A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell

A Penny a Shell - A Discussion with Antony Bell

Author: Mike Cunha March 15, 2026 Duration: 48:47

Author Antony J. Bell comes on the podcast to discuss his novel "A Penny a Shell."



From the author's website: 

 

"In a WWI munitions factory, the lives of three women converge on a dangerous production line where a single spark means the difference between a bonus and a burial.

 

Eliza Wren, a desperate mother, races to pay a looming debt to save her family from eviction. Sarah Jennings, a defiant outcast, endures the factory's poison to fund an escape from a life of cruelty. Lucy Atkinson, a grieving daughter, works to honor her brother's memory and support her broken parents.

 

Driven by the promise of a "penny a shell" bonus, the women push themselves and their machinery to the breaking point. But as the pressure from watchers with stopwatches mounts and the equipment begins to fail, they must decide what they are willing to risk for survival.

 

Based on the true, forgotten story of the Barnbow Lasses, A Penny a Shell is a powerful and moving tribute to the quiet courage and fierce solidarity of the women who fought their own war on the home front."

 

Where to buy: https://antonyjbell.com/books/a-penny-a-shell/



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:

 

https://bsky.app/profile/ww1podcast.bsky.social

 

and the BFWWP website, www.firstworldwarpodcast.com. Email me directly at verdunpodcast@gmail.com with any questions, comments, or concerns. 

 

Please review the Battles of the First World War Podcast on iTunes! :)

 


Hosted by Mike Cunha, Battles of the First World War Podcast is a dedicated exploration of the Great War’s defining confrontations. Each episode focuses on a single battle, moving beyond dates and maps to examine the intricate decisions, tactical realities, and human experiences that shaped these events. Cunha’s approach is to unpack the how and why, piecing together the sequence of command choices, logistical challenges, and frontline conditions that led to each clash’s outcome. Within this framework, the podcast gives voice to the individuals-soldiers, nurses, officers, and civilians-whose personal stories are woven into the larger narrative of this titanic twentieth-century struggle. Listening feels less like a lecture and more like a detailed, respectful reconstruction, where the scale of history is measured in both grand strategy and individual courage. For anyone seeking to understand the First World War beyond the textbook summaries, this series offers a thorough and compelling audio journey into the battles that changed the world.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Battles of the First World War Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Angel Down: A Discussion with Daniel Kraus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:08
NYT bestselling author Daniel Kraus comes on the podcast to talk about his novel set in the Meuse-Argonne battle "Angel Down." From Simon & Schuster: Private Cyril Bagger has managed to survive the unspeakable horrors of…
Great War Expo II at SGT Alvin C. York State Park in Tennessee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:24
Tennessee State Park Rangers Nate Dodson and Tanner Wells come on the podcast to discuss the upcoming Great War Expo II at York State Park in Pall Mall, TN. On April 5th, 2025, the second annual Great War Expo will be he…
The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:55:58
Part 6 of the ongoing discussion continues to look at the French Army in 1916, and this time we focus on events and developments outside of the Verdun battlefield. This episode will focus on the French Army's experience…
Joncherey - The Skirmish [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:50
Before the First World War officially began, the killing was already underway. In the small French village of Joncherey, two men would meet for a brief but violent moment on August 2nd, 1914, the day before war was offic…
The French Army in the First World War, a Discussion: Pt 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:10
The group is back! Part 5 of the ongoing discussion looks at the French Army in 1916, the first of a two- or three-part series on this crucial year of WW1. This episode will focus on the French Army's experience in its m…
Jake's Pilgrimage & Lost Battalion Tours [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:52
This is a recording of our monthly talks on Patreon. Jake is a great friend of mine whom I've known for years, thanks to the podcast! Jake joined us to go on the 2024 Meuse-Argonne tour with Lost Battalion Tours, as well…