Maritime History with Chris Sams (live and unplugged)

This week I ask a question you never thought you needed to know - what is a pre-dreadnought battleship? Also why are they important and actually do more during the First World War than Dreadnoughts? If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers...

This week is a rough overview of the Tegetthoff dreadnought’s origins, the Austro-Hungarian/Italian Naval race, cost cutting and why the flaw in her design was not that critical and it was more of a fleet issue. This was in response to a video on youtube by the fantastic Mike Grady and Ocean Liner Designs which you can find here and I fully recommend you check out his channel and videos. If you ar...

After last week’s heavy episode I wanted to do something a little lighter and I also wanted to share the stories of my grandparent’s during the Second World War. Some are funny, some are tragic, some are a bit shakey when it comes to the actual history of it and Im not sure how true they are but…. Here they are non the less. If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or...

On the night of 31 December - 1 January 1914-15 the battleship Formidable battled the elements and a U-boat to stay afloat and then her crew battled to stay alive… What happened was a complete human tragedy. If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other sub...

This week’s episode looks at the sinking of the steamer SS Caroline and how that almost brought the British Empire and America to war as well as the Caroline Test… If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, vi...

This week I turn to a story of the Fleet Air arm’s Blackburn Skuas and a patrol over the Goodwin Sands that ends horribly… f you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jerijerod14.substack.com/subscribe

This week I talk broadly about the deployment of Force Z and postulate that Phillips was in the wrong to carryout his sweep for Japanese invasion forces on the 9th December 1941 and that he should have carried out another course of action. I briefly cover the sinkings but will do so in greater depth in a Substack post really soon! If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stu...

This week’s episode looks at the case of a murdered Royal Marine at Chatham, the fate of the culprit and the legend that grew up around it… If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jerijerod14.substack...

This week I return to ships but with a Polish slant and how one Polish warship defended Cowes from a Luftwaffe raid… If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jerijerod14.substack.com/subscribe

So this week I’m on holiday and out of the country but thought I should still do a podcast episode on something. As a break I’m covering some aviation history and talking about the Luftwaffe’s attack on the South and South east of England on 13 August 1940. Apologies there is a bit of interference on the microphone (and a motorbike at the end) The full text for Order 16 is here and Order 17 is her...

In this week’s (short) episode I do an overview of the fate of the Grosser Kurfurst during a tragic accident of Folkestone and the fall out that saw two Admirals lose their positions. If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access t...

This week I return to the story of U-boats off America during the First World War with the story of the U-53’s attack on shipping off Rhode Island in 1916… If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jeri...

Is it possible to tell a U-boat ghost story? Or stories of when sea monsters attacked German submarines? Yes… and I thought for Halloween I’d bring you some of those stories in a shorter than normal episode… Happy Halloween! If you aren’t already and want to read more of my Naval history stuff or find me on the socials you can find it all here… This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss th...

This week’s podcast looks at the career of the merchant U-boats Deutschland and Bremen as they attempt to break the British blockade and bring raw materials back to Germany. Why did Germany create U-cruisers? How successful were they? Thanks for listneing and if you are interested in finding me online, be it on substack or the Socials you can find me on https://linktr.ee/jerijerod14 This is a publ...

This week I’m free styling the reasons for von Spee’s decission to sail east to escape the Pacific. This is very much an overview rather than a blow by blow account of where the squadron was at any point between August and October 1914 so bare with me. The situation was bleak for the German squadron and there were several options open to them but which was the best one and what was von Spee’s prim...

This week I return to maritime history and talk about quarantine, crime and punishment, hulks and local (Medway) history and how it all relates to Deadman’s island… ou can find me on the Socials with all my links here and my substack made up of predominantly maritime and naval history with aviation and some local history thrown in for good measure here … This is a public episode. If you'd like to...

This week I take a break from Maritime and Naval history to give my two cents on the recent US Government decission not to rescind the Wounded Knee Medals of Honour from 1890. Sorry to delve into politics and current events, I usually try to avoid it at all costs but I was so angry that I needed to say something and why I felt that this is wrong. I also talk about the bad things the British milita...

This week I’m looking at the career of Lothar von Arnauld de la Pierre and why he is the greates U-boat Captain of all time, not just in his ability, his impressive amount of tonnage sunk and his behaviour in action. You can find me on the Socials with all my links here and my substack made up of predominantly maritime and naval history with aviation and some local history thrown in for good measu...

A quick run through of the fortifications that were built around Chatham dockyard to protect the Naval facilities with the main focus being on the Victorian fortifications including Grain Tower, Forts Darnet, Hoo, Luton, Darland, Horsted, Bridgewoods and Borstal. Also a ghost story and some Medway urban legends and stories thrown in. Maybe I should be working for the Medway Tourist board. You can...

This week I ask myself the question as to whether the Battleship, as a concept, was dead by the start of the Second World War as has been argued elsewhere and if so, what has made it obsolete? Two things I forgot to mention that I only picked up on the listen through. 1.) Goliath was the battleship I forgot! 2.) Air craft carriers are also useful in the Pacific because of the nature of the campaig...

In September 1939 the small Polish Navy was tasked with defending their shores against the German navy but how well did they do and how long did they hold out? As always you can find me on Substack here and on Bluesky at @jerijerod14 This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit jerijerod14.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s episode looks at three ship designs that changed everything we knew or thought we knew about ship designs in the 19th Century. From armour to speed and underwater! There is one slight sound glitch less than 10 seconds in but I hesitate to re-record the whole 45 minutes for the one glitxh so… take it as part of the unplugged experience! As always you can find me on Substack here and on...

This week, on the 85th anniversary of Adlertag I put forward the idea that had Operation Sealion been launched then the Royal Navy would have swept it aside with ease and that the Norway Campaign had done irreperable harm to the German fleet. There is a certain amount of “Whataboutary” and generalisation but… hear me out. As always you can find me on Substack here and on Bluesky at @jerijerod14 Th...

This week’s episode is the final part of my Austro-Hungarian Kriegsmarine at the end of the First World War and the fate of the flagship of the State of Slovenes Croats and Serbian navy You can find me on the Socials with all my links here and my substack made up of predominantly maritime and naval history with aviation and some local history thrown in for good measure here … This is a public epis...

This week’s episode we stay in the First World War and with the Austro-Hungarian Kriegsmarine for their last sortie of 1918… You can find me on the Socials with all my links here and my substack made up of predominantly maritime and naval history (with no Star Wars content) with aviation and some local history thrown in for good measure here … This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss thi...