Eyes at the Edge of the Iron Curtain - Life in a 1960s British Reconnaissance Regiment (434)

Cold War Conversations Podcast

Ian Sanders

Society & Culture, Documentary, History

4.8 • 758 Ratings

🗓️ 13 December 2025

⏱️ 61 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This is the 2nd part of the story of Miles, a British National Service conscript during his military service in the late 1950s. I’d like to give special thanks for the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles’ story and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him. Throughout the episode, our Miles shares captivating anecdotes and the thrill of being part of a light armoured reconnaissance regiment. He vividly recounts the challenges of operating various armoured vehicles, including the Saladin and Saracen, and the responsibilities that came with being on the front lines of military operations. One of the most intriguing aspects of his service was the border patrols, where he and his comrades would venture into the woods, often encountering their East German counterparts. The tension of those moments, coupled with the knowledge that they were living in a semi-war footing, adds a layer of gravity to his experiences. ⁠Help me 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 also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Episode Extras ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/episode434/ Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to ⁠https://coldwarconversations.com/store/⁠ CONTINUE THE COLD WAR CONVERSATION Follow us on BlueSky ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/coldwarpod.bsky.social⁠ Follow us on Threads ⁠https://www.threads.net/@coldwarconversations⁠ Follow us on Twitter/X ⁠https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod⁠ Facebook ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/⁠ Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/⁠ Youtube ⁠https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Cold War Conversations, the home of real stories of the Cold War.
0:06.1	We did used to go into the local pub.
0:09.1	There'd be Germans in there, and they were our parents' age.
0:13.7	And when he got around to asking what they did in the war, it was always very cagey.
0:19.8	It was always, yeah. Of course, he fought on the eastern front.
0:26.2	I never came across the one that fought the English.
0:30.2	This is Cold War Conversations. If you're new here, you've come to the right place to listen to
0:36.6	Cold War History.
0:38.1	Please make sure you follow us in your podcast app so you don't miss future episodes.
0:42.7	This is the second part of the story of Miles, a British National Service conscript,
0:47.7	during his military service in the late 1950s.
0:51.0	I'd like to give special thanks to the Norfolk Tank Museum for highlighting Miles's story
0:55.5	and one of his relatives for putting me in contact with him.
0:58.9	Throughout the episode, Miles shares captivating anecdotes and a thrill of being part of a
1:03.7	light-armoured reconnaissance regiment on the Inner German border.
1:08.1	One of the most intriguing aspects of his service were the border patrols, where he and his
1:12.3	comrades would venture into the woods, often encountering their East German counterparts.
1:17.6	I'm delighted to welcome Miles Kavin to our Cold War conversation. You then get 14 days
1:24.8	embarkation leave, and then you're on a troop ship.
1:30.6	Had you ever been abroad before then?
1:33.9	No, first time ever.
1:35.7	First time ever.
	...

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