A Royal Scots Dragoon Guard in Cold War Berlin (420)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2025

⏱️ 70 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

I delve into the remarkable life of Peter Stewart, a former Royal Scots Dragoon Guard Chieftain tank driver whose experiences during the Cold War offer a unique perspective on military life. Peter's stories are filled with humour and nostalgia, particularly when he recalls his time in Berlin. His anecdotes are both entertaining and thought-provoking. Peter shares tales of training that tested the limits of his physical endurance, the friendships forged in the face of adversity, and the lessons learned that would stay with him for life. One of the highlights of the episode is Peter's recounting of Exercise Rocking Horse, an exercise designed to test the readiness of the British Army in the event of a Soviet invasion. Related episodes BRIXMIS, the defence of Cold War Berlin & Rudolf Hess https://pod.fo/e/f833 Life as a British Soldier in Cold War West Berlin https://pod.fo/e/163e4 The Last British Commandant in Cold War West Berlin Part 1 https://pod.fo/e/27472 The Last British Commandant in Cold War West Berlin Part 2 https://pod.fo/e/28391 Episode extras ⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode420/ The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You’ll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you’ll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, we welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on BlueSky ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Youtube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Love history? Join Intohistory ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.3	I will be doing a live podcast at the Imperial War Museum in London on the 1st of November.
0:12.8	Be great to see you there. More details at coldwarconversations.com slash live.
0:19.1	Now on with your episode.
0:21.7	Were you under any illusion about your survival rates, should they come over the wall?
0:28.3	That was a joke, I mean, it was true, wasn't it?
0:30.7	We've got three minutes in that water.
0:33.1	That's my lot.
0:35.9	This is Cold War Conversations.
0:39.4	If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to Cold War history.
0:43.9	Please make sure you follow us in your podcast app so you don't miss future episodes.
0:48.7	I delve into the remarkable life of Peter Stewart, a former Royal Scots Dragoon Guard,
0:53.9	chieft and tank driver,
0:55.7	whose experiences during the Cold War offer a unique perspective on military life.
1:00.4	His stories are filled with humour and nostalgia, particularly when he recalls his time in
1:05.3	Berlin. He shares tales of training, the friendships forged in the face of adversity and the lessons learned
1:12.0	that would stay with him for life. One of the highlights of the episode is Peter's recounting
1:17.1	of exercise rocking horse, an exercise designed to test the readiness of the British Army in the
1:22.8	event of a Soviet invasion. I'm delighted to welcome Peter Stewart to our Cold War conversation.
1:30.1	It's a pleasure having you on, particularly a former comrade of Nigel Dunkley, who
1:36.7	featured in my first Brixmouth episode. Yeah, well, you see, he was my troop leader in Berlin, but not only that, he was in the
1:48.3	officer-tradate Cadet Training Corps, a university trading corps here in Aberdeen. Oh, wow.
	...

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