112 - Four Hours of Fury: Operation Varsity
The WW2 Podcast
Angus Wallace
4.6 • 1.6K Ratings
🗓️ 15 March 2020
⏱️ 52 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
On the 24th of March 1945, 75 years ago this year, the largest ever airborne operation swung into action. Operation Varsity involved over 16,000 paratroopers and thousands of planes, the objective was to secure the west bank of the Rhine and the bridges over the Issel. Behind them was the Monty's 21st Army Group which was crossing the Rhine as part of Operation Plunder.
A successful crossing of the Rhine would allow the allies access to the North German Plain and ultimately to advance upon Berlin.
Joining me today is James Fenelon.
James served in the US Airborne before turning his hand to writing, he is the author of Four Hours of Fury which looks at Varsity. It's a good read and does an excellent job of getting across the confusion of the situation for those men, once they hit the ground on that day in 1945.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | On BBC A |
| 0:02.0 | I am doing life a few more years means nothing to me |
| 0:06.0 | I'm pregnant |
| 0:08.0 | drudges go easy on pregnant women |
| 0:10.0 | I've been old my electricity that's all |
| 0:12.0 | don't think I should even be in here. |
| 0:14.0 | A new series of the Bafter Award winning time. |
| 0:18.0 | You tell anyone and I mean anyone about me I will kill you. Star starring Jody Whitaker tomorrow Lawrence and Bella Ramsey time |
| 0:27.8 | watch on BBC I player hello and welcome to another episode of the World War II podcast I'm Angus Wallace |
| 0:37.1 | 75 years ago this year on the 24th of March 1945, the largest ever airborne operation swung into action. |
| 0:47.0 | Operation Varsity involved over 16,000 paratroopers and thousands of planes. The objective was to secure the west |
| 0:56.8 | bank of the river Rhine and the bridges over the Isle. A successful crossing of the river Rhine would allow the Allies access to the Northern German |
| 1:06.4 | plane and ultimately to advance upon Berlin. Joining me today is James Fenan. |
| 1:12.0 | James served in the US Airborne before turning his hand to writing. |
| 1:17.0 | He is the author of Four Hours of Fury, which looks at Operation Varsity. |
| 1:23.0 | It's a good raid and does an excellent job of getting across the confusion of the situation for those men |
| 1:28.0 | once they hit the ground on that day in 1945. |
| 1:32.0 | Now, this podcast is brought to you with a kind |
| 1:35.5 | contributions of fellow listeners. If you think there is a vast machine at work in the |
| 1:40.6 | background with assistance, researchers and audio engineers all bevering away, paid for |
| 1:46.2 | by a philanthropic millionaire you would be wrong. It is just me. But I could use your help. All this costs me and it's not just my time. Software |
| 1:56.9 | and research material is an ongoing cost. How can I help? I hear you cry. Well, if each one of you tossed a shekel in my virtual |
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