 |
BattleWalksExploring the Great Battlefields of Europe Author: Living History
Historians Mat McLachlan and Peter Smith explore the great battlefields of Europe, from ancient times to the Second World War. Join them as they bring the history of the battlefields to life, through exploring the ground and reliving the experience in the words of the people who were there. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Language: en Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
Listen Now...
REVISIT: V1 'Buzz Bomb' Launch Site
Thursday, 17 July, 2025
In advance of our new series of BattleWalks, Mat and Pete are taking you back to some of their favourite episodes.In this episode we explore one of the concrete V1 flying bomb launch sites that once terrorized London during the final years of World War II.Walking among the overgrown bunkers and crumbling launch ramps, we uncover the story of Operation Crossbow - the desperate German attempt to turn the tide of war through terror bombing. Discover how these remote sites, hidden in French forests and farmland, became the epicenter of the world's first cruise missile campaign.Our battlefield walk takes us through the ingenious yet sinister engineering of the V1 launch mechanism, from the distinctive ski-jump ramps to the underground storage bunkers where the "doodlebugs" awaited their deadly mission. We'll examine the cat-and-mouse game between German engineers and Allied bombers, as RAF pilots risked everything to silence these weapons of revenge.Standing where history's first robotic warfare was born, we reflect on the human cost of technological warfare and the French civilians caught in the crossfire. This is more than just concrete and rust - it's a powerful reminder of how the quiet corners of the European countryside still echo with the ghosts of the world's most devastating conflict.Presenters: Mat McLachlan and Pete SmithProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin us on a battlefield tour! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
