Maritime History with Chris Sams (live and unplugged)

This week’s podcast tells the story of the sinking of HMS Glorious during Operation Juno in June 1940 by the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau . If you would like to read the original write up do check it out here . I should apologise for my attempt at a German accent when quoting Marschall. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a like or simila...

This week’s podcast was completely unplanned and unscripted and answering a question I was tagged in on Twitter/X. This is my take on whether the Germans could have done more to protect their colonies from Allied attacks or If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a like or similar if you enjoyed the episode and if you haven’t seen my Substack do pleas...

This week’s podcast talks about the English answer to the Spanish Armada of 1588 which was the English Armada, a grand operation led by Drake that over the course of two months cost the crown about 15000 soldiers and… well I won’t spoil it here. This is a great story of poor planning, poor implementation and command. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you...

This week’s podcast is a spontaneous myth busting about the Titanic sinking. There are so many myths and conspiracy theories and I try to answer a few of them including; She was sunk by a U-boat. The Olympic rather than a Titanic was sunk as an insurance scam. In defence of Ismay. Should they have rammed the Iceberg? The curse of the Mummy. SOS signals. The Mystery ship theories Officer suicide Co...

This week’s podcast is on an epic first in Naval history for the first day of the first month of the New Year. HMS Pathfinder and her sinking. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a like or similar if you enjoyed the episode and if you haven’t seen my Substack do please check it out on - https://substack.com/@jerijerod14?utm_source=user-menu Or you...

This week’s podcast answers a question that you’ve not thought of but really bothers me - Should the Pre-dreadnought squadron have been included in the German Order of Battle at Jutland? Yes, but why? I examine the Deutschland class battleship, its design, what their role in the German fleet was and ask the question as to whether they should or should not have been at Jutland in 1916. If you are l...

This week’s podcast tells the story of the Battle of The Falklands and follows on from last week’s on the Battle of Coronel. Following the loss of Craddock’s Squadron the Royal Navy move to cut off von Spee’s squadron and a larger, more powerful force is sent south to find and destroy the German Squadron. On the 8th December the Germans come to them and what folows is the Battle of the Falkands. T...

This week’s podcast tells the story of the Battle of Coronel. In October 1914 the Royal Navy’s American station was dealing with German commerce raiders attacking trade off the coasts of South America when news broke that the Ostasiengeschwader was heading to Chile. What followed was a disagreement of how to fight the battle between London and Stanley, searching for the enemy and tragedy. This epi...

This week’s podcast is my attempt to answer whether the German Navy of the Second World War would have been better off with a larger U-boat force rather than surface warships. It covers twenty years of Naval history and theory mixed with planning. Hopefully I answer the most argued observation of World War Two naval history. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate i...

This week’s podcast is on a very Victorian research and development problem that led to disaster. The evolution of the Turret mounted warship dreamed up by Captain Cowper Coles which led to HMS Captain and the ensuing shipwreck. Apologies if the sound is a bit off this week, not quite sure what went wrong! If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a lik...

This week’s podcast is on the career of the SS Mount Temple from the Boer War to the Titanic sinking and on to her final encounter with the raider Mowe . If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a like or similar if you enjoyed the episode and if you haven’t seen my Substack do please check it out on - https://substack.com/@jerijerod14?utm_source=user-...

This week’s podcast is on the British invasions of the French colonies of Martinique and Guadeloupe in 1809-10. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a like or similar if you enjoyed the episode and if you haven’t seen my Substack do please check it out on - https://substack.com/@jerijerod14?utm_source=user-menu Or you can find me on the socials at...

This week’s podcast is on the openning first day of Operation Neuland, the U-boat offensive against oil and bauxite ore ships and facilites in the Caribbean in 1942 as well as the Allied response to the German raiders. This is a podcast based on the essay on the subject I wrote for my substack and condenced. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a l...

In February 1781 Admiral Rodney attacks the Dutch held island of St Eustace as part of the Fourth Anglo Dutch War. However, rather than a successful snatch and grab what followed is an often overlooked episode of British history which included pillaging, racism and greed driven incompetence that helped cost the Crown the thirteen colonies. This week I look at the raid and how it was carried out an...

From August 1914 the German light crusier Emden began a raiding career against Allied flagged shipping in the Indian Ocean and what followed is a campaign that sees 70,000 tons sunk and 30,000 nautical miles sailed. This episode follows her career from the start of the war through to the aftermath of the battle of Penang on October 28th. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really...

In April 1942 the Japanese Navy carrier task force moves into the Indian Ocean with devestating effect. The only British force to engage the Carrier group was 11 Squadron’s Blenheim Mk IVs in a daring raid. In this week’s podcast I explain why the Japanese were attacking the Indian Ocean, how the Blenheims came to attack and the outcome of the raid. If you’re listening to this on a podcast provide...

One of the strangest encounters to occur in the War at Sea of 1914 was when the German liner, Cap Trafalgar, was engaged by the British liner, Carmania. Both vessels were serving as auxiliary warships and it was the first case of such a combat, but why were they off the coast of Brazil and what happened next? If you’re listening to this on a podcast provider I’d really appreciate it if you left a...

On the 27th October the battleship, Audacious sank off Tory Island, Ireland. She was a new dreadnought of the Grand Fleet and this became a massive embarrassment to the British Admiralty and caused a bit of a scandal. So what happened that day? How was a battleship lost and who was to blame? You can read my articles at https://substack.com/@jerijerod14?utm_source=user-menu You can also find me on...

This may seem like a random post about a small vessel that probably didn’t do much but the S.90 was the only Torpedo boat/destroyer in the German East Asia Squadron at the outbreak of the War. Unlike the Cruiser squadron the S.90 did not make the journey across the Pacific but remained to guard the port of Tsingtao with the gunboats and one night it made a brave attack on the Anglo-Japanese blocka...

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In November 1703 the Great Storm strikes central Europe, England and Wales which decimates large swathes of England and her fleet… 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

On 22nd February 1940 a simple North Sea sweep for British shipping turned into a disaster that cost two destroyers and 600 dead without the Allies firing a single shot… 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

In which I talk about a Liberty Ship full of explosives that could be very problematic…. 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

In which I talk about the deadliest accident on British waterways ever… 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 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