The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.

This is a special miniseries on Vimy Ridge to celebrate 150 years of Permanent Artillery since the formation of A and B Batteries, Royal Canadian Artillery.  This episode discusses the 4 phases of the artillery support and discusses how it set the conditions for the infantries successful assault of Vimy Ridge. Check out the show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in th...

This is a special miniseries on Vimy Ridge to celebrate 150 years of Permanent Artillery since the formation of A and B Batteries, Royal Canadian Artillery.  This episode looks at Flash Spotting, the work of Andrew McNaughton and the role of the CBSO. We look at the development of the 'dark art' of artillery and in particular Counter Battery fires. Check out the show notes  for the podcast for all...

This is a special miniseries to celebrate 150 years of Permanent Artillery since the formation of A and B Batteries, Royal Canadian Artillery.  This episode details the conduct of the Battle of Vimy Ridge, a stunning success for the Canadian Corps. This follows on from our Bullecourt series.  The Battle of Bullecourt occured 48 hours later and 30 km south of the Battle of Vimy Ridge.  We will comp...

This is a special miniseries to celebrate 150 years of Permanent Artillery since the formation of A and B Batteries, Royal Canadian Artillery.  Vimy Ridge is seen as the birth of the Canadian nation.  It is a model of a well planned Corps attack.  Well resourced, well planned and very well rehearsed we look to understand what went right at Vimy Ridge. This episode details the planning for Vimy Rid...

This is the 4th episode in our Bullecourt series. "With artillery support we can keep the position till the cows come home." So wrote CAPT Harry Murray, VC, OC A Coy after the 4th and 12th Brigades had fought their way into the Siegfried Line - they didn't get it and were forced to conduct an extremely difficult withdrawal under heavy machine gun fire.  Why didn't he get the support that he needed...

What mistakes occurred at the operational level in the planning of the Battle of Bullecourt? What role did Gough play in the debacle? Why did he make such grievous errors of judgement? 'Bullecourt, more than any other battle, shook the confidence of Australian soldiers in the capacity of the British command; the errors, especially on April 10th and 11th, were obvious to almost everyone'. Charles B...

What planning was done for the First Battle of Bullecourt and why was it so flawed?  We discuss artillery logistics and planning, mission analysis and how the plan came about in the time available. This is part of our 150th Anniversary of the Royal Australian Artillery series . Check out the show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images...

This Episode looks at the lessons for the employment of Artillery at the 1st Battle of Bullecourt.  CEW Bean, the author of the official History wrote that Australian troops braved the odds in numerous battles, but that Bullecourt was the most brilliant of these achievements, impressing both enemy and friends alike. This Bullecourt miniseries is part of our 150th Anniversary of the Royal Australia...

This is the fifth part of our CoG analysis for the Battle of France series. We discuss the task before Panzergruppe Kleist as it becomes the German Schwerpunkt. Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well...

This is the fourth part of our CoG analysis for the Battle of France series. We discuss the Center of Gravity for Germany.  An interesting case as the Strategic Center of Gravity was unable to defeat France, so the Wehrmacht developed a highly risky operational Center of Gravity to defeat France in just 46 days - something that they could not achieve in all of WW1. How did the German's temporally...

This is the third part of our CoG analysis for the Battle of France series. We discuss the Centre of Gravity for the French. What was their CoG?  Was it effective and why did the Wehrmacht strike right at the heart of it? Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for...

This is the second part of our CoG analysis for the Battle of France series. We discuss the Centre of Gravity under the Churchill Government. What was Churchill trying to achieve and what was the one entity that was going to achieve it?  Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series. Check out the  show notes  for...

This is the first of a 4 part miniseries on Centre of Gravity analysis for the Battle of France, 1940.  Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into...

Battle of France II - Campaign Overview. This episode is the second part of our overview of the Battle of France Campaign . Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that...

Battle of France II - Campaign Overview. This episode is the first part of our overview of the Battle of France Campaign . Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that d...

The German Army's tanks were outnumbered 1.7:1 and most of the tanks were inferior, and yet the French were defeated extremely quickly.  This podcast series will focus on the counter attack at Arras, but we will look at a large number of issues throughout the Battle of France. Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast...

This is the first of a special series of podcasts commemorating 150 years of permanent Artillery in Australia . This episode looks at A Bty's deployment to the Boer War, the action that it saw and the firing of the first shot of the First World War. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn'...

This is the first of a special series of podcasts commemorating 150 years of permanent Artillery in Australia. This episodes looks at the early years. The birth of 'A' Battery The range of batteries, and their equipment and how they trained The first deployment The birth of the School of Artilllery Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode...

This is Part II of our interview with Sir Max Hastings, the author of Vietnam, An Epic Tragedy. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the podcast. Join the conversation on Twitter or Facebook.

This is Part I of our interview with Sir Max Hastings, the author of Vietnam, An Epic Tragedy. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the podcast. Join the conversation on Twitter or Facebook.

This is Part V of our look at Lord Horatio Nelson and the practice of Mission Command.  Check out episode 1 of our Nelson and Mission Command series.   This covers the amphibious raid on Tenerife and what went wrong in Nelson's worst defeat. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make i...

This is Part IV of our look at Lord Horatio Nelson and the practice of Mission Command.  Check out episode 1 of our Nelson and Mission Command series.   This covers the lead up to the Battle of Tenerife - Nelson's worst defeat. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the pod...

This is Part V of our interview with LT COL Harry Smith, the OC of Delta Coy / 6 RAR at the Battle of Long Tan.   If you missed the first episode, check it out here.   He reflects on Delta's performance during the battle and also gives us his thoughts on the Danger Close movie about the Battle. We've also interviewed Dave Sabben about the Battle of Long Tan. Check out the show notes  for the podca...

This is Part IV of our interview with LT COL Harry Smith, the OC of Delta Coy / 6 RAR at the Battle of Long Tan.   If you missed the first episode, check it out here.   We've also interviewed Dave Sabben about the Battle of Long Tan. Check out the show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into th...

This presentation, is the final session of the Royal Australian Artillery Historical Company's  Firepower: Lessons from the Great War Seminar Series.  This episode is the Q&A session from the Breaching the Hindenburg Line session. Check out the  show notes  for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the...