Life as a British Soldier in Cold War West Berlin (114)

Cold War Conversations - "vivid & compelling" The NY Times

Ian Sanders

History, Documentary, Society & Culture

4.8 • 865 Ratings

🗓️ 21 March 2020

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Anthony enlisted in the British Army in 1987 and after 9 months he was posted to West Berlin. He tells the story of life as a Private in Berlin from the drinking (and the fighting) to the urban warfare training in Ruhleben & Dough Boy City. We also hear of the reality of knowing that should the Cold War have turned hot his life expectancy would have been in hours. It’s also a tale of tragedy and the forgotten casualties of the Cold War where injury and death could come even in peacetime. Two of Anthony’s fellow soldiers died during his two-year tour of Berlin and we’d like to dedicate this episode to remembering Lance-Corporal Ian Fleming and Lance-Corporal Mick Quayle. We thank them for their service. If you are enjoying the podcast please leave a written review in Apple podcasts or share us on social media. By telling your friends you can really help the podcast grow. If you can spare it I’m asking listeners to contribute $3 USD per month to help keep us on the air (larger amounts are welcome too) plus you can get a sought-after CWC coaster as a monthly financial supporter of the podcast and you bask in the warm glow of knowing you helping preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ Special thanks to all our Patreons Back to today’s episode, we start with Anthony’s schooldays and end with his experiences in Berlin the night the Wall opened. I found this really entertaining story and I’m sure you will too. We welcome Anthony to our Cold War conversation… There’s further information on this episode in our show notes, which can also be found as a link in your podcast app. https://coldwarconversations.com/episode114/ If you like what you are hearing, please leave reviews in Apple podcasts and share us on social media. If you can’t wait for next week’s episode do visit our Facebook discussion group where guests and listeners continue the Cold War Conversation. Just search Cold War Conversations on Facebook. Thank you very much for listening. It is really appreciated – goodbye. Support the project! https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ 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 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.
0:05.7	We were under no illusion.
0:07.7	If they wanted to attack them, we were going to die in Berlin.
0:11.9	Basically, we were going to do what we had to do.
0:14.6	We were going to draw them in and do as best we could,
0:18.7	but at the end of the day, it probably would have been just overrun.
0:24.1	Welcome to Cold War Conversations.
0:29.9	Mr Gorbachev
0:31.7	Tear down this wall.
0:55.7	Sooner, school, even, finds... this war. And I'm here. And I'm here to host this final program from the German Democratic Republic for you.
1:05.1	Anthony enlisted in the British Army in 1987 and after nine months he was posted to West Berlin.
1:12.8	He tells the story of life as a private in Berlin from from the drinking and the fighting, to the urban warfare training in Rue-Laben and Doboy City. We also hear of the reality of knowing
1:19.4	that should the Cold War have turned hot, life expectancy would have been in hours.
1:26.1	It's also a tale of tragedy
1:27.8	and the forgotten casualties of the Cold War
1:30.8	where death could come even in peacetime.
1:35.7	Two of Anthony's fellow soldiers died
1:38.1	during his two-year tour of Berlin
1:40.4	and we'd like to dedicate this episode
1:43.3	to remembering Lance Corporal Ian Fleming
1:46.3	and Lance Corporal Mick Quail. We thank them for their service. If you're enjoying the
1:55.4	podcast, please leave a written review in Apple Podcasts or share us on social media.
	...

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