QnA Special: On The Battlefields

QnA Special: On The Battlefields

Author: Paul Reed February 21, 2026 Duration: 52:30
In this special Q&A episode of the Old Front Line podcast, recorded on location at Hooge, near Ypres, we answer questions about the battlefields of the Western Front and the legacy of the First World War. We begin by exploring what happened to the woods and forests on the Western Front during World War One. Were they completely destroyed by shellfire? Did they naturally grow back after the war, or were they replanted? And more than a century later, have these landscapes ever truly recover...

Imagine standing on a quiet French field, the same earth that once shook with the fury of the First World War. The Old Front Line is your guide to that landscape, hosted by military historian Paul Reed. This isn't a dry lecture from a distant studio; it's an audio journey built on a lifetime of dedication. Paul draws from more than forty years of research, weaving together the poignant first-hand accounts of veterans he met with his own unique perspective gained from living for over a decade right in the heart of the Somme battlefields. Each episode of this podcast feels like walking alongside him, tracing the contours of history that are still etched into the land. You'll hear the human stories behind the maps and monuments, understanding the conflict through the very ground where it was fought. It’s a deeply personal and evocative exploration, connecting the peaceful present with the tumultuous past. For anyone fascinated by history, landscape, or the powerful echoes of the Great War, this series offers an unparalleled, grounded perspective that only someone with Paul Reed's intimate experience can provide.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 100

The Old Front Line
Podcast Episodes
The MOD War Detectives [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Questions and Answers Episode 31 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:55
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Questions and Answers Episode 30 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:19
In this episode we discuss the improvised gas masks used by British and Commonwealth soldiers in 1915, the advancement in medical treatment during the Great War, whether soldiers were told in advance about the explosion…
Forgotten Memoirs of the Great War Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:21
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Questions and Answers Episode 29 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:51
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Questions and Answers Episode 28 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:15
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Duration: 52:55
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Questions and Answers Episode 27 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:01
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