Questions and Answers Episode 42

Questions and Answers Episode 42

Author: Paul Reed December 13, 2025 Duration: 41:26
In this episode, we delve into a lesser-known but essential aspect of First World War life: the use and organisation of latrines on the battlefield. Where did soldiers actually go to the toilet, how were these facilities constructed, and did men really need permission to use them? We then explore the history of the Military Police in WW1, from the Military Foot Police and Military Mounted Police to the Military Provost Staff Corps, looking at their varied roles — from traffic control and main...

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: 50

The Old Front Line
Podcast Episodes
The Great War Around Us [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:57
We begin Season 10 of The Old Front Line with a journey into The Great War Around Us: the First World War history that can still be found in the places where we live. In this episode, we visit the East Sussex village of…
Bonus Episode: A Roll of Honour [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:45
For our final Bonus Episode before Season 10 begins in September, we look at a rare Roll of Honour for the Gravesend and Dartford area of Kent, and discuss the whole history of these Rolls of Honour and then look through…
Bonus Episode: Mapping The Old Front Line [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:52
How do you find the hidden story of the First World War landscape? In this special bonus episode of The Old Front Line, we explore the fascinating world of WW1 trench maps and discover how they can transform your underst…
Questions and Answers Episode 58 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:24
In this episode of the Old Front Line Podcast, we answer another fascinating collection of listener questions that explore the people, places and practical realities of the First World War. We begin by asking why visitor…
Somme: The Dawn Attack [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:50
In this episode of the Old Front Line Podcast, we explore one of the most successful British attacks of the Battle of the Somme: the Dawn Attack of 14 July 1916. Launched before first light, the assault captured key obje…
Questions and Answers Episode 57 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:25
In this Questions and Answers episode we head beneath the battlefields to explore the hidden world of First World War dugouts and bunkers, asking whether the Ypres Salient saw more extensive underground construction than…
Old Front Line 300th Episode [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:18
For our 300th Episode we reflect on six years of the Old Front Line Podcast and go back to where we started in March 2020 by retaking a virtual walk through the battlefields and village of Pozières on the Somme. We start…
Questions and Answers Episode 56 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:47
In this episode of the Old Front Line Podcast, we answer another fascinating selection of listener questions covering some of the most intriguing aspects of the First World War. We begin by exploring the formidable Germa…
Somme South: Mametz to Montauban [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:31
In this episode of the Old Front Line Podcast, we continue our exploration of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916 by examining the southern sector of the British attack. Travelling across the battlefields of Mametz…
Somme Central: Ovillers to Fricourt [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:10
On the morning of 1st July 1916, as whistles blew along miles of the Somme front, the men of the III Corps and XV Corps rose from their trenches and walked into the centre of one of the most catastrophic days in British…