downed on Dunkirk beach https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1298240560582846/?mibextid=zDhOQc

Ramsgate life-boat - The France and Flanders Campaign 1940 Facebook https://www.facebook.com/861551180637519/posts/pfbid0MUyULj43uQvZ7CJjWhUJRUEd6P4xmbBKapXfv1d2hTvUzmcEAQYV1ZCeEa4Q7Xvql/

Thomas W Gray - The Eighth Air Force Historical Society (official) Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/8THAFHS/permalink/6392716644111145/

WW2 Stories of Chaos and Courage Robert Gough https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1401905480216353/?mibextid=zDhOQc

Recollections of Lieutenant JWR Cocke - Wilbur https://www.facebook.com/861551180637519/posts/pfbid023vpZUKbAJvcmkh2Y4HXQh25buYPeT4doKhBSzfnPus328rVKso3GuuQJvxuqZSpol/

More Dunkirk stories: https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/search/?q=dunkirk

Seth Vader's grandfather's memoir: https://www.reddit.com/r/ww2/s/5OHnpaX7S9

John Moran of Scottish parentage but a Canadian wrote a book under the name Ian Moran called the Lone Piper. https://www.amazon.com.au/Lone-Piper-Story-Millin-Lovats/dp/1706961251

94 Bob Metcalfe memoirs PART ONE Dunkirk/N Africa/Sicily/Italy Nov 18, 2023

Show notes

Featuring No time for dreams: a soldier's six-year journey through World War II. By Robert W. Metcalfe, 4th Green Howards

Bob Metcalf enlisted in the fourth battalion, the Green Howards in December 1935. He saw action in France in 1940, where he was wounded. Subsequently, he served with the sixth battalion, the Green Howards, and the western desert, in Sicily, and was part of a British increment that fought with the fifth United States Army in Italy. After the war, Bob lived in Canada and became a Canadian citizen. He wrote his memoir in the early 1970's.

Plus loads of family stories!

More great unpublished history of world war two!

Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/94-Dunkirk-Special-Bob-Metcalf-Brit-Canadian-Green-Howard-WW2-history

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

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YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

Buy Me a Coffee:

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Patreon:

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Links to features in the show:

France and Flanders – The Scotsmen story https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0rqsd4pF1fs37YC76TPuVgh4tpudaa3Lu7nHhMMX71WGSMQo2rnJ7Vu8eJ6hADWuFl&id=100072081056641

D-Day Operation Overlord facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/1528243384106448/permalink/3551589835105116/

Assn of Dunkirk ships https://www.facebook.com/DunkirkShips/ https://www.adls.org.uk/ https://www.facebook.com/culturevannin/photos/a.421476987984802/2655215381277607/?type=3

Isle of Man Culture Vannin Facebook pagefor the Manx Heritage foundation: taking Manx culture forward

https://culturevannin.im/watchlisten/videos/world-war-two--the-isle-of-man-411483/?fbclid=IwAR1DGg6OnFOGCNd1evVKIBIUuliCuwI7vT-v5xDUcN44-bE5hSJ-kG1myjI

Reddit Stories about WW2 heroes. Sgt Carbonero: https://reddit.com/r/ww2/s/7zhCVvj7sr

Friends of Normanby Village Facebook page – 4th Green Howard story. Albert Edward Mead. https://www.facebook.com/groups/614763812894288/posts/1047674802936518/?comment_id=1047749999595665&reply_comment_id=1047877976249534&notif_id=1699710094723212&notif_t=group_comment_mention

93 The 82nd airborne Part 2, letters from Sicily and Italy WW2 Aug 07, 2023

Show notes

More from Dave Thomas about his father's exploits in the 82nd airborne in Italy.

Preview of The Secret Beach: A Kids World War 2 Adventure. By James Papalia

Green Howards feature - online Sicily exhibition

Telephone chat with veteran Ken Cooke who has some more titbits to share with us about his time in Normandy, with an absolutely superb explanation about what it was like fighting in the French bocage.

Loads of family stories!

More great unpublished history of world war two!

Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/93-the-82nd-airborne-Part-2-letters-from-Sicily-and-Italy-WWII-WW2/

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulCheall

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YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

Links to features in the show:

The Secret Beach - Great WW2 history for kids! Buy here on Amazon: https://a.co/d/6klDSeb

Green Howards https://greenhowards.org.uk/ Online Sicily Exhibition See: https://greenhowards.org.uk/exhibition/first-foot-on-fortress-europe/

Kilroy https://www.facebook.com/groups/wwiiphotographs/permalink/663597541886219/

Edward 'Teddy' Sheean VC WW2 STORIES OF CHAOS AND COURAGE https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1365913053815596/

Champagne Sylvie. La Vie en France https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkRdwn9Ktd1z79n08YYVwhw

Facebook story: WW2 STORIES OF CHAOS AND COURAGE The surly petty officer https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1456548118085422/

Battles and Beers. Every soldier has a story, and every story deserves to be told. Nicholas Laidlaw - What War did to us https://www.facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1156444198095817/

And here is the background to the Italian mission from http://www.facesbeyondthegraves.com/pagina43.html

My mum kept her dads World War I record secret until I found them online. https://facebook.com/groups/754427714964136/permalink/1456548118085422/

92 The 82nd airborne Part 1, letters from Sicily/Italy Jul 31, 2023

Show notes

A great family story from Dave Thomas about his father's exploits in the 82nd airborne in Sicily and Italy.

Interview with Claire and Steve from the Soldier's Charity about a very special Normandy tour you will wish to join later this year.

Loads of family stories!

Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/92-the-82nd-airborne-letters-from-sicily-and-italy-in-WWII

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulCheall

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YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

Links to features in the show:

Links for episode 82 ABF The Soldiers' Charity on their event 'The Frontline Walk' Visit www.soldierscharity.org/frontlinewalk for more information. Normandy specific website: The Frontline Walk: The Normandy Beaches 2023 (soldierscharity.org) Normandy route Day 1: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39060395

Day 2: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39060402

Day 3: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/39060403

Video: Frontline Walk 2022 - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9wAFB6h7MFoohx7WiH7LTA

Song for the Bad Guys - Nick Feint Nick's music is hosted on the bandcamp website and there's a link to in the shownotes https://nickfeint.bandcamp.com/track/song-for-the-bad-guys

https://open.spotify.com/track/0YEOGDmc5v3Foe8IDfujTt?si=vcK-KBDTT4i4UITLbLoOFQ

Nick Feint - Coming Up Roses https://open.spotify.com/track/0YEOGDmc5v3Foe8IDfujTt?si=vcK-KBDTT4i4UITLbLoOFQ

505 Parachute Infantry Regiment website http://www.505rct.org/SICILY.asp

D-Day and TimeGhost History's 24 hour coverage of D-Day, as it really happened. Clips, playlists, and all the chapters of that day as it unfolded. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9wAFB6h7MFoohx7WiH7LTA

Great British Life online Magazine – link … https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/people/22630675.story-behind-luftwaffes-attack-new-mills/

Fred Thomas 504 PIR WW2

91 Kisses on a Postcard - Blitz evacuees of WW2 - Interview with Dominic Frisby Mar 12, 2023

Show notes

An interview with Dominic Frisby. The Kisses on a Postcard musical charts the true story of two young British evacuees during the Blitz of WW2. Features mystery postcard messages, the bombing of Plymouth, American GI's and crashing German bombers. Dominic's work is full to bursting with Dunkirk spirit, steam trains and all the best of WW2 Britishness.

And never ever was an episode better timed to coincide with world events.

More great unpublished history of the second world war!

Buy the book, the CD's, hear the musical as a podcast. All links and pod players at: www.kissesonapostcard.com

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulCheall

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YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

90 Alf Blackburn Part 2, British Infantry War Memoirs, WWII Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

Part 2

A classic tale of British infantry adventure in WW2. How the Fighting Through WW2 memoirs podcast put the families of two war comrades in touch with each other.

Sicily and D-Day campaigns featured. Durham Light Infantry DLI and Green Howards feature.

More great unpublished history!

Buy Alf Blackburn's War Memoirs at: https://amzn.to/3I8cFxd

Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/90-Alfred-Blackburn-War-Memoirs-Part-2

Rennie Shaw https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56500895/rennie-shaw/flower

Augie Herchenratter https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/war-hero-augie-herchenratter-hoped-to-make-it-to-the-nhl/article37536495/

Men of Worth project https://www.menofworth.org.uk/

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulCheall

Follow me on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FightingThroughPodcast

YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

89 Alf Blackburn Part 1, British Infantry War Memoirs, WWII Feb 06, 2023

Show notes

A classic tale of British infantry adventure in WW2. How the Fighting Through WW2 memoirs podcast put the families of two war comrades in touch with each other.

Sicily and D-Day campaigns featured.

More great unpublished history!

Buy Alf Blackburn's War Memoirs at: https://amzn.to/3I8cFxd

Full show notes, photos and transcript at:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/89-Alf-Blackburns-war-memoirs-WW2-British-Infantry

Rennie Shaw https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/56500895/rennie-shaw/flower

Augie Herchenratter https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/war-hero-augie-herchenratter-hoped-to-make-it-to-the-nhl/article37536495/

Men of Worth project https://www.menofworth.org.uk/

Reviews on main website:https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/reviews/new/

Apple reviews: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/ww2-fighting-through-from-dunkirk-to-hamburg-war-diary/id624581457?mt=2

Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/PaulCheall

Follow me on Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/FightingThroughPodcast

YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnlqRO9MdFBUrKM6ExEOzVQ?view_as=subscriber

88 Christmas/Hogmanay at War 2022 WWII Dec 05, 2022

Show notes

Celebrating another Christmas at war and indeed Hogmanay, with a Christmas stocking absolutely heaving with seasonal tales of goodwill.

More great unpublished Christmassy! Full show notes, photos and transcript at: https://www.fightingthroughpodcast.co.uk/88-Christmas-at-War-2022-WW2

Support Ukraine:

Yorkshire Aid Convoywww.yorkshireaidconvoy.co.uk.

Salvation Army Ukraine Crisis Appeal https://bit.ly/FightingThroughSalvationArmy

Red Cross/ Disasters Emergency Committee https://bit.ly/FightingThroughRedCross

Edinburgh pubs:

https://guildfordarms.com/

https://www.caferoyaledinburgh.com/

In search of the pub at Hogmanay - Facebook - Edinburgh Past and Present

https://www.facebook.com/groups/243031579057598/permalink/6000651499962215/

Anderson shelters

https://andersonshelters.org.uk/design-construction/building/

Spotify playlist – German war songs

https://open.spotify.com/episode/35eUciFLotazYwLQYPohde?si=BuTXcAcpROWUWcMJjVOmuw

POW letters home

https://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Christmas%20letters%20transcribed.pdf

Douglas Bader report

https://www.facebook.com/861551180637519/posts/pfbid02Dh4zf6aHzVYkV4HxgymXPGTRqGLcJMPXobxzrfS1yPCmiYbFXTx7NoUBfvA3D7Ltl/?d=n

A Short History Of The Aden Emergency

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/a-short-history-of-the-aden-emergency

Sound Effects from Pixabay

https://pixabay.com/sound-effects

Reviews on main website: Apple reviews:

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More great unpublished history of the second world war!

87 German Boy Soldier 2 - Save the Last Bullet Nov 08, 2022

Show notes

Previewing the newly published book, Save the Last Bullet, about a German boy soldier in the Nazi army.

"This is the story of my father's traumatic ordeal as a boy soldier in Hitler's Army. It is an account in his own words of the horrors of the Third Reich, witnessed and experienced from his perspective as a child." Heidi Langbein.

Hear the chapter on Military Training.

Plus more family stories and WW2 ghost story from James Papalia, aged 7!