The Old Front Line

Latest Episodes:

Winter on the Somme Dec 24, 2022

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We look at three winters on the Somme front: from 1914 to 1916. We discuss Christmas Truces involving the French and Germans, and later when the British arrive, discuss the terrible sub-zero conditions of 1916, and look at the problem of Trench Foot, particularly amongst Australian troops faced with the harsh reality of Somme mud.

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Gallipoli: The Farm Dec 17, 2022

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Who was Harry Moseley? In this episode we ask: can one man's life be more important than another? Our journey takes us from the Helles Memorial, and the Missing of the Gallipoli Campaign, up to the high ground at Chunuk Bair and a walk to the isolated cemetery at The Farm, uncovering the life and achievements of one of Britain's greatest Edwardian scientists.

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Five Little-Known WW1 Memorials Dec 10, 2022

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In this episode we explore five little-known memorials along the Western Front battlefields in France and Flanders, looking at how different nations commemorated the battles of the Great War, and what they chose to remember.

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How I Wrote my WW1 Battlefield Walking Books Nov 26, 2022

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This weekend marks History Writers Day, a new venture from Simon at History Book Chat on Twitter. As part of my contribution to the event, in this episode I talk about how I came to write my trilogy of WW1 Battlefield Walking Guides covering the Somme, Ypres and Arras.

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Trench Chat: America in WW1 with Mike Cunha Nov 19, 2022

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In this latest Trench Chat we are joined by Mike Cunha of the Battles of the First World War Podcast to talk about his interest in the Great War and the wider aspect of American involvement in the conflict and how it is remembered there today. We also discuss the Meuse-Argonne Offensive and Mike's recent visit to the battlefields.

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Remembrance: Five Little-Known Cemeteries of the Great War Nov 12, 2022

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In this episode we travel along The Old Front Line in France and Flanders to visit five lesser-known war cemeteries from different nations where the dead of the Great War lie, some with only a handful of graves and others with thousands of burials.

We visit: Nécropole Nationale de la 28ème Brigade (La Ferme de Wacques), Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, Noyelles-sur-Mer Chinese Cemetery, Vladslo German Cemetery and Guizancourt Farm Cemetery near Gouy.

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Crawley War Memorial with Renny Richardson Oct 29, 2022

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We are joined by Renny Richardson, author of a trilogy of books about the men of Crawley in West Sussex who fought in the Great War. Renny chats with Paul Reed, who was born in Crawley, about the town at war and the stories of the men commemorated on the war memorials here.

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Henry Williamson's Books Oct 22, 2022

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Following the purchase of a Great War book owned by author and veteran Henry Williamson, we explore something of Williamson's life, the Writing Hut where he crafted his work and look at what the book was, and how it connects is to the battlefields of the Great War.

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Film Review: All Quiet on the Western Front Oct 08, 2022

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Thanks to Netflix, I've been able to watch a preview of the new film All Quiet on the Western Front. In this episode we look at the film, the story behind the book that gives it its name, and I share my thoughts on what the film is like and the impact it may have on our understanding of the Great War.

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Loos 1915 In A Day Oct 01, 2022

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In this episode, we feature another Battlefield In A Day and visit the area around the Northern French coal-mining village of Loos-en-Gohelle where the Battle of Loos was fought in September-October 1915.

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Got a question about this episode or any others? Drop your question into the Old Front Line Discord Server or email the podcast.

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