Mentioned in Dispatches

Episódios

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  Ep392 – Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade – Janet Skeslien Charles 01.10.2026 20min
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  Ep391 – Morale in Salonika – Dr Jake Gasson 15.09.2026 39min
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  Ep390 – Walking the Western Front – Briana Gervat 01.09.2026 15min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches Podcast, Briana Gervat discusses her book There Will Come Soft Rains, which recounts her extraordinary solo walk along the Western Front from the Swiss border to the North Sea. Briana reflects on the journey, the landscapes and communities she encountered and what walking the length of the former Western Front revealed about the enduring physical and human legacy of the First World War. The episode explores the relationship between history, memory and landscape and considers how travelling through these historic places on foot can offer a distinctive perspective on the conflict and its continuing presence in Europe
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  Ep389 – Rory O’Connor and the Irish Revolution – Gerard Shannon 15.08.2026 52min

  In this podcast, Gerard Shannon discusses his biography of Rory O’Connor, a key figure in the Irish revolutionary period. He explores O’Connor’s journey from engineer to senior IRA leader and his involvement in the political and military struggles of the time. The interview examines the tensions that led to the Irish Civil War and O’Connor’s eventual execution. Gerard also reflects on the complexities of interpreting revolutionary figures and the continuing relevance of this period in Irish history.
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  Ep388 – The sinking of HMS India – Rachel Clarke 01.08.2026 47min

  In this episode, Rebecca Clarke examines the sinking of HMS India in 1915 and the extraordinary stories of the survivors who were interned in Norway. Drawing on family archives and personal letters, she reconstructs the experiences of these sailors during and after the sinking. The interview highlights lesser-known aspects of naval warfare and the long-term consequences for those involved. Rebecca also reflects on the importance of preserving personal histories in understanding the wider impact of war.
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  Ep387 – Shellshocked soldiers returning from the Battlefield – Patrick Taylor 15.07.2026 20min

  In this podcast, Patrick Taylor discusses his research into the experiences of shell-shocked servicemen returning to civilian life after the First World War. Drawing on archival sources from Britain and Australia, he examines issues of rehabilitation, family relationships and the role of charities and the state. The interview highlights the long-term impact of psychological trauma and the challenges faced by veterans and their families. Patrick also reflects on how attitudes towards mental health have evolved since the early twentieth century.
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  Ep386 – Framing the Great War – Drs Aimee Fox, Mike Finch & David Morgan-Owen 30.06.2026 48min

  In this episode, Aimée Fox, Mike Finch and David Morgan-Owen discuss their edited volume on how the First World War was perceived and interpreted by those who experienced it. They explore how different groups, including soldiers, commanders and politicians, framed the conflict and how those perspectives influenced decision-making. The interview highlights the diversity of viewpoints and the importance of perception in shaping military and political outcomes. The authors also reflect on the value of collaborative scholarship in developing new interpretations of the war.
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  Ep385 – The Barnbow Disaster – Antony Bell 15.06.2026 34min

  In this podcast, Antony Bell discusses the historical background to his novel A Penny a Shell, focusing on the 1916 Barnbow munitions factory explosion. He explores the lives of the women workers, known as the Barnbow Lasses, who laboured under dangerous and secretive conditions. The interview highlights the scale of the disaster, its impact on the local community and the broader role of women on the home front. Antony also reflects on the process of blending historical fact with fiction to bring these stories to a wider audience.
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  Ep384 – The Saxons in Flanders, 1914-8 – Andrew Lucas 01.06.2026 51min

  In this episode, Andrew Lucas about hisi book with Jürgen Schmieschek that explores Saxon soldiers during the First World War. Using personal writings, they examine how German troops experienced combat on the Western Front, particularly in Flanders. The interview explores daily life, combat conditions and the emotional toll of prolonged warfare. Andi also reflects on the importance of presenting a balanced historical account that incorporates voices from both sides of the conflict.
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  Ep383 – Smith Dorien saving the British army – Charles Barrington 15.05.2026 25min

  In this episode, Charles Barrington re-examines the life and career of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, focusing on his decisive actions during the early stages of the First World War. The interview explores his leadership at the Battle of Le Cateau and his role in stabilising the British Expeditionary Force during its retreat. Barrington challenges traditional narratives that have overlooked Smith-Dorrien’s contributions, highlighting his professionalism, independence of thought and willingness to take difficult decisions. The discussion also considers his later career and legacy within British military history.
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  Ep382 – Three sons for the Kaiser – Hazel Strouts 01.05.2026 1h 5min

  In this edition of the Mentioned in Dispatches Podcast, Hazel Strouts talks about her book Three Sons for the Kaiser: A German Family’s Sacrifice in the First World War, a moving account of Philipp Gercke and his three sons, all of whom served, in the Imperial German armed forces and only on returned.
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  Ep381 – Britain, oil and Baku in 1918 – Nick Higham 15.04.2026 34min

  In this episode, Nick Higham explores Britain’s extraordinary and often overlooked campaign in the Caucasus during the closing stages of the First World War. Drawing on his book Mavericks, he discusses the diverse group of soldiers, diplomats and intelligence officers sent to Baku to prevent Ottoman and Bolshevik control of critical oil resources. The interview highlights the strategic importance of oil, the chaotic political environment and the personalities involved in the mission. Nick also examines why this episode has been largely forgotten and what it reveals about the wider geopolitical stakes at the end of the war.
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  Ep380 – Henry Tudor in Ireland – Linden MacIntyre 11.04.2026 53min

  In this podcast interview, Linden MacIntyre discusses his exploration of Sir Hugh Tudor, a deeply controversial figure in the Irish War of Independence. He explains the motivations behind writing An Accidental Villain and examines Tudor’s transformation from a respected British Army officer into a central figure in Britain’s coercive policy in Ireland. The conversation explores Tudor’s relationship with Winston Churchill, his role in militarising the Royal Irish Constabulary and the creation of the Black and Tans. Linden also reflects on the complexity of Tudor’s character, questioning whether he was a willing architect of repression or a man caught in circumstances beyond his control.
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  Ep379 – The memorial to the US 42nd Division – Dr Monique B. Seefried 15.03.2026 38min
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  Ep378 – Guards Division, 1915-17 – David Griffiths 01.03.2026 40min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches, David Griffiths discusses his new book The Guards 1915–17: An Elite Division at War. The book is the first major history of the Guards Division in nearly a century, drawing on war diaries and memoirs to follow the unit through Loos, Flers-Courcelette, Morval and Pilckem Ridge. Griffiths also examines the culture, reputation and experiences of an elite force under the pressure of modern war. Published by Helion & Co.
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  Ep377 – Administration of Death – Kelsey Moriarty 15.02.2026 27min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches, Kelsey Moriarty examines the bureaucratic and cultural processes that reshaped grief during and after the First World War. Her thesis Kafka in the Trenches: Death, Bureaucracy, and the Written Record in Britain 1914–1920 explores how official letters, forms and memorials affected the experience of mourning. From government notices of death to the rise of street shrines, her research highlights how state systems collided with private grief and altered the citizen–state relationship.
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  Ep376 – War Memorials in Devon – Dr Todd Gray 01.02.2026 25min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches, historian Dr Todd Gray discusses his award-winning book Lest Devon Forgets. The book explores the creation, meaning and controversies surrounding the county’s Great War memorials, shedding light on how communities in the wake of the conflict grappled with loss, identity and memory. Published by Stevens Books.
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  Ep375 – Burial of L-Cpl John Street – Mike Jackson 15.01.2026 51min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches, Mike Jackson tells the story of his great-uncle, Lance Corporal John Street, who fell in 1917 and whose sacrifice went unrecognised for more than a century. On 10th April 2025, Street will finally be laid to rest with full military honours near the battlefield where he died. Jackson, a retired training manager and military history researcher, describes his work with the Ministry of Defence’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre to ensure that his relative’s story is remembered.
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  Ep374 – Angel Down – Daniel Kraus 01.01.2026 27min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches, acclaimed author Daniel Kraus discusses his novel Angel Down — a haunting, formally ambitious reimagining of the First World War told through a single, continuous sentence. The book explores themes of survival, selfishness, the supernatural and the staggering human cost of mechanised slaughter, immersing readers in the moral chaos of war. Published by Simon & Schuster
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  Ep373 – Teeside Pioneers in the GW – Gary Guess 01.12.2025 37min

  In this episode of the Western Front Association’s Mentioned in Dispatches, researcher Gary Guess shares his work on the 12th (Service) Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment, known as the Teesside Pioneers. Recruited largely from Middlesbrough and surrounding towns, the battalion served with distinction in France, combining infantry courage with engineering labour under fire. Guess, who has spent six years uncovering their history and has a personal family connection, reveals the story of this remarkable unit.