WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk

Brave or bloody foolish? Should officers lead from the front or stay back to guide the fight. When it goes well you’re a hero, when it goes badly you’re a pillock. Al Murray and James Holland debate the rights and wrongs of leadership. Al also extols the virtues of the greatest battlefield attribute of all: luck. A Goalhanger Films production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twi...

Chapter 4: The Cauldron, by Zeno In September, 1944, the British 1st Airborne Division found itself in a fierce battle for the Dutch city of Arnhem. Al Murray reads the story of a single platoon trapped in the smoking ruins of the city. The author, known as Zeno, fought at Arnhem and later wrote this account of the battle while in prison. Although long out of print, The Cauldron remains the best f...

Chapter 3: The Cauldron, by Zeno In September, 1944, the British 1st Airborne Division found itself in a fierce battle for the Dutch city of Arnhem. Al Murray reads the story of a single platoon trapped in the smoking ruins of the city. The author, known as Zeno, fought at Arnhem and later wrote this account of the battle while in prison. Although long out of print, The Cauldron remains the best f...

Was Hitler a true psychopath? James Holland and Al Murray debate the characteristics of a man who would have got ten in every category of Evil Nazi Top Trumps. Plus how was blood transported to the Allied injured? Please note this episode was recorded before the current Coronavirus crisis. A Goalhanger Films production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHav...

Chapter 2: The Cauldron, by Zeno In September, 1944, the British 1st Airborne Division found itself in a fierce battle for the Dutch city of Arnhem. Al Murray reads the story of a single platoon trapped in the smoking ruins of the city. The author, known as Zeno, fought at Arnhem and later wrote this account of the battle while in prison. Although long out of print, The Cauldron remains the best f...

Chapter 1: The Cauldron, by Zeno In September, 1944, the British 1st Airborne Division found itself in a fierce battle for the Dutch city of Arnhem. Al Murray reads the story of a single platoon trapped in the smoking ruins of the city. The author, known as Zeno, fought at Arnhem and later wrote this account of the battle while in prison. Although long out of print, The Cauldron remains the best f...

With the world in a global crisis many are describing as the worst since the Second World War, Al Murray and James Holland compare the situation now with the autumn of 1939. How and why did rationing come about in WW2? Did the public strip their local shops of food? And is it time for a national government with Keir Starmer in the role of Clement Attlee? If so, does that cast Boris Johnson in the...

As the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain approaches, Al Murray has voiced a new audiobook of James Holland’s brilliant account of the events of 1940. In this exclusive extract, Al reads a chapter outlining the frequency of pilots boozing before flights and what they did in their downtime.  A Goalhanger Films production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWay...

What was it like to return to Germany as a war hero on the wrong side of history? Al Murray and James Holland debate a wide range of subjects including the role of Baron Beaverbrook in the production of fighter planes and why the Eighth Army were called the Eighth Army. A Goalhanger Films production Produced by Harry Lineker & Joey McCarthy Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWay...

James Holland reads an exclusive extract from his new book, Sicily ’43. In this chapter he discusses events in the lead up to Operation Husky. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHaveWaysPod Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices....

James Holland and Al Murray talk about the German attempt to destabilize the UK economy by printing British bank notes. Also discussed are the French industrial failure under Nazi rule and the quality of the Japanese airforce and its highly experienced pilots. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Harry Lineker Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHaveWay...

James and Al are again joined by Professor Dan Todman, author of Britain’s War. The lads discuss the economic war effort, including Britain’s attempts to manipulate the price of tungsten in order to hinder the German armaments industry. Also debated is the role of parliament during the war and the political plans for post-war Britain. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Harry...

Airborne conflict takes centre stage as Al Murray and James Holland debate the effectiveness of blanket bombing. Also discussed are the merits of dropping in forces by parachute. And why was the glider assault during Operation Husky so calamitous? James explains. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Harry Lineker Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHave...

Al Murray and James Holland are joined by Professor Dan Todman, author of Britain's War. They discuss the effect of shipping routes on the global conflict and the relationship between the US and the UK in war time. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Harry Lineker Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHaveWaysPod Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Hosted...

James Holland and Al Murray discuss the desperate situation in Malta before Spitfires were finally sent to the beleaguered island. The lads also debate bomber command’s decision to start attacking Berlin rather than continuing to hammer the Ruhr. And what happened to the huge number of Italians captured by the allies in Africa? A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Harry Lineker & Joey McCarth...

Al Murray quizzes James Holland about his new book, Sicily ‘43. The pair discuss the often ignored operational aspect of the invasion and how its success influenced the tactics used during D-Day. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Harry Lineker Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHaveWaysPod Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See acas...

Would Britain have sued for peace if the army had been lost at Dunkirk? And just how important was the battle for the Mediterranean? Al Murray and James Holland make a case for the Allies’ success in the Med having a major influence on the battle for the eastern front. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy & Harry Lineker Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @...

James Holland and National Army Museum resident expert Peter Johnston examine the roles of Captain Alfred Rowe, a beach master on D-Day, and Lieutenant John Groom, who was awarded the Military Cross for covert reconnaissance of beach mines and obstacles on the Normandy coastline. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHav...

Life in post war Berlin for British soldiers takes a surreal twist as one family move into Goebbels’ house. Al Murray and James Holland hear a listener’s tale and also debate their favourite glider commando raid. Other topics for discussion include Third Reich football and the daring crossing of the Garigliano. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Harry Lineker & Joey McCarthy Exec Producer:...

James Holland debates the merits of British and German machine guns with National Army Museum curator Peter Johnston. Was the MG42 the best gun of World War Two? And did the Sten gun deserve such a mixed reputation? A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHaveWaysPod Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Hosted on Acast. See a...

Al Murray and James Holland examine life in post-war Germany as the British forces start the process of rebuilding the broken nation. The discovery of Bergen-Belsen and the divided city of Berlin are also discussed with the National Army Museum’s curator Dr Peter Johnston. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Twitter: @WeHaveWaysPod...

Gary Lineker is a special guest on the show as Al Murray and James Holland head to the National Army Museum to discuss the Italian campaign and sportsmen at war. Gary’s grandfather was in the medical corps and found himself in the thick of battle between Salerno and Monte Cassino. The boys also discuss the footballers and cricketers who went to war. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Harry...

Al Murray and James Holland range from bombing raids to the little boats of D-Day in this final episode from the Imperial War Museum. An Australian crewed Lancaster, veteran of 49 missions including nine trips to Berlin, captures the lads’ attention. Then James debunks the myth around the importance of the little boats at Dunkirk. A Goalhanger Films production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Produc...

Al Murray and James Holland are back at London’s Imperial War Museum getting up close up and personal with the resident Spitfire. The boys also discuss the V1 and V2 rockets and their production using prisoners from the Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp. A Goalhanger Films Production Produced by Joey McCarthy Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Twitter: #WeHaveWays Email: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com Hosted...

Was the atom bomb originally intended for German cities? James Holland and Al Murray discuss the Manhattan project, including the little known story of the secret squadron of Lancasters prepared to carry the bomb to German targets. Plus James tells the extraordinary story of Leonard Cheshire, one of the most highly decorated pilots of the war. Winston Churchill’s plan to drop mustard gas on German...