Mon, Jun 1, 2020
An interview by Paul Woodadge with Michael Sellers (director and producer) and Michael Cudlitz (narrator) of the new documentary film Return to Hardwick, about the 93rd Bomb Group which was the most decorated, most traveled and most effective bomber group of WWII. Crippling Hitler's Europe from the air, they executed some of the most daring bombing raids of the war. Along with the group's rich history, sons, daughters and grandchildren travel to England and explore the 93rd's long forgotten airbase - Hardwick Aerodrome 104. Return to Hardwick is released on June 9th 2020 in North America.
Sun, May 31, 2020
Paul Woodadge speaks to Tracy Spaight and Andy Brockman live on the day their book "The Buried Spitfires of Burma" is released. A the biography of a modern legend, which was born of the chaos of the end of World War Two in the Far East and ended by captivating the world in January 2013. The legend of the buried Spitfires of Burma. With a colourful cast of characters including a Lincolnshire farmer, the British Prime Minister, diplomats, generals, business tycoons, monks and old soldiers, The Buried Spitfires of Burma is also the gripping story of a belief bordering on obsession, made for the era of fake history and fake news, much like the quests to recover the treasure of the fabled Oak Island Money Pit, Yamashita's Gold, or the lost Ark of the Covenant.
Sat, Jun 6, 2020
This is a live show from the actual battlefields discussed live 76 years on. Two camera teams will be sending footage in and I have two fabulous guest historians. From Canada via Zoom Mike Bechthold, who has written and lectured extensively on the Canadians in WWII. From Normandy and live with our camera team is local author Frederick Jeanne. Frederick is a fantastic historian and his book on the 7th Brigade's actions is packed with maps, photos and information.
Fri, Jun 26, 2020
My friend Adam Makos has graciously agreed to take a break from writing his new book to join me for an interview. Adam has taken the military history world by storm with his trilogy of deeply personal stories about men at war. The themes of redemption, forgiveness and compassion are paramount in Adam's writing and readers who don't necessarily enjoy war books love them for that very reason. I've known Adam and his family for well over a decade and I am thrilled to have him on a WW2TV show.
Sun, Jun 28, 2020
A live panel discussion about Air Power in the Normandy campaign. Troop Carriers on DDay and beyond, the role of the 2nd Tactical Air Force, Hawker Typhoon ops and Aerial reconnaissance etc. We are joined by three guests with lots of experience with regards what went on in the skies above Normandy.
Tue, Jun 30, 2020
I am joined by my friend George Luz Jnr, son of the famous radioman in Easy Company 506th in WWII. The unit immortalised in the HBO series Band of Brothers. George has been giving a presentation for a number of years about his father in the war, how he grew up attending the reunions, getting to know the veterans and visiting the battlefields and will be sharing this presentation with us. It will include rare photos and audio clips of the men talking. George regularly guests on the Stephen Ambrose Band of Brothers Tours to Europe.
Tue, Jul 7, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the operation join us from Villons les Buissons, Galmanche, Buron, Saint Contest and Cambes en Plaine as we talk about the final assault on the city of Caen. We will follow in the footsteps of the East Riding Yeomanry, Highland Light Infantry (Canada) and the North Staffs. Ben Mayne joins us via Zoom from England and filming and speaking on location are: Colin Taylor and Duncan Hollands.
Wed, Jul 8, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the operation join us from Caen city centre. We will look at some then and now images, bullet holes, interesting locations and follow the route of my Great Uncle Cyril Rand of 2nd Battalion The Royal Ulster Rifles. My guest historian is Karine Poullard from the Caen area who will talk about the city in WWII. Filming and speaking on location are: Magali Desquesne and Gwen Pierre.
Fri, Jul 10, 2020
A chance to hear from Alan King a Sherman tank radio operator with the East Riding Yeomanry in 1944/45. Alan took part in Operation Charnwood, the subject of two WW2TV shows this week. Joining me is Alan's friend Ben Mayne to fill in some details about the unit in Normandy and the ETO.
Fri, Jul 17, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the liberation of Saint-Lô we bring you two shows. Part 1 will cover the assault towards the town in early-mid July. For Part 1 we are joined by Joe Balkoski, the prolific author and historian who will share his unrivalled knowledge of the US 29th Infantry Division in WWII.
Thu, Jul 23, 2020
A live discussion about Denmark's role in WWII. We will talk about the German occupation, Danish forces who served with the Allies and discuss the Country's greatest war heroes. Joining me are three of Denmark's top historians and authors: Jakob Sørensen has penned books on Operation Overlord, the Ardennes campaign and the occupation of his Country by the Germans. Jakob Tøtrup Kjærsgaard is a battlefield tour guide and author and specialises in the Danish Navy in WWII. He was also responsible for the information panels by the memorial near Utah Beach in Normandy. Thomas Harder is an award-winning historian. He is the author of 25 non-fiction books in Danish, including a new one to be released later this year on SAS hero Anders Lassen.
Fri, Jul 24, 2020
The Canadian offensive on Verrières Ridge, led by the Canadian Black Watch part of the II Canadian Corps, was a savage battle that helped ensure General Omar Bradley's US Army breakout from Normandy in Operation Cobra. I am delighted to have David O'Keefe join me for this show - historian, author, teacher, filmmaker and former soldier. We will focus on the role of the Canadian Black Watch and their attack towards Fontenay-le-Marmion held by German units including the 9th SS. We will have 3 camera teams on the ground showing both Canadian and German points of view.
Tue, Jul 28, 2020
Given the recent release of the new Tom Hanks movie Greyhound we discuss the Battle of the Atlantic - The German "Happy Times", life at sea, unsung heroes, the technology and maybe even bust a few myths. Joining me are three TOP historians from three different Nations: Canadian Marc Milner is Director of the Gregg Centre for the Study of War and Society at the University of New Brunswick. His Battle of the Atlantic book is regarded as one of the very best on the subject. Joining us from the UK is Iain Ballantyne from the UK, his epic book The Deadly Trade is a complete history of Submarine Warfare from Archimedes to the Present. Finally we have American author and retired Army officer Brian E Walter. His book The Longest Campaign came out in May 2020.
Fri, Jul 31, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the start of the uprising we will live streaming direct from in Warsaw. As a historian we have acclaimed author Dr. Alexandra Richie who lectures, teaches and writes about Poland in WWII. Her book "Warsaw 1944: The Fateful Uprising " is highly regarded, we are honoured to have her with us. Filming for us within the city is Alina Nowobilska famous as one half of the popular History Hack podcasts. Alina will offer her local knowledge and talk about her heroes - including her Grandfather. Alina is one half of the amazing History Hack duo. Both Alex and Alina live in Poland and will offer incredible insight to this important event.
Thu, Aug 6, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of Operation Lüttich - the German advance on Avranches in Normandy, we will livestream two shows from the battlefields. The shows will cover the epic defence by men of the US 30th "Old Hickory" Infantry Division. Part 1 will cover the 117th Infantry Regiment's stand in Saint-Barthélemy and their "last stand" position astride the road to Avranches. We will also cover the battle for Le Neufbourg where two famous photos were taken. We will look at the action of the American anti-tank gunners and examine how the German plan began to unravel. Joining me will be author and historian Kevin Hymel who wrote about the battle for WWII History magazine and Frank Gubbels from the Netherlands, a 30th Division historian.
Thu, Aug 6, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of Operation Lüttich - the German advance on Avranches in Normandy, we will livestream two shows from the battlefields. The shows will cover the epic defence by men of the US 30th "Old Hickory" Infantry Division. Part 2 will cover the fighting in the town of Mortain and also the battle for Hill 314. We will visit the Little Chapel and look at the foxholes and positions around the hillside, including where the Forward Observers were directing Allied artillery fire and indeed the attacks from the air by British Typhoons. Joining me will be author and historian Kevin Hymel who wrote about the battle for WWII History magazine and Frank Gubbels from the Netherlands, a 30th Division historian.
Fri, Aug 7, 2020
Operation Totalize (Totalise) was the August advance south from Caen towards Falaise. A combined Canadian, British and Polish operation it followed Bluecoat and Cobra and was to eventually lead to the creation of the Falaise Gap. Airpower, armour and artillery were extensively used in this operation and we will cover the story at both Operational level and highlight some of the individual engagements on the ground including the infamous counter-attack by German Tigers led by Michael Wittman.
Wed, Aug 12, 2020
We at WW2TV are delighted to have the authors of this forthcoming book join us to talk about the Dick Winters collection. Erik Dorr is the curator of the Gettsyburg Museum of History where the collection is displayed. Jared Frederick appeared on our DDay livesteam and is an instructor of history in Pennsylvania.
Fri, Aug 21, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the day the Falaise gap was closed, this is the second of three shows commemorating the final major battle of the Normandy campaign. We will stream live from the town centre. On August 15th 1944 about fifty young fanatics of the 12th SS Panzer-Division Hitlerjugend, took refuge in the girls' school and held out against Canadian troops of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. We will also look at the bullet and shrapnel damaged church. Joining me to explain the action is British battlefield guide and author Sean Claxton.
Fri, Aug 21, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the day the Falaise gap was closed, this is the second of three shows commemorating the final major battle of the Normandy campaign. We will stream live from the village, the artillery positions, the Canadian memorial and the vital Dives river crossing points - the road bridge and the famous ford at Moissy. Major David Currie's force of infantry, Sherman tanks and anti-tank guns valiantly defended these crossing points for 3 days as German troops and vehicles attempted to break out across the river to the east.
Fri, Aug 21, 2020
On the 76th anniversary of the day the Falaise gap was closed, this is the second of three shows commemorating the final major battle of the Normandy campaign. We will stream live from the Montormel memorial with it's spectacular views of the Falaise Pocket and areas on The Mace (Maczuga) where elements of the 1st Polish Armoured Division fought retreating forces from the German Army Group B, as they desperately pushed out of the valley along the "Corridor of Death" Joining me to tell the story of Gerneral Maczek's men is Polish Military Historian Jenny Grant, who we are thrilled to have join us for this special show.
Wed, Sep 9, 2020
The Life and Death of a Welsh poet with special guest Lloyd Scott a Battlefield Guide in Normandy. Lloyd is currently writing a book entitled "Your Peace is Bought with Mine" following the life of Lt David Rhys Geraint Jones who hailed from Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire Wales. Jones was an officer in the 3rd Monmouthshire Regiment (159 Bde, 11th Armoured Division) and died of wounds in on 28th June 1944. Lloyd will guide us from Modrainville to his grave site at Saint Manvieux. Also joining us will be fellow Battlefield Guide and published poet Colin Taylor to talk about war poetry and it's contribution to understanding the nature of conflict.
Sun, Sep 13, 2020
An interview with Jos Groen, a serving Dutch Army Colonel and student of WWII history. From the publisher - Three of the Last WWII Screaming Eagles describes in a rich, powerful, and often intense way the war experiences of Jim "Pee Wee" Martin, Dick Klein, and Dan McBride, three WWII paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division also known as the Screaming Eagles. Conveyed almost exclusively in their own words and with many details not previously published, this book covers how these men grew up during the Great Depression, describes their demanding paratrooper training in the U.S., and goes into great depth about their wartime experiences. The primary focus of this book is on the arduous battles they fought against the Germans in France when they jumped into Normandy the night before D-Day, after they made their second combat jump into The Netherlands during Operation Market Garden, as well as their final major battle in Belgium during the epic fighting in the cold and brutal winter at the Battle of the Bulge. This might be one of the last books based on first-hand interviews of WWII veterans, as we are losing large numbers of the WWII generation each and every day.
Sat, Sep 26, 2020
Joining us live from the Ridgewell Airfield Commemorative Museum is the Association's Chairman Paul Bingley. Paul will talk about the history of the airfield with a focus on the 381st Bomb Group and their missions over Europe. The story includes tragic accidents on the ground and in the air, deception raids, hitting the Bremen shipyards and the first mission to Schweinfurt. We will also talk to Paul about the museum and the team's dedication to keeping the stories alive of the Eight Airforce in Essex during WWII.
Fri, Oct 2, 2020
Best selling author and historian Alex Kershaw joins us to talk about the Bedford Boys on Dog Green on Omaha Beach on June 6th 1944. The show focuses on Lt. Ray Nance and Alex uses Ray's hand-drawn map to guide our camera teams across the beach. We will film at the same level of tide it would have been at H-Hour on DDay.
Mon, Oct 5, 2020
It is a widely held belief that chemical weapons and chemical warfare were significant in the First World War, but not the Second World War. The actual history is much more complex. Chemical weapons were used between the Second World War in a number of ways that most people don't really consider. Joining us to discuss this is Dan Kaszeta. Dan has decades of experience in protecting against chemical and biological weapons, and has held positions in the US Army, the White House Military Office, the US Secret Service and private industry. Dan will address the Japanese use of chemical weapons on the Chinese front - a campaign that resulted in more deaths than to mustard gas in the First World War. He will also explain the development of nerve agents by the Nazis and what happened to the stock piles of such dangerous toxins at the end of the conflict.
Tue, Oct 6, 2020
We are delighted to have best selling author Damien Lewis join us to talk about the early raiding forces that were created in the wake of Churchill's plea to his chiefs of staff: "Prepare hunter troops for a butcher-and-bolt reign of terror." Units such as the Commandos, the LRDG and SAS are now world famous but it was the earlier Small Scale Raiding Force that went to Normandy via MTB / Goatley boat in September 1942 to a stretch of sand that 2 years later became better known as Omaha Beach. Also joining us to elaborate on the raid will be Duncan Hollands. Amazingly Duncan's Great Uncle was on the MTB during the raid.
Fri, Oct 9, 2020
A Livestream from the King Green and King Red sectors of Gold Beach near Ver-sur-Mer. We will walk along the beach and take a look at what remains of Wn35 while Ben Mayne gives some insight into the landings by the British 69th and 151st Infantry Brigades. We will then move to the Mont Fleury Battery (Wn35a) and Ben will share some additional stories and information about these fortifications on DDay. We will also take a look at the role of Forward Observation Officers and inland artillery targets.
Sun, Oct 11, 2020
Being a historian isn't as simple as writing books or giving lectures, it's a role that has so much depth and definition. This exciting panel of historians will discuss what it really means to be a Second World War historian. To every positive experience unfortunately there is a negative, and we want to use this platform to highlight the reality of the gendered issues faced within the career of a historian.
Wed, Oct 14, 2020
Author and historian Eric Lee joins us to talk about his stunning book "The Night of the Bayonets." In the last days of WWII in Europe, Georgian troops serving in the Wehrmacht on Texel island off the Dutch coast rose up and slaughtered their German masters. Hitler ordered the island to be retaken and fighting continued for weeks, well after VE Day. The uprising had it origins in the bloody history of Georgia in the twentieth century, a history that saw the country move from German occupation, to three short years of independence, to Soviet rule after it was conquered by the Red Army in 1921. A bloody rebellion against the Soviets took place in 1924, but it remained under Russian Soviet rule. Thousands of Georgians served in the Soviet forces during WWII and among those who were captured, given the choice of "starve or fight", some took up the German offer to don Wehrmacht uniforms. The loyalty of the Georgians was always in doubt, as Hitler himself suspected, and once deployed to the Netherlands, the Georgian soldiers made contact with the local Communist resistance. When the opportunity arose, the Georgians took the decision to rise up and slaughter the Germans, seizing control of the island. In just a few hours, they massacred some 400 German officers using knives and bayonets to avoid raising the alarm. An enraged Hitler learned about the mutiny and ordered the Germans to fight back, showing no mercy to either the Georgians or the Dutch civilians who hid them. It was not until 20 May, 12 days after the war had ended, that Canadian forces landed on the island and finally put an end to the slaughter.
Sat, Oct 24, 2020
This show is a walk through of a typical German Resistance nest (Widerstandsnest or WN / Stützpunkten or Stp) in Normandy. My guest is Battlefield guide Sean Claxton who will explain what the various types of bunkers and positions were for. These fortifications can be found at Les-Dunes-de-Varreville a couple of miles north of the Utah Beach landing site. It is probably the best preserved in the region, certainly on public ground. It had an 75mm gun and several smaller weapons including mortars and machine guns. We will show you the remaining concrete bunkers and also some original German markings and graffiti.
Fri, Oct 16, 2020
A livestream starting on the Jig sector of Gold Beach at Asnelles. We will talk about the landings with a focus on 231 Brigade and their actions on the beach and inland. We will look at the area where the distinctive sanatorium depicted in the show graphic was situated and also look at the nearby memorials. From there we head inland a mile or so to Point 54 (WN 40a), where C and D Companies of the 1 Dorsets assaulted a hill top position defended by elements of the German 352nd Infantry Division. World renowned military historian and author Peter Caddick-Adams, PhD, FRHistS, FRGS is the expert.
Mon, Oct 19, 2020
To coincide with the publication of her new book, we are delighted to have Melissa Amateis join is via Zoom to talk about her writing career and of course the history of her state in WWII. She will also talk about the famous Nebraska son Andrew Higgins, who manufactured the LCVP at his plant in New Orleans. General Dwight Eisenhower is quoted as saying, "Andrew Higgins is the man who won the war for us. If Higgins had not designed and built those LCVPs, we never could have landed over an open beach. The whole strategy of the war would have been different." From the book - The fight against the Axis required sacrifice and dedication, and Nebraskans proudly answered the call. Three ordnance plants and two naval munitions depots brought employment and economic opportunities but also housing shortages and racial disturbances. The U.S. Army Air Corps established eleven air bases in the State, leading to community engagement through USOs and war bond drives. In central Nebraska, the North Platte Canteen welcomed thousands of service members en route to war on troop trains. Henry Doorly's successful scrap campaign became a model for a nationwide operation. Local farmers fed the nation and K-9 war dogs trained at Fort Robinson.
Thu, Oct 22, 2020
We are delighted to have best selling author Damien Lewis join us once again to talk about his new book SAS Band of Brothers. June 1944: the SAS parachute deep into occupied France, to wreak havoc and bloody mayhem. In a country crawling with the enemy, their mission is to prevent Hitler from rushing his Panzer divisions to the D-Day beaches and driving the Allies back into the sea. Led by Captain Patrick Garstin MC, a man supposedly invalided out of the military due to his war injuries, rarely had a wilder bunch of raiders been assembled. Dispatched on the personal orders of Colonel Blair Mayne DSO, this elite band included gritty former miner Thomas 'Ginger' Jones, John 'Rex' Wiehe, 'banned' from front line combat due to his war wounds, plus Serge 'Frenchy' Vaculik, who's journey to escape the enemy and join the SAS beggared belief. Having blown to pieces scores of prize targets, Garstin's patrol executed one of the most daring escapes of the war, only to fall victim to shocking betrayal. Captured, imprisoned and tortured terribly by the Gestapo, they faced execution in a dark French woodland on the orders of Hitler himself. But miraculously, two would escape, triggering one of the most-extraordinary Nazi-hunting operations ever.
Fri, Oct 23, 2020
Brothers Mark and Jared Frederick are making a film about their Grandfather - Thomas Nycum who served in the 4th Infantry Division in WWII, in the of the Hürtgen Forest, a brutal and bloody campaign that seems to get less attention than the Battle of the Bulge. Mark and Jared will join us live via Zoom from the USA.
Sun, Oct 25, 2020
Alan Allport is a British Historian whose work looks at the relationship between war and society during the period of the two world wars. He was born in Whiston, Merseyside and moved to the United States in 1994. Allport received a Ph.D. in history from the University of Pennsylvania in 2007 and currently teaches at Syracuse University. In this show I will talk to Alan about his books and research, including his 2015 book "Browned off and Bloody Minded." Which was one of my absolute favourite reads of the last few years. Alan's examination of the lives and experiences of the ordinary British Tommy was revealing and refreshing. He will also talk about his latest book "Britain at Bay."
Fri, Oct 30, 2020
For Halloween night join us with a drink in hand to share ghost stories and tales of other mysterious goings-on from WWII. Our first guest is my old friend Neil R Storey, a prolific author of WWI, WWII, Criminology and Local History titles, and also some fantastic books about death, murder and Jack the Ripper. My second guest is Penny Griffiths Morgan. Penny is a podcaster, historian, writer and investigator. in 2017 her podcast "Haunted Histories" was born courtesy of Parasearch Radio, and has gone from strength to strength with guests including the who's who of the world of the paranormal.
Sun, Nov 1, 2020
Our guest for this show is Dr Philip Weir, a historian specialising in the Royal Navy in the first half of the twentieth century. He has written for the Navy Records Society, History Today and Time. During 1940 the German army swept with devastating speed across the Low Countries and into northern France and drove Allied forces back into a small pocket around Dunkirk. Without a swift withdrawal across the English Channel, the latter faced certain death or capture. The evacuation plan - Operation Dynamo - initially calculated that 45,000 men might be rescued, but between 26 May and 4 June 338,226 men were in fact brought back to England. In his newly published book "Dunkirk and the Little Ships" Philip shows how this was made possible by a vast armada of disparate vessels including destroyers, minesweepers, fishing vessels and, most famously of all, the privately owned 'Little Ships'.
Thu, Nov 5, 2020
Spike Milligan was a comedian, poet, novelist, satirist and actor, possibly best known for being one of the Goons along with Peter Sellers, Harry Secombe and Michael Bentine. He was also a WWII veteran and served in the Royal Artillery in North Africa and Italy. He wrote about his experiences in a series of 7 books, beginning with his conscription in 1940 to being demobbed and adjusting to a very different Great Britain, one of hardship and struggles postwar. His wartime memoirs combine side-splitting humour and pathos to reveal a deeply honest understanding of warfare. Spike witnessed death and suffering on a large scale and wrote about it with honesty and depth. Interspersed with barrack room japes and tales of the mundanity of army life he writes of battles. Actual battles with tanks and artillery and his private battles with fear, anxiety and also what would now be labelled PTSD.
Fri, Nov 13, 2020
We are delighted to have the amazing Dr Helen Fry join us to talk about the options available to the Aquatint survivors and indeed other aviators and commandos in occupied Europe in the period following Hitler's infamous "Commando Order." Helen has written and edited over 25 books. Her works cover British Intelligence and the secret war; spies and espionage; and MI9 escape and evasion. She has conducted advisory work for TV and drama and appears regularly in media interviews and podcasts. Also joining us from Normandy is my old friend Nigel Stewart. Nigel is a Normandy guide, lecturer, author and artist. He will share the story of Graham Hayes, one of the Aquatint survivors with photos of the locations, including a chateau where he spent time after the raid.
Mon, Nov 16, 2020
Our guest for this show is Andrew Chatterton, Press Officer with the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team (CART). CART is a group of volunteer researchers who look into the Auxiliary Units and Special Duties branch, who would have made up parts of a highly secret civilian resistance force had the Germans attempted to land in the Second World War. This was the unit sometimes called "Churchill's Secret Army." CART works with relatives to find out more about individuals, try and locate their secret underground bunkers, work out the role and targets and try to uncover the layers of secrecy that remain on much of what this top-secret force was supposed to do.
Fri, Nov 20, 2020
This the first of a series of shows we are planning from the Russian city of Volgograd (Stalingrad in WWII). Filming on location and giving us his expert local knowledge is Mikhail Shuvarikov. Joining us via Zoom is tour guide and historian Paul Errington who began taking groups to the Eastern Front of WW2 in 2003 and currently works for Leger Tours. In this first show we start near the Volga river and the talk about the significance of the November fighting 78 years ago. We will cover the landing of the 13 Guards Rifle Division and deployment into the city concentrating on the area around the current museum and the historic Flour Mill.