WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
The World War II podcast with comedian Al Murray and historian James Holland.
We Have Ways of Making You Talk dives deep into WWII history, exploring key battles, forgotten front lines, and incredible untold stories. Whether you're fascinated by the Battle of Britain, the D-Day landings, or the Eastern Front, this show offers a rich, detailed look at the war that shaped the modern world.
Al and James bring a unique blend of expert knowledge and humour, discussing everything from the Third Reich, Churchill's leadership, and the Fall of Berlin, to World War 2 tanks, fighter planes, and naval battles. Expect historical insights, lively tangents, and discussions on iconic second world war events like Operation Barbarossa, the Pacific Theatre, and the North African campaign.
Join our membership club for extra content, livestreams and ad-free listening: patreon.com/wehaveways
For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com
601
313. Fall Gelb
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.
44 min
602
312. Family Stories - Ep 17
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 a ‘Tail End Charlie’ celebrating his 100th birthday.Wi...
28 min
603
311. Family Secrets
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 narrative which travelled from Egypt to Germany, including the secret of...
46 min
604
310. David Baddiel
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 new book Jews Don’t Count and his documentary work surrou...
46 min
605
309. Family Stories - Ep 16
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 Atlantic.
26 min
606
308. Bletchley Girls
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 Americans with their ongoing fight in the Pacific. Betty join...
45 min
607
307. Anzac Day
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 against the Axis Powers.
50 min
608
306. Family Stories - Ep 15
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 and son that won the same award in two different wars.Wi...
28 min
609
305. Guy Martin - Battle of Britain
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.Guy discusses the complexities of flying war planes and his ...
36 min
610
304. Stalingrad and The Wehrmacht
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 further east and the desperate battle for the city of Stalingrad....
50 min
611
303. Enigma and Escapees
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 of GCHQ.
41 min
612
302. Family Stories - Ep 14
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 Nagasaki didn’t even notice the atom bomb falling; and how n...
26 min
613
301. The Remains of War
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 and Al about the complicated role, the history of the batt...
48 min
614
300. Prince Philip
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 and Hanz Speidels' drinking habit.We Have Ways has ...
52 min
615
299. Family Stories - ep 13
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 Bremen and on the airfields of both northern and southern Africa....
20 min
616
298. Small Arms
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 used during the Second World War.We Have Ways has a me...
56 min
617
297. Lack of Moral Fibre
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 and treated as they faced the trauma of war.We Have Ways has a me...
44 min
618
296. Jewish Resistance: Selma van de Perre, Part 2
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 her life travelling across the Netherlands, delivering Allied news...
41 min
619
295. Family Stories - Ep 12
In this edition of We Have Ways of Making You Talk we hear of an escape from Singapore, a mysterious woman on a crashed bomber, and a chance encounter in France.
20 min
620
294. Jewish Resistance: Selma van de Perre, Part 1
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 Netherlands, delivering Allied newspapers and helping Jews evade the Nazis...
45 min
621
293. Mutiny
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.
45 min
622
292. Family Stories - Ep 11
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.
21 min
623
291. Irish Fighters
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 joined the British Army and the damage this could do to their re...
57 min
624
290. Veritable, Trombones and The Chindits
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 instruments.A Goalhanger Films productionProduced by Joey Mc...
54 min
625
289. Family Stories - Ep 10
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 base long after they were presumed missing in action.With...
21 min