WW1: Not So Quiet On The Western Fron...
Welcome to "Not So Quiet On The Western Front," the podcast that takes you beyond the trenches and dives deep into the untold stories and surprising truths of the First World War. Join us as we lift the lid on one of the most pivotal periods in human history, busting myths and unravelling the complexities of a conflict that shaped the course of the 20th century.
Host: Dan Hill & Dr. Spencer Jones
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Credits:
- Host: Dr. Spencer Jones & Dan Hill
- Production & Editing: Linus Klaßen
1
Episode 111: How Grenades Took Over the Trenche...
In the early months of the Great War, a hand grenade was almost an anachronism — a relic of fortress warfare associated with seventeenth-century “grenadiers” rather than modern industrial armies. And yet, by 1918, it had become one of the most important and feared weapons on the Western Front. This episode is the story of that transformation. From improvised “jam tins” and crude bombs to engineered patterns like the Mills bomb and the German Potato Masher stick grenade we’ll follow the technology, the tactics, and the hard, dangerous lessons learned in close combat.
54 min
2
Episode 110: The Season Soldiers Feared Most: W...
In this ‘seasonal’ episode,and one with particularly close links to current world events, we explore the story of winter life in the trenches. From frostbite and fraternisation to surviving in a harsh and deadly climate, we look closely at a universally disliked experience, from both sides of the wire…
52 min
3
Episode 109: Prostitution & VD on the Western F...
In this week’s episode we delve into the often overlooked and murky world of prostitution in the Great War. From back alley entrepreneurs to Army run brothels, and from morale affects to disease, we discuss one of the most common, but least spoken of aspects of the war on the Western Fronts.
55 min
4
Episode 108: Myths of the Somme
In this week’s episode we head to the Somme battlefields to explore a battle that even today is covered in controversy. We discuss what actually happened in that 4 month long battle and address some of the many myths that still pervade more than a century later.
50 min
5
Episode 107: Myths of the Ypres Salient
Join us on Tour in 2026: https://battleguide.co.uk/nsq-tour-2026 In this week’s episode we head to the Ypres Salients to explore an area that even today is covered in controversy. We discuss what actually happened in that 4 years of fighting and address some of the many myths that still pervade more than a century later.
68 min
6
Episode 106: The Evolution of Sniping in WW1
In this week’s episode we continue our look into the vital role of Snipers on the Western Front. From informal and disorganised beginnings, we explore the emergence of the ‘art’ of sniping and how by 1918 they became one of the most feared and efficient weapons on the battlefield.
56 min
7
Episode 105: The Rise of the Snipers in WW1: Th...
In this week’s episode we begin a multi-part journey into the secretive and highly dangerous world of sniping in the Great War. From its ad-hoc early employment, to the development of dedicated sniper schools and tactical advances on the battlefield, we explore a method of fighting, which to many came to symbolise the deadly nature of trench warfare.
49 min
8
Episode 104: The Hidden Battle for Hygiene in WW1
In today’s episode, we discuss sanitation in the trenches: Why the trenches were so filthy, what that did to soldiers’ bodies and minds, and how armies tried - with varying degrees of success - to keep a modern industrial war even vaguely hygienic.
52 min
9
Episode 103: African Americans in WWI
Today we’re looking at African Americans at war in 1917-18 - nearly 400,000 thousand men in uniform, most assigned to hard, essential labor, a smaller number fighting in segregated units that navigated American racial policy and coalition warfare at the same time. We’ll trace that story from recruitment and training through service with both the US Army and the French, and we’ll ask what their experience tells us about military effectiveness, citizenship and memory.
49 min
10
Episode 102: The Deadliest U-Boat Skippers of WWI
This week we return to the oceans and consider the top U-Boat skippers of WW1. What made a skipper an ace? What tactics made them so lethal? And why were some of them so controversial? We discuss all this and more.
49 min
11
Episode 101: Front Lines at Night
In this week’s episode we return to the trenches to explore the often overlooked experiences of life in the frontlines at night. From trench raids to fatigue parties, wire placement to sleeping arrangements, we take a deep dive into the nocturnal world of the Western Front.
51 min
12
Episode 100: WWI’s forgotten Battles, Tank Fail...
Not So Quiet hits triple digits! For Episode 100 we’re handing the wheel to you, the listeners, answering your questions and discussing many of the thoughts you’ve shared with us via email, on 4th Wall, or via social media. We’ll trade stories, compare notes, and admit some of the things that we got wrong along the way.
52 min
13
Episode 99: When Sport Stopped for War – How WW...
In this episode we continue our exploration of the fascinating story of Sportsmen at War on the Western Front. From world champions to local legends, and across all combattant nations, all gave some, and of course, some gave all.
59 min
14
Episode 98: From Playing Fields to Battlefields...
In this week’s episode we return to the frontlines to explore the fascinating and varied experiences of Professional Sportsmen in the Great War. From Wimbledon Champions to cycling legends, we take a deep dive into how they payed their part on the western front.
52 min
15
Episode 97: Forgotten Lessons: Why the BEF Wasn...
In this week’s episode, alongside guest historian Dr Rob Lyman, we will take a deep dive into the story of the British Army between 1918 and 1940, and the remarkable, and in many ways tragic decline which led it from Victory to Defeat.
44 min
16
Episode 96: The French Army of Africa in WWI
In this episode night we follow a road that runs from the Sahara to the Somme, tracing the story of the French Army of Africa as it marched from the outposts of the empire and into the furnace of trench warfare. With the aid of French Army expert James Taub, we’ll examine the nature of this unique force, where it came from, how it was organised, and how it fought on the Western Front and beyond.
57 min
17
Episode 95: France’s Colonial Soldiers: Forgott...
In this episode, we return to the story of the French Army and examined the history of France's colonial troops, how they were raised, what made them unique, and they're often overlooked experiences within the wider French military. We're joined by special guest James Taub, French Army expert, who brings new insights into the role these men played and the controversial legacies that they sometimes left behind.
50 min
18
Episode 94: The First Tank Attack in History: F...
52 min
19
Episode 93: Tunnellers – The Battle Beneath Mes...
In this episode we take a literally deep dive, beneath the Western Front to return to an olf favourite, the story of Mining in the Great war, but this time with a specific focus on perhaps the most important tunnelling action anywhere on the Western Front – the battle of Messines.
49 min
20
Episode 92: The Battle of the Memoirs: How WW1 ...
In this episode we explore how early histories of the First World War were shaped. We’re marching into the Official Histories and Britain’s “Battle of the Memoirs,” where footnotes became artillery, reputations the high ground, and truth the most contested trench! We examine how controversies and mud slinging that shaped the way we understand the war on the western Front.
47 min
21
Episode 91: Pigeons at War!
In this episode we take to the air once more, but this time on the trail of one of the unsung heroes of the great war - the carrier pigeon. Equally vital for communication on the frontlines, maintaining unit cohesion in battle, or as a handy snack, we’ll explore their role and the stories of a few famous birds who took to the skies above the western front.
46 min
22
Episode 90: Elite Divisions
In this episode we take a look at the formations of the British and Commonwealth forces who served on the Western Front and ask what made certain units ‘Elite’ and how did their performance on the battlefield impact the wider war?
64 min
23
Episode 89: Trench Rats!
In this episode we discuss one of the ever-present and universally hated aspects of life in the frontlines - Trench Rats. What were they? How common were they? And how did the effect the lives of the men who had to live amongst them on the Western Front?
47 min
24
Episode 88: Q-Ships - Deadly Duels
This week we continue the fascinating story of Q ships and their role in the war at sea. By 1917, German U-Boat skippers were well aware of the dangers of Q ships, which forced Royal Navy commanders to take ever greater risks to try and destroy their quarry. We examined some of those incredible close range actions in this episode.
47 min
25
Episode 87: Q-Ships - Deceive and Destroy
This week we continue we the fascinating story of QShips and their role in the war at sea. By 1917 German U-Boat skippers were well aware of the dangers of QShips which forced Royal Navy commanders to take ever greater risks to try and destroy their quarry. We examine some of those incredible close range actions in this episode.
43 min