meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Battles of the First World War Podcast

Battles of the First World War Podcast

Mike Cunha

History

4.8812 Ratings

Overview

The Battles of the First World War Podcast goes in-depth into the battles of the Great War of 1914-1918. The goal is to really go into the details of how and why these battles unfolded and happened as they did. In telling the narrative of these clashes we can revisit some of the stories of the men and women who lived, fought, and died during the first titanic struggle of the 20th Century, for these people have stories that deserve to be told.

184 Episodes

“The Battalion: Citizen Soldiers at War on the Western Front” A Discussion with Dr. Ian Isherwood

Dr. Isherwood returns to the podcast to talk about his new book “The Battalion: Citizen Soldiers at War on the Western Front.”    From Casemate Publishers:   “How did ordinary citizens become soldiers during the First World War, and how did they cope with the extraordinary challenges they confronted on the Western Front? These are questions Ian Isherwood seeks to answer in this absorbing and deeply researched study of the actions and experiences of an infantry battalion throughout the conflict. His work gives us a vivid impression of the reality of war for these volunteers and an insight into the motivation that kept them fighting.   The narrative traces the history of the 8th Battalion The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), a Kitchener battalion raised in 1914. The letters, memoirs and diaries of the men of the battalion, in particular the correspondence of their commanding officer, reveal in fascinating detail what wartime life was like for this group of men. It includes vivid accounts of the major battles in which they were involved – Loos, the Somme, Passchendaele, the German Spring Offensive, and the final 100 Days campaign.   The battalion took heavy losses, yet those who survived continued to fight and took great pride in their service, an attitude that is at odds with much of the popular perception of the Great War. Ian Isherwood brings in the latest research on military thinking and learning, on emotional resilience, and cultural history to tell their story.” Follow the First World War Letters of H.J.C. Peirs, a digital history project at Gettysburg College:   https://www.jackpeirs.org Where to buy “The Battalion: Citizen Soldiers at War on the Western Front” -   https://www.casematepublishers.com/9781526774224/the-battalion/ The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:   https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social   and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at [email protected] with any questions, comments, or concerns.    Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

Transcribed - Published: 9 February 2025

Joncherey - The Skirmish

Before the First World War officially began, the killing was already underway.    In the small French village of Joncherey, two men would meet for a brief but violent moment on August 2nd, 1914, the day before war was officially declared. The moment would turn them into eternal brothers, transformed by their explosive meeting. French Corporal Jules André Peugeot and German Lieutenant Albert Otto Walther Mayer would soon be the first military deaths of their nations.  The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social:   https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social   and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at [email protected] with any questions, comments, or concerns.    Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)  

Transcribed - Published: 26 January 2025

The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 5

The group is back!   Part 5 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1916, the first of a two- or three-part series on this crucial year of WW1. This episode will focus on the French Army’s experience in its most trying battlefield crucible: the Battle of Verdun. Joining us for this discussion are:   Christina Holstein, author of several incredible guides to the Verdun battlefield, amongst other published works and articles, Alex Lyons, the man who spends his free time telling us the story of his Poilu great-grandfather on Twitter, The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 1 January 2025

“Punching Above Our Weight: The Canadian Military at War Since 1867” with David Borys

Author David Borys comes on the podcast to discuss his book “Punching Above Our Weight: The Canadian Military at War Since 1867,” which takes readers on a riveting exploration spanning one hundred and fifty years of Canadian forces.   “Punching Above Our Weight" is a photograph-rich history of 150 years of the Canadian military traces the evolution of the country’s armed forces from a small, underfunded, poorly trained militia to the modern, effective military it is today. From the Red River Resistance and the Boer War through the world wars to modern peacekeeping and the long war in Afghanistan, David A. Borys details the conflicts and operations that Canadian soldiers have served in. He highlights the key battles, among them Amiens, the Scheldt Estuary, and Operation Medusa; the significant people, including Louis Riel, Arthur Currie, and Guy Simonds; and the decisive moments, such as the passing of conscription in August 1917, Canada’s declaration of war in 1939, and the peacekeeping crises of the 1990s, that came to define the scope of Canada’s participation in international conflicts and cement its global reputation.   Borys also explores the challenges that the Canadian nation and its military have faced over those years, including major cultural and demographic shifts, a continual struggle for resources from generally disinterested governments, battlefield failures, and notorious and shocking scandals, along with ever-changing global threats. Punching Above Our Weight brings to light a new perspective on the Canadian military and its place in the world. Where to buy “Punching Above Our Weight:”    https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459754126-punching-above-our-weight The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 10 December 2024

“Serpents of War:” A Discussion with Drs. Steven Trout & Ian Isherwood

From University Press of Kansas: “Serpents of War” is the memoir of Pennsylvanian Major Harry Dravo Parkin, is a rare account of World War I as seen from the perspective of a battalion commander. As a mid-level officer responsible for the lives and welfare of over a thousand men, Parkin conveys the stress of command at a time when one innocent blunder could cost an officer his combat assignment, brings the inferno of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive to life in terrifying, gory detail, and recounts being taken prisoner by the Imperial German Army—a rare experience among American soldiers in 1918. In addition, Parkin provides a detailed account of the 79th Division’s attack on Mountfaucon, a military action that remains controversial to this day. This is a book by a brave soldier, a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross for his heroism on the battlefield, and a gifted writer.   “Serpents of War" is an abridged edition of a nearly 200,000-word World War I memoir that resides in Gettysburg College’s Musselman Library, enhanced by the contributions of two scholars of World War I and memory. Written in an unassuming but eloquent style, Parkin’s narrative seldom strains for effect. It possesses a strong sense of setting, a knack for capturing the chaos and strange exhilaration of battle, and a sharp eye for the interpersonal, social dynamics of military life—the personality clashes and simmering feuds, as well as the moments of comradeship and accord. “Serpents of War” is an absorbing memoir that holds the reader’s attention from beginning to end.   Dr. Trout’s Travels in Harry Parkin’s footsteps -   https://kansaspress.ku.edu/blog/2024/09/26/on-the-serpents-trail-following-the-footsteps-of-harry-dravo-parkin/ Where to buy “Serpents of War: An American Officer's Story of World War I Combat and Captivity” -   https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700635054/serpents-of-war/ The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 6 December 2024

Ors Communal Cemetery - Wilfred Owen’s Grave

An homage to Wilfred Owen, based on a visit to his grave in Ors, France in July 2024.  The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 1 December 2024

Jake’s Pilgrimage & Lost Battalion Tours

This is a recording of our monthly talks on Patreon. Jake is a great friend of mine whom I’ve known for years, thanks to the podcast!    Jake joined us to go on the 2024 Meuse-Argonne tour with Lost Battalion Tours, as well as a pilgrimage to where his dad fought during the Second World War. Dr. Clint Heacock, another great friend, joined us for Jake’s very moving day.    Hope you enjoy this one. Lost Battalion Tours: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2024

“The Other Trench: The WW1 Diary and Photos of a German Officer” with Philipp Cross

Author Philipp Cross comes on the podcast to discuss his book “The Other Trench: The WW1 Diary and Photos of a German Officer,” which contains the diary of his great-great-grandfather Alexander Pfeiffer.  “The Other Trench” website: https://www.theothertrench.com/ Where to buy “The Other Trench:”    https://www.goodreads.com/book/216124811-the-other-trench/get_a_copy The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 22 November 2024

“Never Home - Remembering the Military Heroes Who Never Returned” with Richard Sherman

Author Richard Sherman comes on the podcast to discuss his book and homage "Never Home - Remembering the Military Heroes Who Never Returned.”   In 2017, professional photographer and Navy veteran Richard Sherman embarked on a journey to visit and photograph all 23 American overseas World War I and World War II cemeteries. After six years and eight trips to three continents, he published “Never Home: Remembering the Military Heroes Who Never Returned.” The book features dramatic imagery of all 23 cemeteries—from Normandy to Manila—and more that 50 biographies of individuals who, even in death, have never made it home.   Never Home Heroes website:   https://www.neverhomeheroes.com/index   Buy the book here:    https://www.etsy.com/shop/2boxersinc/?etsrc=sdt The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2024

Verdun - The Defence of Retranchement R1

This episode was inspired by an afternoon walking tour hosted by the Mémorial de Verdun museum.    For five days in the beginning of June 1916, French Army CPT Charles Delvert and his 8th Company, 101st Infantry Regiment, defended the Retranchement R1 redoubt against ceaseless German attacks. This is their story, in Delvert’s own words. Reference map for episode:    https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/inventaires/ead_ir_consult.php?fam=11&ref=FRSHD_AFGG_ead Mémorial de Verdun museum: https://memorial-verdun.fr/en/ New Ypres League, where to join -   New Ypres League vzw: www.newypresleague.com The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2024

“Under Foreign Flags:” Tennessee Volunteers in WW1 with Historian Pat Gang

Independent historian Pat Gang comes on the podcast to talk about Tennessee men who volunteered to fight in foreign armies before the United States entered World War I.    The men discussed: Paul & Kiffin Rockwell Charles Loring Clark Zephaniah Porter Broom James Clyde Lloyd Dr. John W. Morris   New Ypres League, where to join -   New Ypres League vzw: www.newypresleague.com Want to join Lost Battalion Tours in 2025?   Email us: [email protected]   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 20 October 2024

We Are So Close: Help Award a Congressional Gold Medal for the WWI Hello Girls

Following up on a podcast discussion we had last year to help the push to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the US Army’s Hello Girls of WW1, we have good news:   We are so close to reaching the numbers we need!   The Hello Girls of the WW1 US Army have never been officially recognized for the groundbreaking service they provided as America’s first women soldiers. In this call to action, an incredible group of people come back on to talk about why the Hello Girls should receive the Congressional Gold Medal.    Joining us are:   Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, representing Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, and the  original sponsor, H.R. 1572 Hello Girls Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2023: (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/1572/text)   Dan Dayton, Former Executive Director, U.S. World War I Centennial Commission   Catherine Bourgin, granddaughter of Hello Girl Marie Edmee LeRoux    Carolyn Timbie, granddaughter of Hello Girls Chief Operator Grace Banker   Chris Christopher, Captain, USN (Ret.), US WW1 Centennial Commission   Diane Boettcher, Captain, USN (Ret.), genealogical researcher  Support a Congressional Gold Medal for the WWI Hello Girls! Instructions are here:   https://ww1cc.org/hellogirls   US listeners, email or call your Congressional Representatives today! The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2024

World War 1 - Coalition Warfare & Command Challenges

In this stand-alone episode we are going up over the battlefields and the fronts to take a 10,000 meter (that’s 30,000ft) view of the Great War, specifically prosecuting that war through the framework of coalition warfare. We’re going to take a look at the challenges of command within a warfighting coalition.  New Ypres League, where to join -   New Ypres League vzw: www.newypresleague.com Want to join Lost Battalion Tours in 2025?   Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2024

Arras & Cambrai 1918: Canadian WW1 History, a Discussion with Michel Gravel

Historian Michel Gravel comes on the podcast to discuss his focus on First World War history: the efforts of Canadian soldiers in the battles between Arras and Cambrai, France in 1918.    There may be a few awkward cuts in the flow of the conversation as our internet connection was frequently unstable. Sorry about that.  Michel’s works can be found here:   https://ysec.fr/?s=Michel+Gravel&post_type=product   Michel’s GoFundMe for “La place Joseph Kaeble, VC, MM,” in Neuville-Vitasse, France:   https://gofund.me/17574db1   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 15 September 2024

Lost Battalion Tours 2024 Tour & France-Belgium Trip Recap

A short recap of the recent six (6!) weeks spent in France and Belgium on the Old Front Line. Have you ever had an extraordinary and unforgettable day on a trip or vacation? This was extraordinary and unforgettable days every day for six weeks straight.    Special episode features: Neighborhood dads riding at dawn to mow their lawns, and one of the cats complaining that he can’t get into my recording space.    Lost Battalion Tours - Get on our mailing list! Email: [email protected] FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/lostbattaliontours Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lostbattaliontours/ The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 1 September 2024

Liny-devant-Dun - Thoughts on a German Cemetery

A short episode inspired by a visit to the German Soldatenfriedhof in Liny-devant-Dun, France. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 4 August 2024

“Agent of the Iron Cross: The Race to Capture German Saboteur-Assassin Lothar Witzke during World War I” with Author Bill Mills

Author Bill MIlls comes on the podcast to discuss his book Agent of the Iron Cross: The Race to Capture German Saboteur-Assassin Lothar Witzke during World War I.   Spies, deception, intrigue, and sabotage: these are not the stories we usually think when we think WW1. They are part of this story, though.   Buy the book here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538182086/Agent-of-the-Iron-Cross-The-Race-to-Capture-German-Saboteur-Assassin-Lothar-Witzke-during-World-War-I   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 15 July 2024

Meuse Argonne - Assessment

A look at the United States’ efforts in the First World War, the efforts of the American Expeditionary Force on the battlefield, and what the Doughboys showed and taught us. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 1 July 2024

My Great Grandfather’s War: AEF 30th Division and 119th Infantry Regiment with David Brady

Former Tennessee Park Ranger David Brady comes on the podcast to speak further on the AEF’s 30th Division, its 119th Infantry Regiment, and his great grandfather–a Doughboy who saw action with those units.   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 16 June 2024

Tannenberg - Complete Destruction

This is a release of a former Patreon-only episode.    Elements of the German 8th Army push to outflank and encircle the Russian 2nd Army, while outmaneuvered Russian soldiers fight desperately yet resolutely.    The Russian 2nd Army is surrounded, sealing their fate. The only tactical victory of the First World War ends in a stunning Russian defeat.   More of Aislingeach’s awesome music is here:   https://aislingeach.bandcamp.com/ The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 1 June 2024

AEF 2nd Corps, 27th & 30th Divisions with Historian Pat Gang

Historian Pat Gang comes on the podcast to discuss the AEF 2nd Corps, the 27th (New York National Guard) and 30th (Tennessee National Guard) Divisions.    Pat’s musings on football and history can be found here: https://www.volnation.com/forum/members/onemangang.535/   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 19 May 2024

Ann Hood’s “The Stolen Child:” A Short Review

A short review of Ann Hood’s “The Stolen Child,” a new book to be released in May 2024.  Book link here: https://www.annhood.us/   Order it from your local bookstore so that you support your local businesses.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 5 May 2024

Tannenberg - Flank and Collision

This is a release of a former Patreon-only episode.    The German 8th Army receives two new leaders: Hindenburg and Ludendorff. They rush to stave off the Russian 2nd Army’s invasion from Russian Poland to the south. A classic battle of maneuver, modernized with modern weapons and heavy casualties, plays out. Corps, divisions, and brigades collide with each other as each seeks to turn their enemy’s flanks.    Aislingeach’s awesome music is here!   https://aislingeach.bandcamp.com/ The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2024

The New Ypres League with Roger Steward & Prof Mark Connelly

Ypres Battlefield Tours guide and author Roger Steward joins Professor Mark Connelly of the University of Kent, Canterbury, to discuss a new remembrance project: the New Ypres League.    A remembrance project aimed at preserving the memory of soldiers from all nations who fell in the Ypres Salient during the Great War, the New Ypres League is based on the original Ypres League that was present in Ypres in the years after the First World War. Where to join -   New Ypres League vzw: www.newypresleague.com If you’re in Ypres, Belgium, contact Roger for tour details -   Ypres Battlefield Tours: www.ypresbattlefieldtours.be The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 28 April 2024

A Review of “Pershing’s Tankers: Personal Accounts of the AEF Tank Corps in World War I,” edited by Lawrence M. Kaplan

A review of Lawrence Kaplan’s new book, “Pershing’s Tankers: Personal Accounts of the AEF Tank Corps in World War I,” and a couple of excerpts from men of the AEF 301st Tank Battalion.   Book link here:   https://www.indiebound.org/search/book?keys=Pershing%27s+Tankers   Order it from your local bookstore so that you support your local businesses.  The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 14 April 2024

Tannenberg - Stallupönen and Gumbinnen

This is a release of a former Patreon-only episode.    The Germans and Russians are ready to fight, and each gives battle. The Russian 1st Army invades East Prussia from the east, and meets German 8th Army forces at Stallupönen. Both sides clash again at Gumbinnen, where the Germans suffer a stinging defeat that sets off a panic within 8th Army headquarters.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 1 April 2024

Tannenberg - Eastern Promises

This is a release of a former Patreon-only episode.    The beginning of World War I in the summer of 1914 saw Germany faced with fighting a two-front war. Its legions marched into France to defeat that nation first, while in the east just one field army was tasked with holding back an inevitable Russian invasion. This episode will set the stage for the opening of the Great War’s Eastern Front.    The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 10 March 2024

Forgotten Veterans, Invisible Memorials, a Discussion with Dr. Allison Finkelstein

Author and historian Dr. Allison Finkelstein comes on the podcast to discuss her book, Forgotten Veterans, Invisible Memorials: How American Women Commemorated the Great War, 1917-1945.   From Dr. Finkelstein’s website: In Forgotten Veterans, Invisible Memorials: How American Women Commemorated the Great War, 1917–1945, Allison S. Finkelstein argues that American women activists considered their own community service and veteran advocacy to be forms of commemoration just as significant and effective as other, more traditional forms of commemoration such as memorials. Finkelstein employs the term “veteranism” to describe these women’s overarching philosophy that supporting, aiding, and caring for those who serve needed to be a chief concern of American citizens, civic groups, and the government in the war’s aftermath. However, these women did not express their views solely through their support for veterans of a military service narrowly defined as a group predominantly composed of men and just a few women. Rather, they defined anyone who served or sacrificed during the war, including women like themselves, as veterans.   These women veteranists believed that memorialization projects that centered on the people who served and sacrificed was the most appropriate type of postwar commemoration. They passionately advocated for memorials that could help living veterans and the families of deceased service members at a time when postwar monument construction surged at home and abroad. Finkelstein argues that by rejecting or adapting traditional monuments or by embracing aspects of the living memorial building movement, female veteranists placed the plight of all veterans at the center of their commemoration efforts. Their projects included diverse acts of service and advocacy on behalf of people they considered veterans and their families as they pushed to infuse American memorial traditions with their philosophy. In doing so, these women pioneered a relatively new form of commemoration that impacted American practices of remembrance, encouraging Americans to rethink their approach and provided new definitions of what constitutes a memorial. In the process, they shifted the course of American practices, even though their memorialization methods did not achieve the widespread acceptance they had hoped it would.   Meticulously researched, Forgotten Veterans, Invisible Memorials utilizes little-studied sources and reinterprets more familiar ones. In addition to the words and records of the women themselves, Finkelstein analyzes cultural landscapes and ephemeral projects to reconstruct the evidence of their influence. Readers will come away with a better understanding of how American women supported the military from outside its ranks before they could fully serve from within, principally through action-based methods of commemoration that remain all the more relevant today.   The Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC) awarded this book the 2022 Arline Custer Memorial Award for the best book written in the Mid-Atlantic region. We have a promo code exclusively for BFWWP listeners! Use BATTLE24 to unlock a 30% discount on either format of the book when ordering directly from our website at:   https://www.uapress.ua.edu/9780817361211/forgotten-veterans-invisible-memorials/ The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2024

The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 4

Part 4 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1915: an often overlooked year, it was a year of “carnage, optimism, and learning,” as Alex says in the talk. Fighting to keep pressure on the German invader and relieve pressure on the WW1 Russian Front, the French faced a long year where that optimism took several body blows; it was a year where the French Poilu learned this would be a long and terrible war.     This was a fascinating conversation as always, and you really need to listen for the part where Jim Taub talks about handling and firing a Chauchat light machine gun!   Joining us for this discussion are:   Alex Lyons, the man who spends his free time telling us the story of his Poilu great-grandfather on Twitter, Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects, Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields James Taub, Associate Curator at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA, and a public historian with a specialty in French history, and its presentation to American audiences. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 1 February 2024

2024 Meuse-Argonne Tour Dates are Here

New year, new opportunity to see the AEF battlefields of France! That’s right, Rob and I are launching the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours Meuse-Argonne Tour.  Tour dates are July 03 - 09, 2024, and we’ll be visiting the following stops:   - Vauquois Hill and the 35th Division area, - the Montfaucon Memorial - Hill 285 and Le Chene Tondu in the Argonne, - the Crown Prince’s bunker complex, - the German war cemetery near Apremont, - Exermont, - a Medal of Honor Day visiting the sites of Barkley, Woodfill, and York, a complete tour of the Lost Battalion site (including both entrapment sites), - the Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery, - site of SGT Henry Gunther's death (last US KIA), - an "Indiana Jones" moment where we explore a new site for all of us,   - a day exploring the battlefield and town of Verdun, - and so much more!   Special requests in case are also possible if there is something important to you that you would like to see.   Details in the episode – do give it a listen!   Or contact us at [email protected]   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

Transcribed - Published: 12 January 2024

Fismes and Fismette - House to House in the Great War

An early Christmas gift for the BFWWP community--the battle of Fismes in summer 1918. This was a Patreon release, so you'll hear the old scores used in the episode.   Following the German Friedensturm offensive in July 1918, the Allies struck back with a counteroffensive that shifted the momentum of the war in the Allies’ favor. Through the rest of July the Germans retreated from their Marne salient, steadily pursued by the French and American forces.   When the Germans retreated behind the River Vesle, American troops encountered obstacles not common to the Great War battlefield: the town of Fismes and its sister village of Fismette. Both would have to be cleared of German troops for the advance to continue.    August 1918 saw weeks of staggering violence as American Doughboys and German Frontkaempfer fought tooth and nail for the ruins of these towns.    Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected]   Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 18 December 2023

Support a Congressional Gold Medal for the WWI Hello Girls

The Hello Girls of the WW1 US Army have never been officially recognized for the groundbreaking service they provided as America’s first women soldiers. In this call to action, an incredible group of people came on to talk about why the Hello Girls should receive the Congressional Gold Medal.   Joining us are:   Ms. Catherine Bourgin, granddaughter of Hello Girl Marie Edmee LeRoux Mr. Daniel Dayton, Executive Director of the World War I Centennial Commission Dr. Allison S. Finkelstein, Senior Historian at Arlington National Cemetery Ms. Claudia Friddell, award winning author of “Grace Banker and Her Hello Girls Answer the Call” COL Linda Jantzen, United States Army Signal Corps, Retired Carolyn Timbie, granddaughter of Grace Banker, Chief Operator of the 1st women's telephone unit that sailed to France in March, 1918 Ms. Phyllis J. Wilson, President of the Military Women’s Memorial in Arlington, VA Support a Congressional Gold Medal for the WWI Hello Girls! Instructions are here:   https://ww1cc.org/715-valor-medals/valor-medals-meet-the-heroes/7321-hello-girls-congress.html   US listeners, call your Congressional Representatives today! Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 8 December 2023

“The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers,” a Discussion with Elizabeth Cobbs

Historian, novelist, and documentary filmmaker Dr. Elizabeth Cobbs joins the podcast to discuss her 2019 book on the story of the US Army Signal Corps’ “Hello Girls,” the American Army’s first female soldiers.    Book link: http://elizabethcobbs.com/the-hello-girls   Elizabeth Cobbs’ website: http://elizabethcobbs.com/   Support a Congressional Gold Medal for the WWI Hello Girls!   https://www.worldwar1centennial.org/715-valor-medals/valor-medals-meet-the-heroes/7321-hello-girls-congress.html?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery   Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 1 December 2023

“Bullets, Bandages and Beans:” A Talk on United States Army Logistics in France in World War I

Historian Peter Belmonte joins the podcast to discuss his latest collaboration with Alexander Barnes on lesser known aspects of the United States’ participation in the First World War. The story of how the AEF was supplied with “bullets, bandages, and beans” is just as fascinating as the tales we’ve often heard from the front.   Book link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63389152-bullets-bandages-and-beans   Johnson Hagood’s “The Services of Supply: A Memoir of the Great War” Link: https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Services_of_Supply/4LoBAAAAMAAJ?hl=en   Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 19 November 2023

Meuse Argonne - An Oppressive Silence

In the last days of the First World War, the Americans continued to pursue and batter German forces as they retreated behind the River Meuse. Even as armistice negotiations began, the AEF continued attacking.    It kept doing so until the guns fell silent at 11:00 am on the 11th of November, 1918.    Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 5 November 2023

Sir Philip Gibbs: A Conversation with Clint Heacock

Dr. Clint Heacock of the Mindshift Podcast joins us to discuss his second-favorite subject, the First World War. Today he talks to us about the life and experiences of Phillip Gibbs, a British war correspondent during the Great War.   Project Gutenberg: https://www.gutenberg.org/   “Now It Can Be Told” by Philip Gibbs: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3317 Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 15 October 2023

Meuse Argonne - A Total D–k Move

In the last days of WW1, some AEF commanders in the Meuse-Argonne embarked on a rash, dangerous, and deadly race for a coveted battlefield prize.   Interested in the 2024 Lost Battalion Tours’ Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected] The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 1 October 2023

Forgotten Warriors: The US 7th Infantry at Belleau Wood

James Gregory and Steve Girard come on the podcast to discuss James’ latest article in the US Army’s Infantry journal “Cottonbalers in the Wood: The Forgotten Role of the 7th Infantry Regiment at Belleau Wood.”   Read the article here:    https://www.moore.army.mil/infantry/magazine/issues/2023/Summer/PDF/Summer23_INFMag.pdf   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 23 September 2023

Meuse Argonne - “We Can Kill Them But We Can’t Stop Them”

LTG Hunter Liggett’s patience, preparations, and plans all come together on November 1, 1918, when his new attack is launched.    The AEF breaks through.   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 9 September 2023

Meuse Argonne - Continuous Pressure

AEF 1st Army’s corps shape the battlefield as they fight to secure jump-off points or divert enemy forces for LTG Hunter Liggett’s next attack plan. The 78th, 89th, 3rd, and 26th Divisions fight sharp battles within their sectors.    Interested in next year’s Meuse-Argonne battlefield tour?    Email us: [email protected]   Robert J. Laplander and I collaborated on creating an audiobook version of his book “Finding the Lost Battalion: Beyond the Rumors, Myths and Legends of America's Famous WW1 Epic” and here it finally is.    The audio version of “Finding the Lost Battalion” comes to you in podcast form, ready to download and provide nearly 36 hours of the retelling of America’s WW1 epic of devastating modern battle and indomitable bravery under horrific conditions.    Purchase here for $25 USD:   https://battlesofthefirstworldwar.supportingcast.fm/   Also available through Spotify:   https://open.spotify.com/show/0qcRm8x3W7gpbFjOk78Z6L   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.  

Transcribed - Published: 21 August 2023

Meuse Argonne - Wings Over the Meuse

A look at the American Air Service during the Meuse-Argonne offensive. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 25 June 2023

The Wounded World: W.E.B. Du Bois and the First World War, a Discussion with Dr. Chad Williams

From Dr. Williams’ website: When W. E. B. Du Bois, believing in the possibility of full citizenship and democratic change, encouraged African Americans to “close ranks” and support the Allied cause in World War I, he made a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Seeking both intellectual clarity and personal atonement, for more than two decades Du Bois attempted to write the definitive history of Black participation in World War I. His book, however, remained unfinished. In The Wounded World, Chad Williams offers the dramatic account of Du Bois’s failed efforts to complete what would have been one of his most significant works. The surprising story of this unpublished book offers new insight into Du Bois’s struggles to reckon with both the history and the troubling memory of the war, along with the broader meanings of race and democracy for Black people in the twentieth century.   Drawing on a broad range of sources, most notably Du Bois’s unpublished manuscript and research materials, Williams tells a sweeping story of hope, betrayal, disillusionment, and transformation, setting into motion a fresh understanding of the life and mind of arguably the most significant scholar-activist in African American history. In uncovering what happened to Du Bois’s largely forgotten book, Williams offers a captivating reminder of the importance of World War I, why it mattered to Du Bois, and why it continues to matter today.   Where to buy:   https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-wounded-world-w-e-b-du-bois-and-the-first-world-war-chad-l-williams/18402495?ean=9780374293154 The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.  

Transcribed - Published: 4 June 2023

The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 3

Part 3 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1914: its readiness for a potential conflict with Germany, its underlying preparation and strategy for war, and its performance in the battles that raged in the summer and autumn of that year.    Joining us for this discussion are:   Christina Holstein, author of several incredible guides to the Verdun battlefield, amongst other published works and articles, Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects, Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2023

“The Darkest Year: The British Army on the Western Front 1917” - A Discussion

In this episode we discuss the book “The Darkest Year: The British Army on the Western Front 1917” by Helion & Co Ltd, the 4th in a series of books looking at the development of the BEF on the Western Front throughout the First World War.   Joining us for this discussion are: Dr. Spencer Jones, Senior Lecturer in Armed Forces and War Studies at the University of Wolverhampton Dr. Michael LoCicero, independent scholar and Helion & Co Publishing and Series Editor Alexander Falbo-Wild, historian, researcher, and professional military educator James Taub, Associate Curator at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA whose focus is the “British, French, and American experience of 1914-18 with particular focus on the average fighting man”   Link to the book: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59558585-the-darkest-year   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2023

Mount Kemmel - What It Means to Take a Trench

A firsthand look at what it meant to attack and take an enemy position during WW1.   Many thanks to Alex Lyons for the inspiration for this episode. Thanks, man! Link to Henri Desagneaux’s memoir:   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22219805-a-french-soldier-s-war-diary-1914-1918 The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 16 April 2023

The AEF 2nd Division in WW1: A Discussion with Steven Girard

Steven Girard, US Army veteran and veteran battlefield guide, comes back on the podcast to discuss the American Expeditionary Force’s 2nd Division during the First World War.    Note: The 2nd Division was organized at Bourmont, France.    Villages & towns of note:   Landres-et-St. Georges   Imécourt   Mouzon   Koblenz, Germany   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2023

Arras - The Raid at Blangy

The story behind a famous photograph from the First World War of the men of 10th (Service) Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in the Arras sector in 1917.   Chris Baker’s article:    https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/10th-scottish-rifles-trench-raid-and-an-oft-used-photograph/   Many thanks to Chris for permission to use his article. The BFWWP is now on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com or the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes. 

Transcribed - Published: 25 March 2023

The Great War Group with Alex Churchill & Beth Moore

This episode we are joined by the powerhouse team of Alex Churchill & Beth Moore to talk about the Great War Group that they created and run with their crack team. What a great conversation.    Join the Great War Group!   https://greatwargroup.com/   Check out Istoria Travel:   https://www.istoriatravel.org/   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 15 March 2023

Meuse-Argonne - The German Army in October 1918: A Discussion with Randy Gaulke

Randy Gaulke, WW1 historian and founder of Knee Deep in History Tours, returns to the podcast to talk about the state of the German Army in October 1918.    Join Randy at Knee Deep Into History: https://kneedeepintohistory.com/   Randy’s bibliography:   Asprey, Robert B. The German High Command at War: Hindenburg and Ludendorff Conduct WW1.   Lengel, Edward G., Editor. A Companion to the Meuse-Argonne Campaign. Wiley Blackwell, 2014.   McEntee, Girard Lindsley, Col. US Army (Retired). Military History of The World War: A Complete Account of the Campaigns on all Fronts Accompanied by 456 Maps and Diagrams. Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1943.   Moyer, Laurence. Victory Must be Ours: Germany in the Great War, 1914-1918. Hippocrene Books, New York.   United States War Office. Histories of Two Hundred and Fifty-One Divisions of the German Army which Participated in the War (1914-1918), London Stamp Exchange LTD., 1989.   Watson, Alexander. Enduring the Great War: Combat Morale and Collapse in the German and British Armies, 1914 – 1918. Cambridge University Press, 2009.   Zabecki, David T. The German 1918 Offensives: A Case Study in the Operational Level of War. Routledge, Oxon and New York, 2006. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Rate, review, and subscribe to the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2023

The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 2

Part 2 of the ongoing discussion looks at misconceptions about the French Army, and French personalities of the war we should know about but, for reasons, do not. We wrap up with some advice on visiting the French battlefields of the Great War: guide books, how to prepare, what to expect, etc.   This was another conversation that deeply impressed me with the breadth and depth of knowledge of the participants. Like I say in the introduction, grab a notebook and a pen, because you are about to learn a lot.   Joining us for this discussion are:   Christina Holstein, author of several incredible guides to the Verdun battlefield, amongst other published works and articles, Alex Lyons, the man who spends his free time telling us the story of his Poilu great-grandfather on Twitter, Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects, Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields, James Taub, Associate Curator at the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia, PA, and a public historian with a specialty in French history, and its presentation to American audiences.   The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.    Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at [email protected]. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.   

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2023

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Mike Cunha, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.