The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 1
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Release Date: 01/22/2023
The Battle for Disabled Veterans’ Recognition - A Discussion with Dr. Eric Story
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Dr. Eric Story, a Historian-in-Residence at Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University in London, Ontario in Canada, and Adjunct Professor at Wilfred Laurier University, joins us on the podcast to discuss the struggles faced by disabled Canadian veterans after the First World War. We begin the talk with a broad look at what Canadian veterans faced in the 1920s, and then look at the efforts of George Hincks and Marshall McDougall to raise awareness of disabled veterans’ struggles. Read more about George Hincks and Marshall McDougall here: ...
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Die Vergessene Schlacht - A Discussion with Alfons Philippi
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Independent historian Alfons Philippi of Germany joins the podcast to discuss his German-language book on the Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Die Vergessenne Schlacht (The Forgotten Battle). We also discuss the family history that led him to write the book, as well as the impact of 20th century history on his family. Link to Die Vergessene Schlacht: https://amzn.eu/d/03UW7TY The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on...
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Second Marne - Blücher-Yorck
Battles of the First World War Podcast
The battlefield of the Second Battle of the Marne was shaped by an earlier German offensive in late May and early June of 1918: Unternehmen Blücher-Yorck. Looking to draw away French reserves from the Flanders and Picardy areas, German GEN Erich Ludendorff aimed a new German attack in a sector where the French were particularly vulnerable: the Chemin des Dames. Early and stunning success by German forces in the attack, however, led to overconfidence and the creation of a swollen and tenuous salient. This salient would become the battlefield for the 2nd Battle of the Marne. ...
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Remembering Victoria Cross Recipients with Ron Howard and Adam Pearce
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Adam Pearce and his uncle Ron Howard have spent the past few years visiting the graves of the UK’s and British Commonwealth’s Victoria Cross recipients. They hope to raise awareness of not just the recipients of the British Army’s highest award for valor, but of the other men buried with them in Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries on the Old Front Line and elsewhere around the world. Also, to British listeners in general and Nottinghamshire residents in particular, my apologies on butchering the pronunciation of Nottinghamshire. (Throws palm over face.) I knew better...
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Fighting the Kaiser’s War: The Saxons in Flanders 1914/1918
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Authors and historians Andrew Lucas and Jürgen Schmiseschek come on the podcast to discuss their collaborative work on the Saxon Germans on the Flanders front during the Great War. Where to buy “Fighting the Kaiser’s War:” The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social: and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at...
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Searching for John DeWitt - A Discussion with John Chase, MD
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Author and grandson John Chase, MD comes on the podcast to discuss his book based on the letters his grandfather, John DeWitt, wrote home during the First World War. From Hellgate Press: When recently retired orthopedic surgeon Dr. John Chase stumbles upon a hidden trove of over 80 letters from his grandfather, John DeWitt, written from the trenches of World War I, he embarks on a life-changing journey. These letters reveal the untold story of DeWitt, a 21-year-old trench runner who faced the brutal realities of war with unmatched bravery. As Chase delves into these...
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Demarcation Stones Fundraiser with Roger Steward and Dr Dominiek Dendooven
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Founders of the New Ypres League Dr Dominiek Dendooven and Roger Steward join the podcast to discuss a worthy remembrance project for the old Ypres battlefields: replacing and restoring the demarcation stones that marked the limit of German advances throughout the Great War. Where to donate - New Ypres League vzw: The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social: ...
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Second Marne - Directive No. 4
Battles of the First World War Podcast
In the prelude to the prelude of the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918, we set the clock back to December 1917 to look at the position of the Allies at that point in the war. Specifically, we look at French Army commander General Philippe Petain’s Directive No. 4 issued that month. In this short memo Petain advocated for a defense in depth strategy on the front lines, as Entente forces began to prepare for the inevitable German onslaught on the Western Front. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns...
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“Bicycling My Grandfather’s WW1 Journey” - A Discussion with Brett Hawkes
Battles of the First World War Podcast
Cape Ann, Massachusetts resident Brett Hawkes comes on the podcast to discuss his long bicycle trips through France, where he followed in his Doughboy grandfather’s WW1 footsteps. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on BlueSky at @WW1podcast.bsky.social: and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns. ...
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Ypres - Demarcation Stone Fundraiser
Battles of the First World War Podcast
This is a quick episode to make listeners aware of a fundraising drive by the New Ypres League to restore some of the post-WW1 demarcation stones in the Ypres, Belgium area. Where to donate: There will be a talk released in early December where the New Ypres League will go into more details about their fundraiser, but for now we wanted to get the word out as soon as possible. The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast. Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website,...
info_outlineThis was so much fun to host–with the help of Alex Lyons, a fantastic group of WW1 enthusiasts were gathered for what will be the first of a multi-part series of discussions of the French Army and the French experience during WW1.
France went to war in 1914 as a country of 40 million people. Its army went to war in 19th century uniforms of dark blue tunics and red trousers, calling up 8.5 million Frenchmen over the next four devastating years. When the guns went silent in November 1918, the Adrian-helmeted and horizon-blue clad PCFs– pauvre con du front, or poor bastards at the front–had seen 1.4 million of their brothers fall on the field of battle, with another 4.2 million wounded–a million of those wounded significantly disabled for the rest of their lives.
Joining us for this discussion are:
- Bart Debeer, who co-wrote a Dutch-language Western Front Guide for Beginners with a friend
- Bryn Hammond, whose blog “Vingt Frong” aims to “awaken interest in the French experience of the First World War in an English-speaking audience,”
- Alex Lyons, the man who spends his free time telling us the story of his Poilu great-grandfather on Twitter,
- Steve Marsdin, a student and researcher of the 1914 Battle of the Frontiers and its effects,
- Jim Smithson, author of “A Taste of Success: The First Battle of the Scarpe. The Opening Phase of the Battle of Arras 9-14 April 1917” and two guide books on the Arras battlefields,
- Dr. Rich Willis, author of the forthcoming “Fighting for the Butcher: British Troops Fighting in General Mangin’s Xe Armée, July-August 1918”
I’m really excited to present this first discussion on these fascinating topics, and I hope you enjoy this first talk.
The BFWWP is on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BattlesoftheFirstWorldWarPodcast.
Any questions, comments or concerns please contact me through the website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Follow us on Twitter at @WW1podcast, the Battles of the First World War Podcast page on FaceBook, and on Instagram at @WW1battlecast. Not into social media? Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com. Please consider reviewing the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes.