This country is at war with Germany.

We shall go on to the end.

I remember the sheets of flame which came up and almost blinded us from our guns.

Hello, welcome to the World War II podcast. I'm Angus Wallace.

Joining me today is Philip McCarty to talk about his book, Point of Failure, British Brigadies in France and Norway, 1940.

It's a fascinating study of the brigadies who served in the campaigns in France and Norway,

two operations that ended in strategic defeat for Britain in the early months of the war.

The book is not a retelling of either campaign instead.

Philip looks at who these brigadiers were, where they came from, the education and networks that shape them, how staff college, regimental connections and personal patronage might have influenced their

careers. And crucially, whether serving in those failed campaigns damaged their prospects

or if some officers still advanced because of who noticed them, who supported them,

or the reputation they carried out of France or Norway. It's a fresh way of understanding

the British Army at this moment of crisis, not simply in terms of equipment or doctrine,

but through the lives and careers of the officers

expected to lead. It helps us understand how the army responded to failure and what that tells

us about promotion, reform and the pursuit of talent in wartime. Well, Phil, thanks for joining me.

I think our starting point really has to be,

what are we calling a brigadier?

Where do they fit into the chain of command?

Because some people, well, surely it's,

you know, Colonel-General's, where do they all fit in?

Where did the brigadier?

...