Best Operation Telic Podcasts (2025)

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S6 #104 The Afghanistan Veterans Community 1:24:44

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6d ago1:24:44

1:24:44

CONTENT The guest today is former soldier Jonny Ball who served in the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment and the Intelligence Corps deploying on operations in Northern Ireland and Afghanistan before being medically discharged in 2024. An expert at election law, campaigns and community engagement. He worked for a decade in politics and ran election…

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S6 #103 Achtung Pig: Life In BAOR & Northern Ireland 37:45

13d ago37:45

37:45

CONTENT The guest today is former soldier and author James Lee. James was my guest on podcast 38 where we discussed his first book about his tour in Afghanistan called "Licking The Taliban’s Flip Flop" and also on pod 84 where we discussed his second volume "Sleeping in The ditch With Slobodan Milosevic" about his tour in Bosnia and Croatia in the …

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S6 #102 Helicopter Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) In The Falklands War 1:14:00

20d ago1:14:00

1:14:00

CONTENT This weeks guest is Mick Cook a former helicopter crewman in the Royal Navy, The conversation begins with Mick's enlistment in 1971 as a junior naval air mechanic and details the culture shock and rigorous nature of his initial basic training. Mick talks about working on aircraft carriers and other deployments before we discuss his flying o…

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S6 #101 Euclid's Army: Challenging Conventional Wisdom on Land Warfare 1:35:36

27d ago1:35:36

1:35:36

CONTENT The guests today are Neale Smiles a former soldier now working in the defence industry and Wilf Owen also a former soldier and author of the book "Euclid's Army: Preparing Land Forces for Warfare Today." The conversation focuses on modern military doctrine, training, and equipment for Western armies, particularly challenging traditional ass…

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S6 #100 British Army Combat Logistic Patrols In Afghanistan - Op HERRICK 1:04:57

1M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

CONTENT The guest today is former British Army officer Rob McAllister who discusses his military career with a focus on his challenging early life with dyslexia and his eventual decision to join the Royal Logistic Corps, after a period of academic and professional frustration. The conversation centres on his deployment to Afghanistan as a young sec…

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S6 #099 Send It - Canadian Snipers In Afghanistan 1:12:08

2M ago1:12:08

1:12:08

CONTENT The guest today is Barry Nisbet who joined the Canadian Forces in 1997. He completed RCR battle school graduating at the top of his class and was posted to the 1 Royal Canadian Regiment in Petawawa. In 2003 he completed U.S. Army Ranger School. He deployed to Kosovo in 1999 and Bosnia in 2003 as a rifleman. His first tour to Afghanistan was…

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S6 #098 RUC - UN Policing Operations In Kosovo 1999 1:05:21

2M ago1:05:21

1:05:21

CONTENT In today’s episode, I’m joined by Andy, a former officer of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. Who deployed to Kosovo with the RUC as part of the UN international peacekeeping mission. His unique perspective offers a window into what it was like to move from a domestic conflict in the UK to an international operation in the Balkans, and the cha…

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S6 #097 A British Army Reservist’s War in Iraq – Op TELIC 4 1:05:17

2M ago1:05:17

1:05:17

CONTENT My guest is former Army Reserve infantry soldier Matt Okuhara, whose story highlights the often-overlooked role of Britain’s reservists in war. After joining the TA while working in banking, Matt was mobilised for Operation TELIC 4 and deployed to Basra, Iraq. He shares the realities of pre-deployment training, patrolling under constant thr…

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S6 #096 The Mad and The Brave: Ukraine's Foreign Legion Volunteers 1:30:28

3M ago1:30:28

1:30:28

CONTENT My guest today is Colin Freeman, a journalist of 30 years of experience. Colin began his career on local papers before becoming a chief foreign correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph. His extensive career has taken him to numerous war zones and global hotspots, including Iraq, Afghanistan, the Arab Spring revolutions and the Ebola crisis in…

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S6 #095 The Troubles: The British Army's Hard-Won Lessons, Adaptation & Training in Northern Ireland 1:10:10

3M ago1:10:10

1:10:10

CONTENT On this episode Kev and I discuss the Army's training for Operation Banner, the nearly four-decade deployment of British forces to Northern Ireland starting in 1969. Initially intended as a temporary measure to aid the civil power, the British military was unprepared for the complexities of the conflict, lacking specific training and relyin…

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S5 #094 The Battle of Danny Boy & The Al - Sweady Inquiry 1:21:55

4M ago1:21:55

1:21:55

CONTENT My guest today is retired Brigadier Matt Maer DSO MBE, who served for 27 years in the British Army and was my guest on pod 91 where we discussed 1 PWRR’s tour of operations on Operation TELIC 4. If you haven’t already I would give that one listen when you have the time. On this episode, we discuss the Battle of Danny Boy in Iraq during May …

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S5 #093 Thunder Run Meiktila 1945 - War In Burma 1:15:17

4M ago1:15:17

1:15:17

CONTENT My guest today is Jack Bowsher, author of "Thunder Run: Meiktila 1945: The Greatest Combined Arms Manoeuvre Battle of WW2. Jack argues this battle was a pivotal Allied victory, predicting modern combined arms maneuver warfare, including tank and air support, in an unexpected jungle and dry plains environment. He highlights Slim's strategic …

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S5 #092 New Zealand's War In Vietnam - Fighting The VC & NVA 1:10:07

5M ago1:10:07

1:10:07

CONTENT The guest today is John Tulloch a former officer in the New Zealand and British Armies. Every so often I look at the download statistics for a podcast episode and get surprised at how low some of them are considering the subject matter. This episode with John, who fought in Vietnam with the NZ army, is one of them. I have re edited the epis…

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S5 #091 Commanding 1 PWRR Battle Group - Operation TELIC 4 (Iraq 2004) 2:12:16

5M ago2:12:16

2:12:16

CONTENT My guest today is retired Brigadier Matt Maer DSO MBE, who served for 27 years in the British Army. His distinguished career included operational tours in Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan. In addition to regimental duties, he held key intelligence roles within Defence Intelligence and the Joint Terrorism Analysis Cent…

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S5 #090 SOE Jungle Warrior - Lt Col Edgar Peacock DSO MC & Bar 1:41:51

5M ago1:41:51

1:41:51

CONTENT The guests today are Duncan Gilmour, Peacock's only grandson, who has worked with Richard Duckett, the author of a compelling new biography on Peacock called, "Jungle Warrior" On this episode we discuss the incredible, yet largely unknown, story of courage, leadership, and jungle warfare in the Second World War and the life of Colonel Edgar…

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S5 #089 Invictus, PTSD & A Washing Machine 1:07:40

6M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

CONTENT The guest today is Scotty Darroch. On this pod we discuss his challenging upbringing and decision to join the Royal Logistic Corps (RLC) at 18. He discusses his military roles, the impact of ADHD on his service, his PTSD and involvement in the Invictus Games, highlighting its significance for recovery through sport. A major focus is his rec…

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S5 #088 John A Dailey: US Marine Corps Recon, MARSOC, & Special Operations Veteran. 1:34:46

6M ago1:34:46

1:34:46

CONTENT My guest today is John A. Dailey, retired US Marine Corps Master Sergeant and author of Tough Rugged Bastards: A Memoir of a Life in Marine Special Operations. With over two decades of service, John’s career took him from Force Recon to the front lines of America’s post-9/11 conflicts, shaping the future of Marine special operations. We dis…

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S5 #087 3 Para Battle For Mount Longdon 1:34:13

7M ago1:34:13

1:34:13

CONTENT I first recorded this as a two part interview with Parachute Regiment soldier Jimmy Morham 4 years ago as part of a discussion on his military career. This podcast has had the audio improved and focuses on the battle for Mount Longdon during the Falkland's War in 1982 and is being released as one episode on the anniversary of the battle. It…

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S5 #086 Beyond the Battlefield: Exploring British Army Simulation Training 1:34:14

7M ago1:34:14

1:34:14

CONTENT The guest today is former soldier Neale Smiles and on this episode we have an extensive discussion on military simulation and training, particularly within the British Army. It explores the evolution of simulation technologies, including virtual reality and augmented reality, and their application in training soldiers at various levels, fro…

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S5 #085 The Provisional IRA Campaign In Europe 36:24

7M ago36:24

36:24

CONTENT The guest today is Kim Read who was previously on pods 49 and 79 when we discussed the International Long Range Recce Patrol School and the East German Army. On this episode we talk about the Provisional Irish Republican Army's (IRA) campaign against British forces in Germany during the Troubles. The discussion highlights the increased thre…

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S5 #084 Sleeping In The Ditch With Slobodan Milosevic 1:08:09

8M ago1:08:09

1:08:09

CONTENT The guest today is former Royal Logistic Corps soldier and author James Lee. James was my guest on podcast 38 where we discussed his first book about his tour in Afghanistan called "Licking The Taliban’s Flip Flop". In this episode we discuss his second book about his tour in Bosnia and Croatia in the 90s "Sleeping In The Ditch With Sloboda…

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S5 #083 Reassessing The German Army In WW2 1:47:09

8M ago1:47:09

1:47:09

CONTENT The guest today is Phil Blood a British historian and author specialising in military history, the Holocaust, and Nazi occupation policies. He is best known for his in-depth research on the intersection of warfare and genocide, particularly in Eastern Europe during World War II. On this episode we focus on historical perceptions of the Germ…

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S5 #082 Reflections on Military Service, Training & Operations 1:06:28

9M ago1:06:28

1:06:28

CONTENT The guest today is former soldier Chris Binch. After serving 7 years with 2 PARA he left to work in the Private Security Industry before joining the fire service. He is the host of the The Old Paratrooper Podcast. We discuss military experiences, the transition to civvi street and perspectives on current conflicts. We also delve into the re…

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S5 #081 SAS: Sea King Down 1:25:55

10M ago1:25:55

1:25:55

CONTENT The guest today is Mark "Splash" Aston. Splash joined the Gloucester Regiment in 1964 as a teenager. He later passed selection for 22 SAS as a Colour Sergeant in the late 1970s joining Mountain Troop of D Squadron. On this episode discuss his early army life, training for selection and the Falklands war in 1982 when his squadron was instrum…

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S5 #080 The Jungle Is Neutral 1:12:58

10M ago1:12:58

1:12:58

CONTENT On this episode I will be discussing jungle warfare with Kev and we cover; how Britain transformed its army into an effective jungle fighting force in WW2 after an inauspicious start, why jungle warfare training is relevant in the 21st century, Exercise IRON LANCE a typical jungle training course in the early 90s run by 22 SAS. Finally we t…

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S5 #079 Cold War Life & The East German Army 34:34

11M ago34:34

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CONTENT The guest today is Kim Read who appeared on episode #49 when we talked about training at the LRRP school in the 1980s. On this pod we discuss life in Germany during and after the Cold war. What it was like to go on exercise and some of the remarkable conversations we had with German WW2 veterans we met. Kim lives in Germany and tells me abo…

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S5 #078 The Recovery Of Stirling Bomber BK716 1:27:13

11M ago1:27:13

1:27:13

CONTENT My guest today is Lilian van Mourik. On this episode we dicuss the recovery of Stirling bomber BK716 and its seven crew members as part of the remarkable Dutch national programme for WW2 aircraft recoveries which was set up in 2019 and aims to unearth 30 aircraft over the next decade. We also discussed Dutch wartime remembrance culture, the…

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S5 #077 On The Ground With BRIXMIS 1:22:41

11M ago1:22:41

1:22:41

CONTENT On pod # 070 we interviewed the author Andrew Long about his book “The Story Of BRIXMIS And The Secret Cold War - Intelligence Gathering Operations Behind East Germany”. This episode continues our examination of Cold War espionage focusing on BRIXMIS members operating deep inside Soviet occupied East Germany. Our guest is Nick a former memb…

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S5 #076 Return To Operation BANNER (Northern Ireland) 1:34:48

12M ago1:34:48

1:34:48

CONTENT At the end of November I went on a road trip with Kev to Northern Ireland. In many respects it was more of a battlefield tour than a road trip covering areas where we had been on operations. On this pod we discuss the transformation of Northern Ireland since we were there in the late 80s and early 90s with a focus on Belfast, Londonderry an…

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S5 #075 The Moral Application Of Violence In War 58:54

1y ago58:54

58:54

CONTENT The guest today is Patrick Bury a former Royal Irish Regiment officer who joined the army in 2005 and spent five years in uniform, including a tour in Sangin, Helmand in 2008. We discuss the complexities of COIN warfare and the leadership and ethical challenges during this type of operation. We examine the phenomenon of 'warrior culture,' a…

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S5 #074 Survival Course - The Rhodesian Bush War Continues 58:34

1y ago58:34

58:34

CONTENT The guest today is Chris Cocks who was on pod 72 when we discussed his service in the Rhodesian Light Infantry and his book "Fire Force - One Man's War In The Rhodesian Light Infantry". On this episode we discuss life after he finished his service and his sequel to Fire Force "Survival Course - Rhodesian Denouement And The War Of Self". The…

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Afghanistan: James Glancy, Royal Marines - Very few people got to actually understand the Afghan people, the real structure of how the tribes work and who they were. 1:11:27

1y ago1:11:27

1:11:27

James Glancy is “of the 9/11 era. There is a big difference in the experience of Serving in the Royal Marines or the military in the 90s to the post 2001 era…I was in Afghanistan within two months of passing out…I did three Troop Commands on combat operations on the ground. It was an amazing 10 years.” When he left “I missed the intensity of operat…

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Afghanistan: Sir Laurie Bristow, UK Ambassador to Afghanistan - There were moments where we didn’t know if we would get out alive. 1:02:04

1y ago1:02:04

1:02:04

Sir Laurie Bristow was central to the military withdrawal in 2021, there’s nobody better placed to give us the inside story than the last British ambassador in Afghanistan. He takes us through the days and hours counting down, “15th August we started the day with President Ghani behind his desk broadcasting to the nation…roughly 2.30pm” He’s “left …

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Afghanistan: Oliver Lee, Royal Marines - Moral Courage, above all, it’s about doing the right thing 1:30:18

1y ago1:30:18

1:30:18

Oliver Lee resigned over the Marine A controversy and epitomises moral courage. He took over command of 45 Commando in 2009 as it came back from Afghanistan. Knowing they’d return in 2011 and to fulfil his vision of “Less violence, more engagement with people and culture… It’s about Afghans before anybody else” he ensured that the entire unit “all …

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Afghanistan: Bronwyn Royce, Mother - If We Can Reach One Person Who Needed to Hear this Story, That’s What it’s All About, To Give Somebody Hope. 1:14:09

1y ago1:14:09

1:14:09

Cayle Royce was severely injured in action. His difficult yet inspirational story is told from his mother, Bronwyn’s perspective. Cayle lost both legs above the knee and part of his hand as well as further blast injuries after stepping on an IED. “It is a very challenging story, but lots of positives to be taken…From where we were…To where we are n…

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Afghanistan: Frank Ledwidge, Civilian Advisor - In Order to Put Things Right, You Have to Understand Where You Went Wrong. 1:17:32

1y ago1:17:32

1:17:32

Frank Ledwidge is angry. His hard-hitting, bleak and perhaps controversial perspective is born out of his work in Afghanistan and personal investigation, “I wanted to know what the human cost was…The image we had of ourselves was, we are here to help” but “We were seen as…invaders…That came as something of a shock to me.” Frank’s background was as …

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S5 #073 Navigating the Transition - Army to Civvy Street 1:17:53

1y ago1:17:53

1:17:53

CONTENT The guest today is Loz Moore a former officer in the British Army. Loz was on podcast 62 when we discussed his operational tours with the infantry in Afghanistan, Iraq and NI. On this episode we discuss transitioning from military life to civilian careers and delve into the challenges of resettlement faced by veterans. We talk of our differ…

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Afghanistan: James Malone, Royal Marines - The Only Thing You Have For Company Is Those Experiences and They’re All Horrific. 1:10:22

1y ago1:10:22

1:10:22

James Malone remembers leaving Lympstone, “In every fibre of being, I felt like I could do anything…You just wanna get stuck in.” His tour was “Something that definitely changed the course of my life. War does that…to everyone who experiences combat…the first major casualty…was sobering…we had fairly regular contact, gunfights, rocket attacks, IED …

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Afghanistan: Tom Corrigan, Army Air Corps - Have You Got Your Big Boy Pants On? It’s All Kicking Off! 1:07:08

1y ago1:07:08

1:07:08

Tom Corrigan wanted to be an Apache pilot... “I thought, ‘Yeah Apache, that looks pretty awesome, up for a bit of that’. It’s something I’d wanted to do since I was a pretty young lad, I just thought, ‘that looks pretty epic.’” Tom’s first tour was in 2009, “You were just chomping at the bit to get out there really…We all thought it was going to be…

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Afghanistan: Nick Denning, Royal Anglian Regiment - You want to feel worn-in and seasoned and up-to-speed as quickly as you can 1:24:20

1y ago1:24:20

1:24:20

Nick Denning gives us an insight into his life and responsibilities as a very new Platoon Commander in Helmand Province. “It was all a very rapid, flash-to-bang experience getting there…You want to feel worn-in and seasoned and up-to-speed as quickly as you can…You wait for your first patrol, your first contact with the enemy, your first engagement…

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Afghanistan: Liz McConaghy, Royal Air Force - There at the Beginning of Op Herrick and There Until the Very End 1:12:52

1y ago1:12:52

1:12:52

Liz McConaghy “amassed 10 Op Herricks”, deployed three months at a time as part of the Chinook Force... “We were there at the beginning of Op Herrick…when Camp Bastion didn’t even exist… and we were there, pretty much at the end, when we turned the lights off and walked away. Because of that, we saw the whole campaign grow and develop. Lots of mixe…

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S5 #072 The Rhodesian Light Infantry 1:13:28

1y ago1:13:28

1:13:28

CONTENT The guest today is former soldier and author of "Fire Force - A Troopers War In The Rhodesian Light Infantry" Chris Cocks. Chris was born in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia in 1957. In 1976 he was conscripted for national service, and ended up serving 3 years in the Rhodesian Light Infantry or RLI. Then 18 months with PATU, the Police Anti-Ter…

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S5 #071 Veterans 1:02:21

1y ago1:02:21

1:02:21

CONTENT The guest today is Ben Skipper a freelance feature writer and author with books and articles published on art, military and field sports subjects. He is an Associate Member of Royal Aeronautical Society and the Pen and Sword Club for military journalists and writers. His interest in British armour was cemented by a visit to the King’s Royal…

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S5 #070 BRIXMIS & The Secret Cold War 1:12:19

1y ago1:12:19

1:12:19

CONTENT The guest today is Andrew Long a Cold War historian and author whose book “The story of BRIXMIS and the secret Cold War: Intelligence gathering operations behind East Germany” was released on 30 July 2024. The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) was a focal point during the Cold War, with Soviet and East German forces stationed along …

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S4 #069 Andy McNab CBE DCM MM 1:10:57

1+ y ago1:10:57

1:10:57

CONTENT The guest today is Andy McNab CBE DCM MM former special forces soldier, author and business man. On this episode we discuss his chaotic childhood, army service, functioning psychopaths, book writing, shooting Hollywood films and his latest project with WeServed a service for Veterans by Veterans - for more information visit www.we-served.co…

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S4 #068 MI9 - The Secret Service For Escape And Evasion In WW2 1:09:39

1+ y ago1:09:39

1:09:39

CONTENT The guest today is Dr Helen Fry. Helen has authored and edited over 25 books covering the social history of the Second World War, including British Intelligence and the secret war, espionage and spies, and MI9 escape and evasion. She is the foremost authority on the 'secret listeners' who worked at special eavesdropping sites operated by Br…

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S4 #067 Citizen Soldiers - History Of The Army Reserves 55:27

1+ y ago55:27

55:27

CONTENT The guest today is Patrick Crowley author of "Rose Castle and Crown - Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Citizen Soldiers". On this podcast we will cover the history of the British Army's citizen soldiers going back to the raising of militias in the 16th century up to the Army Reserves of the present day. We discuss the challenge and sacrifice…

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S4 #066 The Derryard Attack - Northern Ireland 1989 36:21

1+ y ago36:21

36:21

CONTENT The subject of this pod is the Derryard action, a sustained IRA deliberate attack in December 1989 against an Army Permanent Check Point (PVCP) close to the border with the Republic Of Ireland a few miles north of Rosslea, County Fermanagh. The checkpoint was manned by members of the Kings Own Scottish Borderers who fought off an Active Ser…

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S4 #065 The Past, Present & Future Of Drones In The British Army 1:30:18

1+ y ago1:30:18

1:30:18

CONTENT The guest today is Neale Smiles a former Gunner now working in the defence industry. Neale often posts his thoughts on military matters on LinkedIn and was a guest on pod 51 where we discussed “Guns, Rockets & Training For War”. So if you have an interest in all things artillery it is worth a listen. Even if you don't check it out as Ukrain…

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S4 #064 7 Minutes To Midnight - Korea The Forgotten War 48:08

1+ y ago48:08

48:08

CONTENT On this podcast we feature the British involvement in the Korean War which took place between 1950 - 1953. A war that is fairly unknown and overshadowed by WW2 and later the Vietnam war. It is considered forgotten but was as gruelling as any of the WW2 theatres of operations. We discuss the prelude to war, the opening engagements, the feroc…