History Episodes
Beyond Gravity
What does an astronaut fear most? Believe it or not, it’s not dying. What tricks do you play on yourself to get to sleep the night before lift-off? What do you feel when you are standing in front of 180 feet of rocket which is about to propel you into space? Why would you eat at least one meal on the ceiling of the space shuttle each mission? Jim Wetherbee is one of NASA’s most distinguished servants. During his 20-year career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Jim succes…
The Khmer Rouge, Mr Clever and Me
In 1993, Chris Moon MBE was taken prisoner while clearing landmines in Cambodia by Pol Pot's Khmer Rouge, the most feared and brutal regime in the country's history. No Western prisoner had ever survived. Chris managed to keep his emotions in check and used his early-life farming experiences, army training and plenty of guile to attempt to take control of a situation that was stacked heavily against him and his team. After trekking through the stifling, malaria-infested Cambodian …
Twenty-two Black Arrows
In 1958, Sir Patrick Hine was part of a team of elite RAF pilots, the Black Arrows, who broke the world record for an aerobatic display manoeuvre that has never been equalled - and might never be. The Black Arrows performed a 22-plane loop twice in front of a euphoric Farnborough Air Show crowd. Sir Patrick later became Air Chief Marshal of the RAF and Joint Command of the British Forces in the 1990 Gulf War, but looks back at that 1958 feat with great pride and considers it one of his pro…
Vietnam War: Helicopters and History
It's 1968. The Vietnam War is at its fiercest. Robin Bartlett is a platoon leader with the U.S. 1st Air Cavalry Division. Robin’s platoon is deployed on regular helicopter combat assaults, sometimes twice a day. Getting into the Landing Zone is perilous - so is getting out. Robin recounts the day when his helicopter had ascended to 1500 feet, received gunfire and then moments later, the engine cut out. What followed was pure terror. It was a pleasure to welcome Robin back after his…
Donut Dollies
During the Vietnam War, a group of courageous women embarked on an extraordinary mission to uplift the spirits of American troops stationed far away from their loved ones. The Donut Dollies. With unwavering bravery, they ventured into war zones armed only with warm smiles. Their story often goes unheard, but not for my guest today, Penni Evans, who left college at the end of December 1969 to find herself in Vietnam by the March of 1970. She was 22. Penni had so many stories to tell, it was h…
JFK and the Lone Star
President John F Kennedy arrived in Dallas, Texas, on November 22nd, 1963, appearing to be in good health; almost exactly three hours later, he left the Lone Star State in a casket. Those two facts are the only things most Americans agree upon concerning that tragic weekend. If you think you know who was responsible, you’re in for a surprise. History matures over time. New witnesses come out of the woodwork as the veil of secrecy is steadily lifted. Sara and Katanna found those witnesses - …
Curiosity Calls 1
What have a psychiatrist, a psychic medium, a bodyguard, a WWII survivor, a remote settler and a parliamentary candidate got in common? They all feature in today’s episode. The podcast has now passed 25 episodes, so it felt like a great time to look back. Check out this compilation of the best bits of some of our earlier episodes. It was great fun revisiting some of the first episodes to feature in the Batting the Breeze podcast. I was delighted to reaffirm that the style and integrity of t…
Vietnam War: The Trail
The story of the Vietnam War has been told many times in many different ways. But how often have you heard what it was like on the ground for infantry soldiers walking The Trail - that daily grind of cutting through the jungle in pursuit of the enemy? The unbearable heat, leeches, C-rations, booby traps, ambushes and counter-ambushes. It’s a gripping and terrifying story which my guest Robin, a Vietnam Veteran, tells with passion and surprising humour. It’s a story that must be told over an…
Access Denied: The Kursk Submarine Rescue Story
In August 2000, the Russian nuclear-powered submarine Kursk sank in the Barents Sea, resulting in the loss of all 118 crew members. At the time, the UK Royal Navy's submarine rescue team was one of the best-equipped in the world, and they offered their services to help save the trapped crew. Access was denied. Today’s guest, Mark, was part of that team. Mark has led a colourful life, which has generally involved putting his life in danger for a cause. He tells his story with unnerving …
Gough Whitlam Was Out To Lunch
It was a mad moment in Australian political history; The 1975 Australian Constitutional Crisis - but don’t let that title put you off! It’s a story of double-crossing, conspiracy theories, the CIA, Australia - a mature world democracy - without a government, demonstrations, dissent and a country in crisis. And all, perhaps, because Gough Whitlam was out to lunch. I was so grateful to Australian historian Barry York for talking me through this extraordinary story. Never has politics been …
Edmund, Churchill and Thatcher
Have you ever wondered if Margaret Thatcher ever met Sir Winston Churchill? If you search, you’ll find that nobody really knows. However, one person does know; Edmund Murray, Churchill’s last bodyguard. Also, What happened when Winston Churchill demanded to see his bodyguard’s latest paintings? This is the third and final part of the Edmund Murray trilogy. I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. It started with some writing on a wall and led me down an amazing rabbit hole leading …
Edmund, Churchill and Onassis
Edmund Murray was Winston Churchill’s last bodyguard and as such he witnessed situations and events like no other. What happened when Mrs Onassis, Maria Callas and Jackie Kennedy ended up on the yacht Christina at the same time? What really happened to Churchill’s budgerigar? This is the second of our Edmund Murray trilogy. This is the story that keeps giving. Reading through Edmund Murray’s autobiography - Winston Churchill's Last Bodyguard - is a pleasure. It’s packed with stories…
Winston Churchill's Last Bodyguard
Have you ever found a handwritten inscription behind an old bathroom cabinet and not stopped to read it? In that case, you may be kicking yourself by the time you’ve finished listening to the series of events which uncovered the life of one of Winston Churchill’s closest confidants - his last bodyguard. Links: Bill mentions below that he is currently Chairman of the Dartmoor Society . Why not take a quick look to see how one group in the South West of England looks to protect its locality, …
A Child's Eye View of World War II
On the 3rd September 1939, Neville Chamberlain broadcast the news that Britain was at war with Germany. Accounts of war time have been well documented, but what was it like for the children living under the constant threat of German bombers? Enid Bottle was five years old on that day. Now eighty-eight years old and living in the South of England, she recalls vivid memories as if they were yesterday. This was a memorable episode. Partly because it was our first proper episode, partly becaus…