Podcasts by We Have Ways of Making You Talk

Grace Taylor from 2021-12-21T02:00:09

Historian and television presenter Tessa Dunlop introduces Grace Taylor, a former royal artillery member of the anti-aircraft gun team and so-called 'Gunner Girl'. Grace volunteered far bef...

Family Stories Series 2: Episode 5 from 2021-12-19T02:00:53

This week’s stories take us from cricket in Australia to the skies over Nazi Germany, from life as an evacuee to setting fire to your own tank in front of Winston Churchill. Plus the story of tw...

408. The Boys from Reading from 2021-12-16T02:00

In this special episode of We Have Ways, (recently afflicted) journalist Autumn Hendrickson brings to Al and James a year's worth of research into the war contributions of both the men and women of...

407. MI19 from 2021-12-14T02:00

Al and James discuss bugging and intelligence during the war. Al also reveals details of a new We Have Ways project.

A Goalhanger Films production

Produced by Harry Lineker...

406. Family Stories: Series 2, Episode 4 from 2021-12-12T02:00

This week’s family stories include witnessing a cavalry charge in East Africa, fighting in the Fjords, doodlebugs over London and tragedy in the Atlantic.

A Goalhanger Films production...

405. The Wannsee Conference from 2021-12-11T02:00

“December 1941 is the time the decision was made for the physical extermination of all the Jews in Europe”

Al and James are joined by Waitman Beorn to discuss the Wannsee Conference an...

404. The Japanese Empire from 2021-12-10T02:00

Why did the Japanese get involved in the Second World War? Could they have stayed out of it altogether? Robert Lyman speaks to Al Murray and James Holland. 

A Goalhanger Films pro...

403. War Room 1941 from 2021-12-09T02:00

“December 1941, you literally couldn’t pack more events into it if you tried”. 

Did FDR know that a deadly attack from Japanese forces was imminent? How did US generals decide on ...

402. Operation Crusader from 2021-12-08T03:00

Al and James discuss the Western Desert Campaign of 1941, especially looking into the Siege of Tobruk.

A Goalhanger Films production 

Produced by Harry Lineker

Ex...

401. Pearl Harbor from 2021-12-07T02:00

On the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Al and James are joined by the 'Pacific War Trilogy' author Ian Toll to discuss the monumental event.

A Goalhanger Films producti...

400. The Battle of Moscow from 2021-12-06T02:00

Did Hitler and Stalin have a misapprehension of each other? And was scale the main reason Germany couldn’t invade Moscow?

See Listen

399. Family Stories: Series 2, Episode 3 from 2021-12-05T00:00

This week’s family stories include an act of outstanding bravery on the high seas, a trans-Atlantic friendship, a plate of dodgy sandwiches and a

so-called ‘ordinary’ soldie...

398. The Atlantic War from 2021-12-02T02:00

The Battle of the Atlantic was the most important theatre of the war, so why don’t we ever talk about it? Military and Naval historian, Marc Milner, joins Al and James to navigate their way thro...

397. The Maginot Line from 2021-11-30T02:00

Al and James debate whether the British produced the best tanks during the war. They also discuss the key characters involved in the development of the Maginot Line and read extracts from the Alanb...

396. Family Stories - Series 2, Episode 2 from 2021-11-28T02:00

In today’s Family Stories we hear about a young Englishwoman who found herself in Germany in 1936 and went to hear Hitler speak. Plus stories from South Africa, Australia and the Scottish Isles....

395. Battle of The Ebro from 2021-11-25T02:00

James Holland and James Petrie walk the hills and caves around the River Ebro, site of the final battle of the Spanish Civil War.

A Goalhanger Films production

Produced by Joey M...

394. Wacht Am Rhein from 2021-11-23T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss Dwight Eisenhower's decision not to cross the Rhine at the end of 1944. Al also questions James on his love for Battle Dress.

A Goalhanger Films pro...

393. Family Stories - Series 2, Episode 1 from 2021-11-21T02:00

A new series of Family Stories, the podcast written by you, our listeners. Each week Al Murray and James Holland read out the stories you send us describing the war experiences of your relatives...

392. The Eastern Front from 2021-11-18T02:00

What common mistakes do people make about the Nazis and the Red Army? Alex Richie, Katja Hoyer and Waitman Wade Beorn talk about the atrocities that happened on the Eastern Front during the Seco...

391. Typhoons and Republicans from 2021-11-16T02:00

James Holland joins us from Spain where he is exploring the battle sites of the Spanish Civil War. Meanwhile Al Murray has his mind changed about the Typhoon.

A Goalhanger Films produc...

390. We Will Remember Them from 2021-11-11T02:00

Each year on November 11th we pause to remember those who have died in the line of duty. In this Remembrance Day special, Al Murray and James Holland remember the family and friends of our liste...

389. Class Action from 2021-11-09T02:00

The British Army relied heavily on public school boys for its officer class at the start of the war but was forced to abandon its class prejudice as the conflict took its toll. Al Murray and Jam...

388. Niklas Frank: In the Shadow of the Reich from 2021-11-04T02:00

Hans Frank ran Poland for the Nazis during the Second World War and was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity at Nuremberg.

His son Niklas was seven years old w...

387. Home Guard from 2021-11-02T07:07

What was the real reason for the creation of the Home Guard and is the Dad’s Army image fair? James Holland and Al Murray look beyond Captain Mainwaring and Private Pike to examine the Home Guar...

386. What do the Germans think? from 2021-10-28T01:00

For many British people the Second World War is the nation’s modern founding story. But in Germany it remains difficult to talk about and very rarely features in popular culture. German historia...

385. Black Allied Forces from 2021-10-26T01:00

Black soldiers, airmen and sailors contributed hugely to the Allied war effort. Al Murray and James Holland are joined by John Concagh, who has extensively researched the subject, to explore the...

384. Walking the Ground from 2021-10-21T01:00

James Holland is a keen advocate of walking the ground to gain a deeper understanding of the events of the Second World War. In this special podcast James walks us around some of the key sites i...

383. The Mind of a General from 2021-10-19T01:00

Following on from last week’s examination of US General George S Patton, Al Murray and James Holland dig deeper into his writings to gain a greater understanding of his actions and ideas. Also u...

382. The Sosabowskis from 2021-10-14T01:00

There are few stories more extraordinary than that of General Stanisław Sosabowski, commander of the Polish Parachute Brigade. After fighting fiercely against the German invaders of Poland he wa...

381. Patton from 2021-10-12T01:00

Few military leaders of the Second World War divide opinion quite so much as George S Patton. His decisive leadership drove the Third Army rapidly through France in 1944 and after the Battle of ...

380. Stan Perry from 2021-10-07T01:00

Stan Perry was the last living troop commander of the legendary Sherwood Rangers. Injured in Normandy and again in Germany, he recently attended We Have Ways Fest where he discussed his extraord...

379. Nazis in the Air from 2021-10-05T01:00

How politicised was the Luftwaffe? Second World War aviation expert Victoria Taylor joins Al Murray and James Holland to examine the history of German airmen, Hermann Göring and the Nazification...

378. A Life In The Skies from 2021-09-30T01:00

Colin Bell flew thirteen missions to Berlin in his beloved Mosquito as part of Bomber Command. The 100-year-old veteran pilot joined James Holland on stage at We Have Ways Fest to describe resta...

377. Doomed at Nijmegen from 2021-09-28T01:00

When the 82nd Airborne jumped into Nijmegen they had high hopes of being the final link in the chain for XXX Corps on the road to Arnhem. But things went badly wrong and General Gavin’s men fail...

376. Brothers in Arms from 2021-09-23T01:00

It took a certain type of courage to serve in a tank in World War Two. Encased in steel, surrounded by highly explosive shells, a big and slow-moving target, every crew member was utterly vulner...

375. Preparing for Battle from 2021-09-21T01:00

What can we learn from exploring original training manuals? Aviation historian Christoph Bergs and YouTube historian Bernhard Kast join James and Al to discuss documents and doctrine.

...

374. The Buffalo from 2021-09-16T01:00

Shortly after the war a Buffalo LVT (Landing Vehicle Tracked) was taken to Lincolnshire to help with food defences. The vehicle was swept away and sank in a hole.

Al Murray and James Holla...

373. Baggy Trousers from 2021-09-14T01:00

If Hugo Boss didn't design Nazi uniforms, who did? Al Murray and James Holland take a deep sartorial dive into what the Wermacht wore. Al and James also discuss the upcoming festival and cardboa...

372. Spanish Fighters from 2021-09-09T01:00

Although Spain remained neutral in the Second World War, a number of Spanish citizens volunteered to fight for the British Army. Al Murray and James Holland are joined by historian Séan Scullion...

371. China - Part 2 from 2021-09-07T01:00

The conflict between China and Japan escalates as the Battle of Shanghai breaks out. James Holland and Al Murray explore a battle that is often considered the beginning of the Second World War i...

370. China - Part 1 from 2021-09-02T01:00

Two years before the start of the Second World War in the west China and Japan entered into a bloody military conflict which would result in millions of casualties. In the first of a two-part se...

369. The Women of SOE from 2021-08-31T01:00

The Special Operations Executive was tasked by Winston Churchill to set Europe ablaze. More than 400 agents were sent into France, thirty-nine of them women.

Dr Kate Vigurs has researched ...

368. Exploring the Tank Museum from 2021-08-26T01:00

Al Murray and James Holland return to Bovington Tank Museum for an exclusive tour of their new permanent exhibit ‘World War Two: War Stories’. 

Curator David Willey leads Al and James...

367. Commandos in Canoes from 2021-08-24T01:00

Throughout the Second World War, the Special Boat Service took part in daring assaults across Europe and Asia - usually in the dead of night and in small canoes. James Holland and Al Murray disc...

366. Red Arrows from 2021-08-19T01:00

While on a recent road trip north Al and James were offered the chance to watch the Red Arrows’ final training session before their summer season. Squadron Leader Adam Collins - Red 10 - talks t...

365. Potsdam and the looting of Berlin from 2021-08-17T01:00

In the immediate aftermath of the Second World War as the situation in Germany deteriorated dangerously the Allies faced off in their attempt to divide up Europe. Author Giles Milton joins Al Mu...

364. Lancaster from 2021-08-16T01:00

Inside a hangar on the old RAF airfield at East Kirkby sits one of the world’s last Lancaster bombers. Al Murray and James Holland head north for the chance to scramble inside this remarkable ai...

363. Landing Craft Tank from 2021-08-12T01:00

On the 6th of June 1944, LCT 7074 delivered nine tanks onto the beach in Normandy. 

Al Murray and James Holland head to Portsmouth to explore the UK’s last remaining D-Day Landing...

362. The Atlantic Charter from 2021-08-10T01:00

Eighty years on from the US and Britain outlining their post war aims, Al and James explore the Atlantic Charter. Also up for discussion are the Berlin Olympics, Jesse Owens and the experience o...

361. Abandoned Operations from 2021-08-05T01:00

James and Al are at the D-Day Story museum in Portsmouth. They talk to assistant curator James Daly, who’s spent 7 years researching airborne operations that didn’t happen between D-Day and...

360. Britain's Greatest Victories and Blunders from 2021-08-03T01:00

In a special live edition of the pod from Chalke Valley History Festival, Al Murray and James Holland discuss the top five British blunders and successes of the war while being heckled by a bugl...

359. The Arakan from 2021-07-29T01:00

The final task of assaulting the Arakan Peninsula as part of the Burma campaign was given to the British 3rd Commando Brigade. Their challenge was to cut off the Japanese supply and escape route...

358. Nazi Inconsistencies from 2021-07-27T02:00

This week the lads look at a few examples of how the Nazi regime would pick and choose how they implemented some of their ideologies.

Al also gives us an update on the filming for his ...

357. Landing Craft from 2021-07-22T01:00

James and Al are at the historic dockyard in Portsmouth, “Saving Private Ryan” by taking a trip on an F8 landing craft. They find out about the history of amphibious landing capability...

356. Highballs and Bazookas from 2021-07-20T01:00

Al and James discuss why Britain never used the Highball bouncing bomb, the impact of losing battleships, the PIAT versus the Bazooka and the perils of reading your own books.

Tickets ...

355. The Secret Horsepower Race from 2021-07-15T01:00

Piston engines powered every significant Second World War air battle. Calum Douglas, who has written a brilliant book on the race for engineering supremacy, joins Al Murray and James Holland to ...

354. Hunger Winter from 2021-07-13T01:00

Dutch civilians suffered horrifically during the final winter of the war as the Germans sought to punish them for assisting the allied forces attempting to liberate Holland. Al and James are joi...

353. Italy from 2021-07-10T16:09

With the Italians in London ahead of the final of the European Championships, Al Murray and James Holland look at the Italian story in the Second World War. How significant were Italian colonial...

352. One Man’s Window - Chapter 18 from 2021-07-09T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

351. The Mustang from 2021-07-08T01:00

Few planes were more influential during the Second World War than the Mustang.

Al and James visit Sywell aerodrome in Northamptonshire to enjoy the rare opportunity of taking a trip up in ...

350. One Man’s Window - Chapter 17 from 2021-07-07T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

349. Denmark at War from 2021-07-06T01:00

Although occupied by the Nazis, the Danes refused to collaborate and have a proud record of helping the majority of their Jewish community avoid the Holocaust. James Holland and Al Murray discus...

348. One Man’s Window - Chapter 16 from 2021-07-05T01:00:06

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

347. One Man’s Window - Chapter 15 from 2021-07-04T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

346. One Man’s Window - Chapter 14 from 2021-07-03T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

345. One Man’s Window - Chapter 13 from 2021-07-02T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

344. Walking the Normandy Ground from 2021-07-01T01:00

Normandy battlefield expert Paul Woodadge joins Al and James to discuss the effect of films such as Saving Private Ryan on public perception of the events of 1944.

Tickets for the We H...

343. One Man’s Window - Chapter 12 from 2021-06-30T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

342. World War Wash Up from 2021-06-29T01:00

After a week of riding tanks and encountering historians at the Chalke Valley History Festival, Al Murray and James Holland have much to discuss. Including PIATs, Russian tanks and sickness in t...

341. One Man’s Window - Chapter 11 from 2021-06-28T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

340. One Man’s Window - Chapter 10 from 2021-06-27T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

339. One Man’s Window - Chapter 9 from 2021-06-26T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

338. One Man’s Window - Chapter 8 from 2021-06-25T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

337. The War in the Air from 2021-06-24T01:00

The Commonwealth’s contribution to the Allied war effort was enormous, in all branches of the military.

Soldier and historian Ben Kite, author of Britain and the Commonwealth’s War in the ...

336. One Man’s Window - Chapter 7 from 2021-06-23T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

335. The Mosquito from 2021-06-22T01:00

For many people it was the greatest aircraft of the Second World War. Built out of wood and capable of flying fast and over huge distances, the Germans hated the ‘Mossie’.

Al Murray and Ja...

334. One Man’s Window - Chapter 6 from 2021-06-21T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

333. One Man’s Window - Chapter 5 from 2021-06-20T02:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

332. One Man’s Window - Chapter 4 from 2021-06-19T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

331. One Man’s Window - Chapter 3 from 2021-06-18T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

330. Top War Planes from 2021-06-17T01:00

If you have any interest in Second World War aircraft you will not find a more engaging episode of the podcast all year.

Aviation obsessive Joe Coles joins Al Murray and James Holland ...

329. One Man’s Window - Chapter 2 from 2021-06-16T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

328. Time for Tea? from 2021-06-14T23:00

How did the myth develop that British soldiers were always stopping for tea? And who were the first Allied troops back into Dunkirk in the final days of the war? These questions and other rabbit...

327. One Man’s Window - Chapter 1 from 2021-06-14T01:00

In April 1942 Denis Barnham flew his Spitfire off the deck of an aircraft carrier and headed for Malta, where the air battle over the island was at its most intense. This brilliant account of hi...

326. The Dams Raid - part 2 from 2021-06-10T01:00

The Dams Raid - part 2

With Guy Gibson struggling through combat fatigue, the raid on the great Ruhr dams is launched. James Holland and Al Murray discuss the events of that May night ...

325. Guy Gibson and the Dams Raid from 2021-06-07T23:00

On May 16, 1943, one of the most daring raids of the war was launched. Operation Chastise, known in popular parlance as the Dam Busters Raid, saw 19 specially adapted Lancaster bombers attack th...

324. Tank Talk from 2021-06-03T01:00

Al Murray and James Holland were granted a sneak preview of the collection at Bovington Tank Museum before the public finally gained access post lockdown. Like kids in a sweet shop, they got up ...

323. The Evacuation of Crete from 2021-06-01T01:00

In the second part of our story of the Battle of Crete James and Al discuss the fighting retreat, the brilliant Cretan resistance and the accounts of the writer Evelyn Waugh, a veteran of the ba...

322. Family Stories - Episode 20 from 2021-05-30T01:00

More of your wartime Family Stories, including a timely tale from the Battle of Crete.

With thanks to Luke Brannigan, Robert Blood, Betty Dullaghan and Christopher Szymanski, 

321. Axis Sally from 2021-05-27T01:00

Mildred Gillars, or Axis Sally as she was known, was an American broadcaster employed by Nazi Germany as a radio propagandist during The Second World War. Al Murray and James Holland are joined ...

320. The Battle for Crete from 2021-05-25T01:00

The assault on Crete led to a pyrrhic German victory and much finger pointing on the part of the Allies. Was Major-General Bernard Freyberg to blame or did a failure of communication lead to the...

319. Family Stories - Ep 19 from 2021-05-23T01:00

This week we hear more of your war time family stories. Including the incredible details of an Australian soldier’s experiences in a Japanese POW camp and the Sandakan death marches, hiding an i...

318. The Sappers in the D-Day Gliders from 2021-05-21T12:17:58

In this special edition of the podcast Al Murray reads an article written by his father, Ingram Murray, known to regular listeners as The Colonel.

It tells the story of a group of men with...

317. Ronny Scott from 2021-05-20T01:00

While Argentina remained neutral throughout the Second World War, around 4,000 Argentinians volunteered to fight for the Allies.

One of them was the extraordinary Ronny Scott. Now 103 year...

316. Propaganda Troops from 2021-05-18T01:00

British soldiers famously loved a night of entertainment in the field, as Spike Milligan’s books attest. But how were German troops entertained? James Holland and Al Murray discuss the Wehrmacht...

315. Family Stories - Ep 18 from 2021-05-16T02:00

This week on our Family Stories episode we hear more wide-ranging tales including how a priest joined the Belgian resistance and was ultimately captured; a first-hand account of the first noctur...

314. Electing Hitler from 2021-05-13T01:00

How did the Nazis come to power in 1933? German historian Katja Hoyer joins Al Murray and James Holland to talk about the fragmented German national identity and the how it still affects th...

313. Fall Gelb from 2021-05-11T01:00

On the anniversary of the German tanks rolling into the Low Countries on their way to France, Al Murray and James Holland wonder if events could have taken a very different turn. Was the ultimat...

312. Family Stories - Ep 17 from 2021-05-09T01:00

This week we hear more of your war time family stories. Including how a Belgian family survived in the basement of a bakery; a sailor who survived the Arctic Convoys and a fair few scuffles; and...

311. Family Secrets from 2021-05-06T02:00

Author and publisher Vicky Unwin joins James Holland to discuss her extraordinary family story.

While researching her parents’ war time experiences Vicky unearthed an intriguing narrat...

310. David Baddiel from 2021-05-04T01:00

Comedian and writer David Baddiel joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss his family’s experiences during the war, which included being interned on the Isle of Man. David also discusses his...

309. Family Stories - Ep 16 from 2021-05-02T02:00

This is the show written by our listeners. It includes five remarkable war time stories of hidden airmen in Holland, Germans on the Eastern Front, and the horrors of a U-boat attack in the mid A...

308. Bletchley Girls from 2021-04-29T02:00

Betty Webb spent the war working as a code breaker at Bletchley Park, working on captured German and Japanese radio messages.

After the war she moved to Washington DC to assist the America...

307. Anzac Day from 2021-04-27T01:00

The myth suggests Britain stood alone but the truth was different. In the week of Anzac Day Al Murray and James Holland discuss the roles of Australian and New Zealand soldiers in the war agains...

306. Family Stories - Ep 15 from 2021-04-25T02:00

This week we hear more of your war time family stories. Including an account of a daring air mission that ended in dramatic fashion; being commanded by Hollywood star David Niven; and a father a...

305. Guy Martin - Battle of Britain from 2021-04-24T01:00

Adrenaline junkie Guy Martin tells Al Murray and James Holland about his new series for Channel 4 in which he trains to fly a Hurricane and then takes part in a dogfight with a Messerschmitt. Listen

304. Stalingrad and The Wehrmacht from 2021-04-22T01:00

The Eastern Front is our focus as German historian Jens Wehner joins Al Murray and James Holland.

Jens is curator of the Dresden Military History museum, but his focus in this podcast is f...

303. Enigma and Escapees from 2021-04-20T01:00

Britain’s war time intelligence operations are the subject of discussion as Al Murray and James Holland exchange notes on their latest reading matter, Behind the Enigma: The Authorised History o...

302. Family Stories - Ep 14 from 2021-04-18T02:00

This week we hear more of your war time family stories. Including the story of an alarming experience in a London hospital’s labour ward during an air raid; how a prisoner in a labour camp in Na...

301. The Remains of War from 2021-04-15T01:00

Steve Ballinger MBE removes ordnance from former sites of conflict. He has spent the last decade removing 60,000+ mines, shrapnel and ordnance from the tiny island of Peleliu. He talks to James ...

300. Prince Philip from 2021-04-13T02:00

In the wake of his death, Al Murray and James Holland discuss the Duke of Edinburgh's war record and his role in the Royal Navy. 

They also answer questions on Civilian Affairs an...

299. Family Stories - ep 13 from 2021-04-11T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland read family stories sent in by listeners to We Have Ways of Making You Talk.

These wartime experiences took place in the seas off Norway, in the skies over Brem...

298. Small Arms from 2021-04-08T01:00

What makes the best gun and how complicated is the development of small arms? Al Murray and James Holland are joined by Dr Matthew Ford from the University of Sussex to talk about the small arms...

297. Lack of Moral Fibre from 2021-04-06T01:00

You could volunteer to fly but you couldn’t volunteer to stop.

Dr Dan Ellin, of the International Bomber Command Centre, talks to Al and James about the way in which men were judged an...

296. Jewish Resistance: Selma van de Perre, Part 2 from 2021-04-05T01:00

Part two of our extraordinary interview with Selma van de Perre, a Dutch resistance fighter who was 17 years old when the Second World War began.

Using an alias and fake ID she risked ...

295. Family Stories - Ep 12 from 2021-04-04T01:00

The Second World War touched everyone’s lives, with many of our listeners’ families witnessing extraordinary events.

In this edition of We Have Ways of Making You Talk we hear of an escape...

294. Jewish Resistance: Selma van de Perre, Part 1 from 2021-04-01T02:00

Selma van de Perre was a Dutch resistance fighter who was just 17 years old when the Second World War began.

Using an alias and fake ID she risked her life travelling across the Netherland...

293. Mutiny from 2021-03-30T01:00

A listener’s recent discovery that his uncle may have been one of the 258 British soldiers accused of mutiny in Malaya sends the podcast down an intriguing rabbit hole.

James Holland gives...

292. Family Stories - Ep 11 from 2021-03-28T03:00

Listeners to We Have Ways of Making You Talk write the scripts for our Sunday morning podcasts, as Al Murray and James Holland read out their family stories from the Second World War.

This...

291. Irish Fighters from 2021-03-25T03:00

Although Ireland remained neutral during the war it didn’t stop Irish men joining the British Armed Forces.

Joseph Quinn joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss why so many Irish men ...

290. Veritable, Trombones and The Chindits from 2021-03-23T02:00

James Holland and Al Murray get their hands on the post-operation report of Veritable, review the success of the Chindits and dig deeper into the extraordinary story of some missing brass instru...

289. Family Stories - Ep 10 from 2021-03-21T03:00

This week we hear more of your war time family stories. Including the story of a ship on an undercover mission; a German woman working in the UK during the war; and a flight crew returning to ba...

288. The Hitler Years from 2021-03-18T02:00

With historian Frank McDonough and actor Paul McGann.

Between 1940 and 1945 the Third Reich fell from the pinnacle of its power to devastating collapse. Historian Frank McDonough, auth...

287. The War Beneath the Waves from 2021-03-16T02:00

Fascination with the threat of U-boats has deflected attention from the effectiveness of allied submariners. James Holland and Al Murray take a deep dive to explore the impact in the Pacifi...

286. Family Stories - Ep 9 from 2021-03-14T03:00

This week in our Family Stories series we hear your tales of uncovering a staggering stash of champagne, finding yourself behind enemy lines and discovering a sailor’s incredible story after com...

285. Hitler’s Henchman from 2021-03-11T03:00

Hans Globke was the civil servant responsible for framing the Nuremberg anti-Jewish race laws. Yet somehow he returned to post war government and became an architect of the modern German state. ...

284. Winter Mud from 2021-03-09T02:00

The battles of late 1944 are examined as James Holland and Al Murray explore the front line post Market Garden. Also up for discussion are the Polish soldiers who survived the hardships of the R...

283. Family Stories - Ep 8 from 2021-03-07T03:00

This week in our Family Stories series we hear your tales of a daring mission to recover a V-2 missile, surviving the atom bomb dropped on Nagasaki and a mysterious explosion on HMS Dasher.

282. Spitfire! from 2021-03-04T02:00

The world’s most iconic aircraft is celebrating its 85th birthday. Not that we need an excuse to revel in the beauty and engineering brilliance of the Spitfire. Historian and broadcaster Paul Be...

281. Nightmare at Nijmegen from 2021-03-02T03:00

Why did General Jim Gavin, commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, not prioritise the capture of the bridge at Nijmegen as part of Operation Market Garden? James Holland and Al Murray examine t...

280. Family Stories - Ep 7 from 2021-02-28T03:00

This week in our Family Stories series we hear your tales of a friendship with Douglas Bader, the sinking of the Wallasea and a powerfully evocative poem from a Chindit.

With thanks to...

279. Civilian Soldiers from 2021-02-25T02:00

The British Army in Normandy are the focus as Al Murray and James Holland are joined by historian and author Jonathan Ware.

In Jonathan’s book 'Jocks, Dragons and Sospans: Through Normandy...

278. Big Week from 2021-02-23T08:30:15

In February 1944 the combined air forces of Britain and the US launched a huge series of raids against Nazi Germany. What did they hope to achieve and how successful was the campaign? James Holl...

277. Family Stories - Ep 6 from 2021-02-21T03:00

This week in our Family Stories series we hear your tales of Russian convoys, the Dunkirk evacuation and a Yugoslav fighting for the Germans.

With thanks to Stefan Breg, Lindsay Gordon...

276. German Hardware from 2021-02-18T02:00

We’re talking German hardware and army units with military YouTuber Bernhard Kast. Wehrmacht doctrine, machine guns and riflemen groups are all up for discussion.

We Have Ways has a me...

275. Western Approaches from 2021-02-17T03:00

There was no more important field of conflict in the Second World War than the Battle of the Atlantic. On February 17th, 1941, Western Approaches HQ opened in Liverpool to co-ordinate the Royal ...

274. Good for Morale from 2021-02-16T02:00

Terrifying tank battles and entertaining the troops are two topics for discussion as Al Murray and James Holland delve into the experience of life in the British Amed forces during the Second Wo...

273. Family Stories - Valentine’s Day from 2021-02-14T03:00

A special edition of Family Stories today to mark Valentine’s Day.

While researching his new book James uncovered letters from Bill Wharton, who fought with the Sherwood Rangers Yeoman...

272. British Resistance from 2021-02-11T02:00

Britain was the only country to prepare a resistance movement before it was needed. Andrew Chatterton joins Al and James to discuss the history of the auxiliary units, men who would operate behi...

271. Convoys and the Triple Nickels from 2021-02-09T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the massive effort to move fighting men across the world.

Plus the story of an American airborne battalion made up only of black servicemen.

W...

270. Family Stories - Ep 4 from 2021-02-07T03:00

This week in our Family Stories series we hear your tales of German spies, runaway barrage balloons and a witness to the Hiroshima atom bomb.

With thanks to Jack Ashton, Ben Brown, Nor...

269. Training for Battle from 2021-02-04T02:00

Professor John Buckley joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss the Allies’ approach to training. Armoured operations and the Normandy campaign also feature in a wide ranging discussion. Reg...

268. Steel not Flesh from 2021-02-02T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the Allies’ policy of using liberal amounts of ammunition as a way of conserving the lives of their men.

We Have Ways has a membership club which in...

267. Family Stories - Ep 3 from 2021-01-31T03:00

In this week’s episode of our Family Stories series we hear your tales of the first wedding after the war, surviving the Blitz and a harrowing visit to Bergen-Belsen.

With thanks to To...

266. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 19 from 2021-01-29T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

265. Landing Craft from 2021-01-28T03:00

Archeologist and historian Stephen Fisher joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss the organisational challenges faced by the Allies in the planning of D-Day as the Royal Navy attempted to p...

264. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 18 from 2021-01-28T02:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

263. Inge Auerbacher from 2021-01-27T03:15

Inge Auerbacher was born in Germany in 1934. She spent three years in the Terezin (Theresienstadt) concentration camp in Czechoslovakia, where she was one of a tiny percentage to survive.

...

262. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 17 from 2021-01-27T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

260. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 16 from 2021-01-26T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

261. The Germans are coming from 2021-01-26T02:00

Was there ever any chance of the Germans successfully invading England? James Holland and Al Murray have always argued that Operation Sea Lion was a non starter from inception. But just for a mo...

259. The Wings Of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 15 from 2021-01-25T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

258. Family Stories - Ep 2 from 2021-01-24T04:00

In the second episode of our new Family Stories series we hear your tales of liberating Belgian breweries, battles at Iwo Jima and escapes from Nazi concentration camps.

With ...

257. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 14 from 2021-01-24T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

256. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 13 from 2021-01-23T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

255. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 12 from 2021-01-22T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

253. The Wings Of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 11 from 2021-01-21T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

254. Prisoners of the Empire from 2021-01-21T02:00

Author Sarah Kovner joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss the treatment of Allied Prisoners of War in the Far East. Listeners may be surprised to hear how confusion and ignorance more tha...

252. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 10 from 2021-01-20T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

250. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 9 from 2021-01-19T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

251. Gliders from 2021-01-19T02:00

After reading George Chatterton’s autobiography Al Murray wonders if glider operations were ever really a good idea. Meanwhile James Holland discusses supply lines in North Africa and Italy. Bot...

249. The Wings of Pegasus, By George Chatterton - Episode 8 from 2021-01-18T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

248. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 7 from 2021-01-17T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

247. Family Stories: Annabel Venning from 2021-01-17T02:00

From today We Have Ways is bringing you a bonus weekend episode called Family Stories. We’re launching the series with Annabel Venning, who joins Al and James to explain how she researched her o...

246. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 6 from 2021-01-16T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

245. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 5 from 2021-01-15T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

244. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 4 from 2021-01-14T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

243. The War In The Shadows from 2021-01-14T03:00

When Patrick Marnham was sent a letter from an anonymous reader claiming to have inside knowledge about the French Resistance he was forced to re-examine his work on the subject. Here he joins A...

242. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 3 from 2021-01-13T02:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

241. The Washington Putsch from 2021-01-12T03:00

As Donald Trump’s followers tried to seize control of Washington’s Capitol many writers and commentators sought historical parallels to explain how American democracy had come to this. James Hol...

240. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 2 from 2021-01-12T02:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

239. The Wings of Pegasus, by George Chatterton - Episode 1 from 2021-01-11T03:00

Brigadier George Chatterton's memoirs, read by Al Murray, tell the extraordinary story of his time as a soldier for the British Army who then went on to become the Commander of the Glider Pilot ...

238. Sidney Cotton’s Private Airforce from 2021-01-07T03:00

Sidney Cotton played an important role in the development of photographic reconnaissance, taking pictures of Germany and Holland at the start of the war.

His personal driver was a young ma...

237. Robert Bowen - Fighting With Screaming Eagles from 2021-01-06T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading from...

236. The Man Who Said Don’t Go from 2021-01-05T03:00

News that Sir Brian Urquhart has died at the age of 101 leads Al Murray and James Holland inexorably back to the intense days prior to the battle of Arnhem. Did Urquhart tell Browning to cancel ...

235. Vere Hodgson - Diary of the War from 2021-01-04T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Rachel Holland is ...

234. Cornelius Turner - Operation Bunghole from 2021-01-03T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading from...

233. Stanley Christopherson - An Englishman At War from 2021-01-02T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is reading f...

232. Jeffrey Quill - Spitfire from 2021-01-01T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading from...

231. Heinz Knoke - I Flew For The Fuhrer from 2020-12-31T04:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is reading a...

230. In Conversation with Richard Herring from 2020-12-31T03:00

Al Murray joins Richard Herring to talk about his latest book ‘The Last 100 Years (give Or Take) and All That’. They discuss what it was like writing the book and cover a range of topics including ...

229. George Chatterton - The Wings of Pegasus from 2020-12-30T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading an e...

228. Cecil Beaton - Far East from 2020-12-29T04:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is reading e...

227. Crimes of the Wehrmacht from 2020-12-29T03:00

One of the enduring myths arising from the war is that the extreme violence in the east was carried out by the Waffen SS, not the Wehrmacht. 

Historian and former US serviceman Waitma...

226. Louis Hagen - Arnhem Lift from 2020-12-28T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading from...

225. Anthony Cotterell - After D-Day from 2020-12-27T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is reading a...

224. Richard Rhodes James - Chindit from 2020-12-26T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading from...

223. Anthony Cotterell - A Day At The Seaside from 2020-12-25T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is reading a...

222. Photo Reconnaissance from 2020-12-24T03:00

Intelligence expert Taylor Downing argues that photo reconnaissance of occupied Europe should be at the forefront of all discussions about intelligence during the Second World War. 

H...

221. Confusion on Gold Beach from 2020-12-22T02:00

James Holland explains the challenges of researching the events of D Day for his new book about the Sherwood Rangers. Al Murray discusses the difficulty of relying on the memories of men caught ...

220. A National Scandal from 2020-12-17T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the plight and treatment of our nuclear test veterans of the 1940s and 50s. They are joined by campaigning journalist Susie Boniface to discuss the government...

219. Rudolph Hess from 2020-12-15T04:00

Why did Hess fly to Scotland and on whose authority? What was his role in the Reich and was his sentence fair? James Holland and Al Murray also discuss the role of the Gurkhas in the Second Worl...

218. Pathfinder and Master Bomber from 2020-12-10T03:00

Between November 1943 and October 1944 Charles Owen DSO DFC flew 55 missions as part of Bomber Command. His extraordinary hand written diary describes these sorties in brilliant detail. Al Murra...

217. Man for Man from 2020-12-08T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray reopen the debate about the relative merits of Allied and Axis soldiers. Plus was there ever the possibility of the American, British and Canadian forces swapping bea...

216. Falklands from 2020-12-03T03:00

Part two of our conversation with aviation writer Roland White, as he explains the challenges of flying off carriers in the South Atlantic. Roland tells Al Murray and James Holland about the rol...

215. Training Day from 2020-12-01T02:00

How did the German forces shape up when it came to training? James Holland and Al Murray explore both myth and reality. Plus the boys head to the western desert to examine the Battle of Knightsb...

214. Joe Ricci from 2020-11-29T03:00

Close friend of the podcast, historian Joe Ricci, joins Al and James during our Thanksgiving Specials to talk about the unsung heroes of the American War Effort - the US Coastguard.

Jo...

213. Nicholas Moran from 2020-11-28T03:00

Nicholas Moran is one of the world leading experts in tank warfare during the Second World War. He joins Al and James to reveal what he thinks to be the best tank used during the war.
Listen

212. Bob Persichitti from 2020-11-27T03:00

Bob Persichitti was a radio operator on the USS El Dorado during the Second World War. He was present at Okinawa and the invasion of Iwo Jima. James Holland interviews him as part of our Thanksgivi...

211. Michel Paradis from 2020-11-26T03:00

Human Rights Lawyer and historian Michel Paradis talks to Al and James about his book 'Last Mission To Tokyo'. The thrilling war story-meets-courtroom-drama focuses on the Doolittle Raide...

210. Paul Dickson from 2020-11-25T03:00

James Holland speaks to US historian Paul Dickson, writer of 'The Rise of the G.I. Army', about how the American Army was mobilized from scattered outposts two years before Pearl Harbor into the di...

209. Tom Lacey from 2020-11-24T03:00

Al and James interview Battle of the Bulge veteran Tom Lacey as part of We Have Ways' Thanksgiving Specials.

Tom Lacey was fascinated with aeronautics as a young boy, so naturally, he ...

208. Marty Morgan from 2020-11-23T03:00

In the first of our Thanksgiving Specials, Al and James are joined by historian and weapons expert Marty Morgan. Marty talks about his experiences leading tours in Normandy and working with hit vid...

207. Harrier from 2020-11-19T03:00

In this rare foray away from the Second World War Al Murray and James Holland are joined by aviation writer Rowland White to discuss the role of the Harrier 809 in the Falklands War.

How c...

206. Dermot O'Leary from 2020-11-17T03:00

TV presenter and radio host Dermot O’Leary joins Al and James to discuss his passion for Second World War history. The Battle of Britain and the Battle of the Atlantic are two of Dermot’s partic...

205. A Message from the Cook Islands from 2020-11-12T02:00

We Have Ways of Making You Talk receives a fabulous array of messages via email, Twitter and on our members’ site. None more extraordinary than the missive that arrived this week from the Cook I...

204. From El Alamein to the Heroes of Telemark from 2020-11-10T02:00

How great a contribution did Monty make in North Africa? And were the actions of the Heroes of Telemark vital to the effort to deny Hitler the atomic bomb? Al Murray and James Holland meander wi...

203. Remembrance from 2020-11-08T02:00

Small cemeteries in faraway lands, individual stories of heartbreaking tenderness, parents paying for inscriptions on graves they will never see. Al Murray and James Holland are joined by Glyn P...

202. Matt Mackinnon-Pattison - Part 3 from 2020-11-05T03:00

After growing up in a Scottish orphanage Matt Mackinnon-Pattison volunteered for the army at the first opportunity and found himself fighting with a Highland regiment in Italy.

In this thi...

201. Resistance from 2020-11-03T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss Patrick Marnham’s book on the French Resistance. Plus, how influential was signals intelligence? Other subjects up for discussion include the Chindits’ action...

200. The Last 100 Years (Give or Take) And All That from 2020-10-29T03:00

An awful lot has happened in the last 100 years or so. In fact, when you look at how much went on in the 20th century, it's amazing it didn't take longer than that. In this extract from his new ...

199. The Messerschmitt 109 from 2020-10-27T02:00

Al and James clamber around on the Messerschmitt 109 once flown by the legendary Hans-Joachim Marseille and now housed at the Heritage Hangar, Biggin Hill. Was it really better than the Spitfire...

198. Matt Mackinnon-Pattison - part 2 from 2020-10-22T02:00

After growing up in a Scottish orphanage Matt Mackinnon-Pattison volunteered for the army at the first opportunity and found himself fighting with a Highland regiment in Italy. In this second pa...

197. Spitfires at Biggin Hill from 2020-10-20T01:00

Al and James visit the Heritage Hangar at Biggin Hill, the largest collection of air worthy Spitfires in the world. They discover a newly restored Spitfire once sold to the Greek airforce and ex...

196. Matt Mackinnon-Pattison - Part 1 from 2020-10-15T02:00

Matt Mackinnon-Pattison served with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders during the war and later joined the SAS where he was parachuted behind enemy lines in northern Italy.

James Hollan...

195. From Iceland to Africa from 2020-10-13T01:00

James and Al get their podcast passports out as they explore stories from Iceland to Africa, via Germany. James describes his recent adventures in Germany, including his attempt to find the loca...

194. Tiger Tank from 2020-10-08T01:00

Al Murray heads to Bovington Tank Museum to talk to resident expert David Willey about the Tiger tank. 

Why did Nazi Germany build only 1,200 of this much feared beast and what was th...

193. Making Maps and Propaganda from 2020-10-06T01:00

Writer and academic Jeremy Black joins James Holland and Al Murray in a wide-ranging discussion encompassing the propagandist use of maps and the challenges of flying over the Hump.

To...

192. Tank Trilogy from 2020-10-01T01:00

Al Murray and James Holland explore a Second World War British ambulance as well as a vehicle kitted out as a mobile listening centre which reported from France and Holland to Bletchley Park. Listen

191. Robert Harris and V2 from 2020-09-29T01:00

The German V2 rocket programme brought fear to the streets of London in the last months of the war. Author Robert Harris joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss his new novel, V2, which exp...

190. AC/DC’s Brian Johnson PART 2 from 2020-09-24T01:00

AC/DC frontman Brian Johnson is back with more stories from his extraordinary family history. This time we hear about his dad’s time fighting in Italy, plus his Italian mum’s fascist family past...

189. AC/DC’s Brian Johnson from 2020-09-22T01:00

The legendary lead singer of AC/DC Brian Johnson is fascinated by the Second World War. His dad fought in North Africa and Italy with the Durham Light Infantry and Brian himself joined the Terri...

188. What went wrong at Arnhem from 2020-09-17T01:00

On September 17th, 1944, the Allies launched Operation Market Garden in an attempt to create an invasion route across the Rhine and into Germany.

The operation failed and with it ended any...

187. Battle of Britain Day from 2020-09-15T01:00

James Holland and Al Murray discuss the events of September 15th, 1940, the date officially named Battle of Britain Day. James digs deep into the data to evaluate the severity of the German atta...

186. Top Tanks from 2020-09-10T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland recently spent a day clambering around on restored tanks. In today’s episode they get to experience the inside of a Sherman and the full throated roar of a Cromwell.&...

185. Sicily ‘43 Special from 2020-09-08T02:00

Al Murray joins James Holland to discuss Sicily ‘43 in this special edition of the podcast recorded for Waterstones.

Our three book recommendations for September are:

Normand...

184. The Sherwood Rangers on D-Day from 2020-09-03T03:00

As James Holland begins researching his next book he finds himself immediately caught up in a debate about what happened to the Sherwood Rangers as they came ashore on D-Day.

Our three...

183. James and Al’s Big Tank Adventure from 2020-09-01T02:00

James Holland and Al Murray spend the day messing around in tanks. The evolution of the British tank through the early years of the Second World War is discussed and the boys get to grapple with...

182. The Ship from 2020-08-27T02:00

C. S. Forester’s brilliant book about a Royal Navy ship fighting to get through to Malta was published in 1943 and is an enthralling account of a single day’s action against the Italian fleet. I...

181. By Air and Sea from 2020-08-25T02:00

Al and James discuss the fundamental differences between being a Luftwaffe pilot and an airman in the RAF. Also, why did it take so long to train a naval officer? Could it be due to the cost of ...

180. Those Devils in Baggy Pants from 2020-08-20T02:00

A sneak preview of our latest audiobook Those Devils In Baggy Pants which tells the story of life in the US 82nd Airborne Division.

The author, Ross S Carter, took part in every major camp...

179. The Weird World of War from 2020-08-18T02:00

We asked listeners for the most curious roles their grandparents performed during the Second World War. Al Murray and James Holland explore some of the best answers. Plus, which branch of the fo...

178. VJ Day and the Atomic Bomb from 2020-08-15T02:00

Seventy five years ago the world celebrated Victory over Japan Day as the war in the Pacific finally ended.

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the big decisions taken at the time, most no...

177. VJ Day special - The Indian Army from 2020-08-14T02:00

By 1945 the British Indian Army was the largest volunteer force in history.

Military historian Rob Lyman argues that Indian soldiers were not given enough credit for their efforts in helpi...

176. VJ Day special - Robin Rowland: Part 2 from 2020-08-13T02:00

Robin Rowland was an officer in Slim’s Fourteenth Army, fighting at the Battle of the Admin Box and at the Battle of Kohima. In the second part of his conversation with James Holland he des...

175. VJ Day special - Robin Rowland: Part 1 from 2020-08-12T02:00

Robin Rowland was an officer in Slim’s Fourteenth Army, fighting at the Battle of the Admin Box and at the Battle of Kohima. Here he is in conversation with James Holland. In this first part of ...

174. VJ Day special - Fighting in the Far East from 2020-08-11T02:00

James and Al are joined by the US historian John C. McManus to discuss the final months of fighting in the Far East. John is one of America’s leading military historians and is currently working...

173. Hitler, Sparta and the Roman Empire from 2020-08-06T02:00

How great an influence on Nazi ideology did Spartan society exert? Tom Holland joins his brother James and Al Murray to discuss ancient empires and their parallels with Hitler’s Germany.

172. Battle of Britain - Part 3 from 2020-08-04T02:00

In the third episode of our trilogy James Holland and Al Murray discuss the merits of grass airfields and German plans for the invasion of Britain.

Plus the boys make three new recommendat...

171. Sicily ’43 from 2020-07-30T02:00

In July 1943 the Allies launched Operation Husky. The subsequent thirty-eight-day Battle for Sicily was one of the most dramatic of the entire Second World War.

James Holland reads an ...

170. The Battle of Britain - Part 2 from 2020-07-28T02:00

What was the civilian experience as the Battle of Britain raged in the skies? And how realistic was the German aim to gain air supremacy? Al Murray and James Holland explore the summer of 1940 i...

169. Stan Perry Special - Part Two from 2020-07-23T02:00

Part Two of James Holland's interview with veteran Stan Perry about his wartime experiences in the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. Stan arrived in France shortly after D-Day and was twice wounded dur...

168. The Battle of Britain from 2020-07-21T02:00

“Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”

Well that was Winston Churchill’s view.

Now, 80 years on, Al Murray and James Holland offer a modern per...

167. Stan Perry Special from 2020-07-16T02:00

Part 2 of James Holland's interview with veteran Stan Perry about his wartime experiences in the Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry. Stan arrived in France shortly after D-Day and was twice wounded durin...

166. Hitler Myths from 2020-07-14T02:00

Did Hitler really die in a Berlin bunker? Yes of course he did. But this simple truth hasn’t stopped a host of conspiracy theorists claiming the Nazi leader made it safely to South America. So w...

165. Day of Days from 2020-07-09T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland speak to Band of Brothers scriptwriter John Orloff.

John wrote episode two, Day of Days, as well as episode nine, Why We Fight. He describes the origins of the ...

164. Sweden and Spies from 2020-07-07T09:33:36

Just how neutral was Sweden in the Second World War? Al Murray and James Holland debate this as well recounting the role of an unusual Scottish spy.

Join the We Have Ways members’ club...

163. Where the War was Won - Part 2 from 2020-07-02T02:00

In the second part of Al Murray and James Holland's conversation with historian Phillips O'Brien they discuss the largely forgotten US Admiral William Leahy and his attitude to the use of the at...

162. Where the War was Won - Part 1 from 2020-06-30T02:00

Historian Phillips O'Brien explains to James Holland and Al Murray his theory that land battles did not make a significant contribution to the outcome of the war. If you think Stalingrad and the...

161. The History of Concrete from 2020-06-28T02:00

Stonemason Andrew Ziminski takes Al and James on an unusual historical journey through the medium of concrete and stonemasonry. The lads discuss the origins of Stonehenge.

Join the We ...

160. Operation Bagration from 2020-06-27T07:26:15

Al and James speak to Dr Alex Richie about the the Eastern Front. Red Army tactics, POW deaths and Operation Bagration are up for discussion.

Join the We Have Ways members’ ...

159. Inside a Russian Tank from 2020-06-26T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland get to drive round the Wiltshire countryside in a T34 Russian tank. The boys explore its crude but effective engineering and enjoy the sounds and smells from inside t...

158. Gary Sheffield from 2020-06-25T02:00

Day four of We Have Ways of Making You Chalke and historian Gary Sheffield joins Al and James to explore the interwar period and discuss the rise of European nationalism. 

Jo...

157. Peace in Our Time? from 2020-06-24T02:00

Tim Bouverie, author of Appeasing Hitler, joins Al Murray and James Holland to discuss history’s assessment of Neville Chamberlain. 

Join the We Have Ways members’ club now for £5...

156. Nora Krug from 2020-06-23T02:00

In the second episode of We Have Ways of Making You Chalke German-American writer Nora Krug joins Al Murray and James Holland to debate the problems of national identity. Nazism in Germany and t...

155. Tea With Monty from 2020-06-22T02:00

Each day this week James Holland and Al Murray will be joined by a celebrated historian on We Have Ways of Making You Chalke. With the Chalke Valley History Festival cancelled some of the top hi...

154. Mosquito Missions from 2020-06-18T02:00

Colin Bell carried out 50 bombing raids over Germany, 13 of them to Berlin.

In this special edition of the podcast RAF veteran Colin tells Al and James about his love of flying Mosquitos a...

153. Save our Spits from 2020-06-16T02:00

Production of the most important aircraft in history did not always run smoothly. Al Murray and James Holland discuss the industrial challenges of producing the Spitfire; plus the boys ponder th...

152. Home Front Heroes from 2020-06-11T02:00

Nurse Ethel Lote was just 18 years old when she was thrown into the war effort, caring for troops returning from Dunkirk.

In this special episode Ethel describes her experiences to Al Murr...

151. Convoys and Submarines from 2020-06-09T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland launch seafaring operations on the podcast as they examine the effectiveness of the British submarine effort. The boys also enjoy the book used as a basis for the new...

150. D-Day Special from 2020-06-06T02:00

June 6th remains one of the most iconic dates in history. James Holland and Al Murray look back on D-Day with a particular reverence for British naval power.

Join the We Have Ways memb...

149. Britain's War Machine from 2020-06-04T02:00

Al and James are joined by historian and writer David Edgerton to discuss industry and innovation during the war. Famous for taking on the ‘declinists’, David offers a unique perspective on the ...

148. Dunkirk - Day Eight from 2020-06-02T02:00

As the last men are lifted from Dunkirk we look at the legacy of the battle in both political and strategic terms. Al and James discuss the implications for the Mediterranean and North Africa an...

147. Dunkirk - Day Seven from 2020-06-01T06:48:16

As clouds lift over Dunkirk the evacuation has to be suspended during daylight hours. Meanwhile the men on the perimeter resort to desperate measures to hold up the German advance.

Al and ...

Dunkirk - Day Six from 2020-05-31T02:00

As the men at Dunkirk continue to be lifted in huge numbers, Al and James turn their attention to some of the fascinating details of the story. We hear about the role of British medics working d...

145. Dunkirk - Day Five from 2020-05-30T02:00

Churchill’s grip on the war cabinet begins to strengthen as the news from Dunkirk continues to improve. Record numbers of men are rescued from both the beaches and the East Mole. In this episode...

144. Dunkirk - Day Four from 2020-05-29T02:00

It’s a hugely significant day as 47,000 men are lifted from Dunkirk, but as the remaining soldiers run out of water on the beach they raid the cellars of local bars with predictable results. Al ...

143. Dunkirk - Day Three from 2020-05-28T02:00

The success of Dunkirk was considered little short of a miracle. But not every soldier made it onto the rescue ships. To help buy time for their comrades to be picked up from the beach some sold...

142. Dunkirk - Day Two from 2020-05-27T02:00

May 27th, 1940, could be described as the single most important day in the twentieth century. British war cabinet meetings this day defined the policy to fight on rather than seek peace via Ital...

141. Dunkirk - Day One from 2020-05-26T02:00

May 26th, 1940, was the first day of the most important week in history.

We Have Ways of Making You Talk will be releasing a podcast on each of the eight days of Operation Dynamo.

To...

140. Olivia Smith - Bonus Episode from 2020-05-24T02:00

Young historian Olivia Smith shares the story of her grandmother’s early life in Nazi Germany with James.

Join the We Have Ways members’ club now for £5 a month using the link below: Listen

139. Philippe Sands - Part 2 from 2020-05-21T02:00

In this second episode of our Philippe Sands interview we explore The Ratline and its central cast of characters. Otto Wächter, the Nazi on the run from justice; his wife Charlotte, avowed Nazi ...

138. St Nazaire Raid from 2020-05-19T02:00

It was one of the most audacious raids of the Second World War. A combined Royal Navy and British Commando attack on the Normandie dry dock in German occupied France.

But was it worth the ...

137. Philippe Sands and The Ratline from 2020-05-14T02:00

Philippe Sands, author of East West Street and The Ratline, joins Al and James to discuss the extraordinary war time stories he unearthed in his research. In this first episode he talks about Ha...

136. Blitzkrieg 1940 from 2020-05-12T02:00

In May 1940 the German armed forces launched a massive offensive against Holland, Belgium and ultimately France.

Al Murray and James Holland take a detailed look at the events which shaped...

135. VE Day Special from 2020-05-08T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the end of the war in Europe. 

Join the We Have Ways members’ club now for £5 a month using the link below:

Patreon.com/wehaveways

134. Legacy and Myth from 2020-05-07T02:00

In part two of their conversation with historian Guy Walters, Al Murray and James Holland explore how the Second world War is viewed in Britain as the nation’s defining myth. Nationalism and pol...

133. Paras and Portugal from 2020-05-05T02:00

After spending an evening watching A Bridge Too Far, both Al Murray and James Holland are keen to discuss the film’s stunning scale and also its frustrating inaccuracies. Plus why did Portugal s...

132. Hunting Evil from 2020-04-30T02:00

How great an effort was made to hunt down Nazi war criminals? Historian Guy Walters joins Al Murray and James Holland as they trace the escape route from Germany to South America.

Join...

131. The Gurkhas from 2020-04-28T02:00

The people of Nepal raised 40 Gurkha Battalions to fight alongside the British and Commonwealth troops during the Second World war. James Holland and Al Murray discuss the extraordinary contribu...

130. The Life and Crimes of Joachim Peiper from 2020-04-23T02:00

He served on both the Eastern and Western Fronts and was a ruthless Nazi ideologue. After the war Peiper was found guilty of war crimes for murdering prisoners of war. Al Murray and James Hollan...

129. One Man’s Window from 2020-04-22T07:30

In 1942 Denis Barnham flew spitfires repeatedly against enemy raids over Malta. In this extract, Al Murray reads a terrifying account of his first air battle above the island. The whole book is ...

128. We Need Transport, Over… from 2020-04-21T02:00

James and Al discuss important issues such as the range of the Ju52 in Where Eagles Dare and answer the key question: could it really have made it to the Alps and back? Also discussed, the infam...

127. The Black Market from 2020-04-16T02:00

Were there any good consequences of the black market in Western Europe? Al Murray and James Holland don’t think so. Especially not for the impoverished Italians.

Join the We Have Ways ...

126. Don’t Start at the Bottom from 2020-04-14T02:00

Did the Allies take too long winkling the Germans out of Sicily? Expect strong views from James Holland and Al Murray. Plus an extraordinary story of the captured Enigma machine from a listener ...

Chapter 22: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-12T02:00

Chapter 22: 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 sin...

Chapter 21: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-11T02:00

Chapter 21: 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 sin...

Chapter 20: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-10T02:00

Chapter 20: 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 sin...

Chapter 19: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-09T02:00

Chapter 19: 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 sin...

121. Upping our Game from 2020-04-09T02:00

Al and James discuss the need to keep soldiers in the front line physically fit. As the British army faced increasingly varied and challenging terrain it became apparent they needed to be physic...

Chapter 18: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-08T02:00

Chapter 18: 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 sin...

118. Ditched and Dunkirk from 2020-04-07T02:00

Al Murray recounts the extraordinary story of one listener’s grandfather who ditched in the Med on the way to Sicily and swam out of a rapidly sinking plane.

Join the We Have Ways memb...

Chapter 17: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-07T02:00

Chapter 17: 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 sin...

Chapter 16: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-06T02:00

Chapter 16: 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 sin...

Chapter 15: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-05T02:00

Chapter 15: 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 sin...

Chapter 14: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-04T02:00

Chapter 14: 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 sin...

Chapter 13: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-03T02:00

Chapter 13: 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 sin...

Pipers and Paddy Mayne from 2020-04-02T02:05

In this special edition of We Have Ways of Making You Talk originally streamed live online, Al Murray and James Holland discuss the use of Scottish pipers on the battlefield. SAS legend Paddy Ma...

Chapter 12: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-02T02:00

Chapter 12: 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 sin...

Chapter 11: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-04-01T02:00

Chapter 11: 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 sin...

110. Achtung! Achtung! News Flash from 2020-03-31T14:14:33

Join Al Murray and James Holland for a live stream of tomorrow’s recording of We Have Ways of Making You Talk (Wednesday, April 1st). Join the boys at 10.30am.

https://www.crowdcast.io...

109. Steel not Flesh from 2020-03-31T02:05

Were airborne operations actually a complete wast of time and men? Al Murray and James Holland question the merit of dropping paratroopers into battle. Also discussed is the vital contribution o...

Chapter 10: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-31T02:00

Chapter 10: 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 sin...

Chapter 9: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-30T02:00

Chapter 9: 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 sing...

Chapter 8: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-29T03:00

Chapter 8: 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 sing...

Chapter 7: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-28T03:00

Chapter 7: 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 sing...

Chapter 6: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-27T03:00

Chapter 6: 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 sing...

Chapter 5: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-26T03:01

Chapter 5: 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 sing...

102. Leading From the Front from 2020-03-26T03:00

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 de...

Chapter 4: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-25T03:00

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 sing...

99. Totally Evil Badge from 2020-03-24T03:00

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 ...

Chapter 3: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-24T03:00

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 sing...

Chapter 2: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-23T03:01

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 sing...

Chapter 1: The Cauldron, by Zeno from 2020-03-23T03:00

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 sing...

96. On a War Footing from 2020-03-21T03:00

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 rati...

95. Summer Madness from 2020-03-19T03:00

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 ...

94. German War Heroes from 2020-03-17T03:00

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 produ...

93. Hitler’s Gamble from 2020-03-12T03:00

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

Produ...

92. Printing Money from 2020-03-10T03:00

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 q...

91. A Land Fit for Heroes from 2020-03-05T00:00

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 orde...

90. Bombers and Gliders from 2020-03-03T03:00

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...

89. Britain's War from 2020-02-27T03:00

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...

88. The War in the Air from 2020-02-25T03:00

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 a...

87. Invasion tactics from 2020-02-20T03:00

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...

86. From Dunkirk to Sicily from 2020-02-18T03:00

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’ succe...

85. The Landing Beaches from 2020-02-13T03:00

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 C...

84. Chez Goebbels from 2020-02-11T03:00

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 gli...

83. Weapons Envy from 2020-02-06T03:00

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 suc...

82. Germany Post War from 2020-02-04T03:00

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 Berli...

81. Fighting Footballers from 2020-01-30T03:00

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 me...

80. Bombers and Boats from 2020-01-28T03:00

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...

79. Spitfires and Rockets from 2020-01-23T03:00:23

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...

78. Atomic from 2020-01-20T03:00

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...

77. Monty’s Humber from 2020-01-16T03:00

In this special edition of We Have Ways of Making You Talk Al Murray and James Holland visit the Imperial War Museum in London.

There they explore Monty’s famous car and discuss the assass...

War Laws from 2020-01-14T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the massive contradiction in the German state between the law makers and the Nazi anarchists. The boys also discuss pubs and films with a World War Two theme....

75. Memories of War - Part 3 from 2020-01-09T03:00

In the third and final part of our in depth interview with Major-General Stuart Watson the World War Two veteran describes his experiences in Holland during Operation Market Garden; his time in ...

74. German Officers from 2020-01-07T03:00

James Holland meets leading US historian Rob Citino to talk about the German approach to war. 

A Goalhanger Films production 

Produced by Joey McCarthy

Exec produ...

73. Denis Barnham - One Man's Window from 2020-01-03T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is readin...

72. Guy Sajer - The Forgotten Soldier from 2020-01-02T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading f...

71. Svetlana Alexievich - The Unwomanly Face of War from 2020-01-01T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading you extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is rea...

70. Joseph Heller - Catch 22 from 2019-12-31T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading f...

69. Bert Stiles - Serenade To The Big Bird from 2019-12-30T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is readin...

68. Ken Tout - Tank! from 2019-12-29T11:15:42

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading f...

Farley Mowat - And No Birds Sang from 2019-12-28T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is readin...

66. George MacDonald Fraser - Quartered Safe Out Here from 2019-12-27T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading f...

65. Ernie Pyle - Brave Men from 2019-12-26T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is readin...

64. Spike Milligan - Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall from 2019-12-25T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading f...

63. Johannes Steinhoff - Straits of Messina from 2019-12-24T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today James is readin...

62. Zeno- The Cauldron from 2019-12-23T03:00

Merry Christmas from We Have Ways of Making You Talk. Over the next 12 days Al and James are reading extracts from some of their favourite books about the Second World War. Today Al is reading f...

61. War Planes from 2019-12-19T03:00

Al Murray heads to Lincolnshire to visit the RAF’s stunning collection of working World War Two aircraft. Al gets to explore a Spitfire, a Hurricane, a Dakota, and a Lancaster, while quizzing Sq...

60. Nazi Home Movies from 2019-12-17T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray discuss newly revealed German home movies. From Hitler Youth camps to burning villages on the eastern front and the cold-blooded murder of civilians, the footage illu...

59. Before the Bulge from 2019-12-12T03:00

Seventy five years on from the most brutal battle involving US troops in World War Two, Battle of the Bulge expert Peter Caddick-Adams talks to James about the circumstances leading up to the co...

58. The Khaki Election and the Sherman Tank from 2019-12-10T03:00

Was Churchill’s defeat in the 1945 election really a surprise?

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the significance of sending the Beveridge Report to every serviceman. Plus the boys make ...

From D-Day to Bastogne from 2019-12-05T03:00

James ‘Pee-wee’ Martin parachuted into Normandy on D-Day; fought on Hell’s Highway during Market Garden; and at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge.

He recently spent time with James H...

56. Convoys on Land and Sea from 2019-12-03T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray discuss the famous convoy system known as the Red Ball Express, which supplied Allied forces moving across the continent after D-Day. The lads also discuss the Scheld...

55. Paris in Wartime from 2019-11-29T03:00

James Holland chats with Mike Neiberg, historian of war and peace at the US Army War College, about the final days of occupation in Paris.

A Goalhanger Films production 

Pro...

54. Stories From Auschwitz from 2019-11-28T03:00

Dr Alex Richie tells James Holland the harrowing story of her father-in-law Władysław Bartoszewski, a Polish Jew who was one of the first men to be sent to Auschwitz.

A Goalhanger Film...

53. Racial Divisions and the War at Sea from 2019-11-26T03:00:52

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the issues of race in the US armed forces during World War Two, including the little known Battle of Bamber Bridge. Also up for discussion is the importance o...

52. Inside the Archives from 2019-11-21T03:00:11

James Holland reports from Washington as he continues to research his forthcoming book on the battle for Sicily.

Reporting from inside the US archives, James explains his research methods ...

51. Lessons of War from 2019-11-19T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the post war historical debate in Germany.

Plus, is it true that Winston Churchill offered Northern Ireland to the Republic in exchange for Irish suppor...

50. Hitler v Churchill from 2019-11-14T03:00:36

Did Adolf Hitler and Winston Churchill have a grudging respect for each other? Al Murray and James Holland discuss the two war leaders, contrasting their styles and comparing their similarities....

49. Remembrance Day from 2019-11-11T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland mark Remembrance Day by reading an extract of Keith Douglas’s military memoir Alamein to Zem Zem and his poem Vergissmeinnicht (Forget-me-not).

#WeHaveWays<...

48. Omaha Beach from 2019-11-07T03:00

Leading military historian John McManus describes the situation facing American soldiers on Omaha Beach on D-Day. He also talks to James Holland about the the current appetite in the States for ...

47. The Battle for Poland from 2019-11-05T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland take a deep dive into the events of 1939 as first the Germans and then the Russians invade Poland.

A Goalhanger Films Production

Produced by Harry Lin...

46. The Battle of Midway from 2019-10-31T03:00:52

At the start of June, 1942, the Japanese navy ruled the Pacific. A week later US forces had won a decisive battle that would change the course of the war.

Leading US historian Craig Sy...

45. Burma and Operation Varsity from 2019-10-29T03:00:17

Burma and Operation Varsity

James Holland describes the role of General Slim in turning round the fortunes of the British forces in Burma. Al Murray explains how the airborne success o...

44. Memories Of War - Part 2 from 2019-10-24T02:00

Major-General Stuart Watson describes his experiences on Sword Beach on D-Day to James Holland. He also recounts the sights and smells of the Falaise Pocket. Finally he tells James about his jou...

43. Spike Milligan and the Italian Campaign from 2019-10-22T02:00

Al Murray reads an extract from Spike Milligan’s war time memoir Mussolini: His Part in My Downfall. Al and James then discuss the effects of the war on Milligan’s mental health and James provid...

42. Memories of War - Part 1 from 2019-10-17T02:00

Major-General Stuart Watson landed on Sword Beach on D-Day. In this bonus episode of We Have Ways of Making You Talk Major-General Watson tells James Holland about his training with amphibious t...

41. The Life and Death of the Desert Fox from 2019-10-15T02:00

No German military leader of World War Two has a greater reputation than Erwin Rommel. Such was his perceived threat to Hitler and the Nazi hierarchy that on October 14th, 1944, he was pushed to...

40. The Massacre of Monte Sole from 2019-10-10T03:00

In the autumn of 1944 German troops murdered more than 700 Italian civilians in one village. James Holland visits the scene seventy five years on.

...

39. Poland's Plight from 2019-10-08T02:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the terrible price paid by Poland in World War Two. Also, why is there a Russian tank on London’s Old Kent Road? Plus the lads discuss the role and reputation...

38. Stalin in Paris from 2019-10-01T02:00

Did Russia have aspirations to march the Red Army all the way to Paris? Al Murray and James Holland debate Soviet intentions in 1945. The lads also name their favourite war museums and look back on...

37. A Bridge Too Far? from 2019-09-25T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland stand on the banks of the Neder-Rijn in the exact spot that the remnants of the 1st Airborne Division rowed and swam back across the river after nine days of hell in ...

36. Lost at Nijmegen from 2019-09-24T03:00

Why did General Gavin not take the vital bridge at Nijmegen as soon as his 82nd Airborne Division landed in Holland? A hugely controversial decision to concentrate instead on the Groesbeek Heigh...

35. Al Murray walks the Oosterbeek Perimeter from 2019-09-23T03:00

On day four of Operation Market Garden, British commanding officer Roy Urquhart gave up trying to relieve John Frost at Arnhem bridge and instead ordered his remaining men to form a defensive pe...

34. XXX Corps from 2019-09-22T03:00

In September 1944 the Allied ground troops of Operation Market Garden smashed their way north towards the beleaguered British troops holding on in Arnhem. Seventy five years later James Holland ...

33. Market Garden with Dan Snow from 2019-09-21T03:00

Dan Snow chats with James Holland by the bridge in Arnhem. The two historians discuss the battle’s iconic place in British history.

See S...

26. Britskrieg from 2019-08-27T03:00

Is Paris burning? James Holland and Al Murray discuss the liberation of Paris and the final days of the Normandy campaign. Plus, what role did the mafia play in the invasion of Sicily? Were the All...

25. Nazi Drugs and Midget Subs from 2019-08-20T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the drugs used by the Germans to keep submariners awake. Plus what would have happened if the German army had fought in Asia, while the Japanese were defending t...

24. We Have Ways Live from Edinburgh from 2019-08-13T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland take to the stage at the Edinburgh fringe to debate the great last stands of World War Two. Plus who was Wojtek the bear? And can we justify the bombing of Dresden? The ...

23. Mutinies and the Battle for Malta from 2019-07-31T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss the challenges of maintaining morale in the Allied armies. Plus James answers the question of why Malta was denied Spitfires in the island’s greatest hour of nee...

22. The Eagle's Nest from 2019-07-24T03:00

James Holland joins Al Murray from Bavaria, where he sits in the shadow of Hitler's infamous summer residence, the Eagle's Nest. Al discusses his recent trip to Maquis country, plus the boys answer...

21. Take No Prisoners from 2019-07-16T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland look back on a murderous incident on D-Day plus one. Plus the lads use hindsight to decide which World War II regiment, squadron or ship they would choose to serve with ...

20. Colditz and our Book List from 2019-07-09T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray debate the wisdom of collecting all the Allies’ most escape-minded prisoners of war in one place. Also up for discussion are bombing tactics, the Battle of the Atlantic ...

19. Infamy and The World at War from 2019-07-07T03:00

In this bonus episode there’s a chance to hear Franklin D Roosevelt’s speech after Pearl Harbour as performed by American actor Chaz Mena. Legendary broadcaster Ed Murrow and World at War narrator ...

18. Taking the Trench from 2019-07-06T03:00

James Holland joins British troops attacking a German trench. Experience the sounds and voices of Tommy soldiers in Normandy.

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14. Live at the Chalke Valley History Festival from 2019-07-02T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss Nazis dressed in Allied uniforms; the possibility of the US dropping an atomic bomb on the Germans; plus they take questions from a live audience.

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13. The Soldbuch from 2019-06-25T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland spend part of this week’s podcast examining the life of a single German soldier, as revealed by his identity papers. Also discussed: the Russian boy used as a mascot by ...

12. Our Russian Friends from 2019-06-18T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray get into a heated debate about the role of Russia in the defeat of the Nazis. Also discussed are the French civilian experiences in Normandy; the curious case of the Dai...

11. Smoking Snakes from 2019-06-11T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray discuss the remarkable story of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force and their contribution to the war effort in Italy. Plus the boys debate the raid on Dieppe and the inco...

10. The Thing About Hitler... from 2019-06-04T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland discuss Hitler’s personal life. Also James finally turns the conversation to air power, Al recalls meeting a Russian Night Witch and James allows Al to try on his Britis...

9. Bunker Busting from 2019-05-28T03:00

Al Murray and James Holland explore the converted tanks used at Normandy. Also up for discussion are parachute decoys, the dangers of back-flash and who killed Michael Wittmann.

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5. Rommel, Rations and the Battle of Sangshak from 2019-04-30T03:00

James Holland and Al Murray debate Rommel, rations and the right approach to heavy bombing. Plus we hear the story of an important battle between the British and Japanese.

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3. Machine guns, Nazi menswear and an Italian massacre from 2019-04-16T03:00

Al Murray arrives at the podcast carrying a German machine gun. James tells the story of a little known Italian massacre. Both men discuss the role of Hugo Boss in Nazi tailoring.

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2. Rations, the Ritz and Nazi FM from 2019-04-09T03:00

Al Murray explains why Madagascar was briefly the most important battleground in World War Two, while James Holland talks us through the output of Nazi radio. Also, why the Ritz served lobster and ...

The Spitfire, the Major and Monte Cassino from 2019-04-02T03:00

In the first episode of our new World War II series Al Murray explains why the wings of a Spitfire never break off, while James Holland remembers the man who was told to smash up Monte Cassino. Plu...

Trailer from 2019-03-25T11:27:13

Achtung! Achtung!

Comedian Al Murray and historian James Holland bring you a new podcast all about the Second World War.

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