The WW2 Podcast

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103 'Chink' Eric Dorman-Smith Nov 01, 2019

Show notes

If you've ever read about the British experience in the Deserts of North Africa during WWII, one name usually gets a mention somewhere in the narrative, that of Eric Dorman-Smith, often refered to as 'chink'.

He can be a divisive character, sometimes portrayed as a far thinking military genius whose ideas were ignored or misunderstood. To others he represents what was problematic with both the senior British commanders Wavell and Auchinleck, whose fortunes rose and fell; he was symptomatic of retreat, reorganisation, confusion and poor leadership.

The curious thing about Dorman-Smith is so little is directly written about him, he is a footnote in the books of other desert leaders and often only gets a brief mention in histories of the North Africa Campaign.

So hopefully in this episode we'll shed some light on 'chink'. Joining me today is James Colvin.

James is currently working on a history of the 8th army pre the battle of Alamein, which will be published by Helion next year (I'll keep you all posted when it's released).

102 - D-Day Through German Eyes Oct 15, 2019

Show notes

June 2019 marked the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we had a month of D-Day podcasts looking at the operation from the British, Canadian and American perspectives. The narrative of that day is the difficulty of the operation, doubts if the landings would succeed, but what if we turn the tables? How was it for the Germans?

To answer that question I'm joined by WW2 podcast stalwart Jonathan Trigg.

Jonathan has joined us in the past to discuss his work researching foreign recruits to the SS, you can find those in episodes 55 and 77. Earlier this year, he had a new book released titled D-Day Through German Eyes: How the Wehrmacht Lost France. With D-Day fresh in our minds I thought we best get him back to have a chat about the allied invasion of Europe from the German perspective.

101 - Operation CHASTISE: The Dambusters Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

On the night of May 16th, 1943, 19 Lancaster bombers took off from England heading toward the German industrial heartland of the Ruhr. They carried a new bomb, designed to skip across water avoiding any torpedo nets before hitting the target and sinking into the depths; then exploding.. The bomb was codenamed 'upkeep', we know it today as the 'bouncing bomb' designed by Barnes Wallis.

Those Lancaster's of 617 squadron, commanded 24 year old Guy Gibsonwould become known as the 'Dam Busters', the operation was CHASTISE. The mission would be a success, as in two of the targeted dams were hit and breached causing millions of tons of water to surge down into the Ruhr region, flooding mines, destroying factories and homes.

The crews that survived the raid would arrive back in Britain as celebrities, swept up in the wartime propaganda; and of course memorialised in books such as Paul Brickhill's 'The 'Dam Busters', of which the well known 1955 film is based.

Joining me to discuss the raid is Victoria Taylor.

Victoria is a Post Graduate Researcher at the University of Hull. Her MA thesis is Redressing the Wartime and Postwar Mythologization of Operation CHASTISE in Britain.

Recommended books about operation Chastise.

Cooper, Alan W. The Men Who Breached the Dams. Pen & Sword Books, 2013. Holland, James. Dam Busters. Random House, 2012. Sweetman, Dr John. The Dambusters Raid(Cassell Military Paperbacks). W&N, 1999.

100 - Left For Dead At Nijmegen Sep 15, 2019

Show notes

On the 17th September 1944 Gene Metcalfe, of the 82 Airbourne, parachuted in to Holland as part of Operation Market Garden. Approaching the bridge they were to capture Gene is injured in a firefight and left for dead. He would spend the rest of the war as a POW.

I talk to Gene about his wartime experiences in the Airbourne, as a POW and what happened once he was liberated.

Left for Dead in Nijmegen, by Marcus Nannini, is the story of Gene's war, it is a fantastic read and well worth picking up a copy.

99 - George Mergenthaler - MERG Sep 10, 2019

Show notes

One thing I've learned from producing these podcasts is the research never ends, it only leads to new avenues of interest branching off from the original topic. And this is the case for Peter Lion.

If you recall in episode 33, Peter told us how elements of the US 28nd infantry division, stationed in the Luxembourg town of Wiltz put on a christmas party for the local children, and this included GI Richard Brookins dressing as St Nicholas and arriving by jeep to hand out gifts.

In researching that Peter bumped into the story of George Mergenthaler, heir to the Mergenhaler Linotype Company.

I've been trying to pin down a guest for an 'extra' episode for quite a while, so when Peter proposed we discuss his book MERGit I jumped at the chance.

For Patrons of the podcast I make available parts of the interviews that are off topic or just never made it into the 'final cut'. I've a bit more of Peter and chatting and I've decided to release it free to everyone as a big thank you for listening and all the support you've all given me.

If you want to listen to it you can find it at patreon.com/ww2podcast.

98 - Operation Market Garden Sep 01, 2019

Show notes

September 2019 marks the 75th anniversary of Operation Market Garden, the allied attempt to create a sixty mile corridor, and secure a crossing over the Rhine. The plan was to use the newly formed First Allied Airborne Army to seize and hold nine key bridges until relieved by the British Army's XXX Corp.

The Airborne component was known as Market, and the ground attack was Garden.

Joining me to talk about the background to airborne operations and Market Garden is Dr William Buckingham. William is the author or Arnhem: The Complete Story of Operation Market Garden 17-25 September 1944.

97 - Japanese POW: Ray Fitchett Aug 15, 2019

Show notes

Last year I got an email from Cole Gill, his grandfather had made a number of tape recordings recounting his experiences during the war serving on the Royal Navy ship HMS Exeter, then as a POW at the Fukuoka camp,where he witnessed the dropping of the atomic bomb on Nagasaki.

Who wouldn't be interested in that story?

Cole sent them over and after listening to them they've been languishing in my virtual bottom draw on my computer, awaiting for me to have some inspiration.

Well I've got them out, dusted them down and what I have for you is the story of Raymond Fitchett.

It's a big thank you to Cole Gill for sharing these recordings.

96 - Bridge Busters: The Dortmund-Ems Canal Raid Aug 01, 2019

Show notes

In this episode we're looking at an RAF raid in 1940 against the Dortmund-Ems canal. The canal was a vital trade route with huge amounts of supplies and raw materials passing along it daily.

With the fall of France and the build up to Operation Sealion, the invasion of Britain, interrupting the traffic on the canal would aid in upsetting the German timetable. But to undertake the task a level of accuracy was needed from the RAF which was hitherto unheard of… It was very much a proto-dambusters raid.

Joining me to discuss the raid is Dr Mark Felton, author of The Bridge Busters.

We've spoken to Mark before, we looked Operation Cowboy, where some elements of the Whermacht joined with the Americans to save the world famous Lipizaner horses at the close of WWII. In episode 49, we discussed British VIP POWs held by the Italians. If you've not heard it, dig it out. I think it's my favorite episode of the WW2 podcast so far.

You can also find Mark on YouTube here.

95 - Jimmy Stewart Jul 15, 2019

Show notes

For a long time I've been fascinated by movie stars who chose to join the military and saw combat in World War Two. And one star in particular has always interested me, 'Jimmy Stewart'. A big star in the 1930's, in 1940 he would win the Oscar for best man in The Philadelphia Story' and was nominated for one for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, yet when war came he was insistent on not avoiding it and joined the United States Army Airforce flying combat missions over Europe.

Joining me to discuss Jimmy Stewart's military career is Robert Matzen, author of Mission: Jimmy Stewart and the Fight For Europe.

94 - 1941 Jul 01, 2019

Show notes

The usual narrative for WWII is that turning points of the war are in 1942 with the battles of Midway, El Alamein and Stalingrad. While these are unquestionably major victories that signalled the 'end of the beginning', as Churchill would put it. Friend of the podcast Andrew Nagorski has suggested that actually 1941 was the pivotal year of the war.

Andrew contends that the decisions made in 1941, by the major nations, would make an allied victory not just possible but inevitable. It's a compelling idea.

As we've had Andrew on the podcast previously (in episode 18, when discussed Nazi war crimes), I thought it would be good to get him back for a catch up and to outline his thesis laid out in his new book '1941: The Year Germany Lost The War'.

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