Somme North: Serre to Thiepval

Somme North: Serre to Thiepval

Author: Paul Reed June 6, 2026 Duration: 1:01:19
In the first of a three-part series marking the 110th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, we explore the fighting in the northern sector of the battlefield on 1 July 1916. This episode examines the attacks at Serre, Beaumont-Hamel and Thiepval, where some of the most dramatic and costly actions of the opening day unfolded. We look at the ground over which the soldiers advanced, the plans behind the attacks, the units involved, and how the battle developed. From the struggles of the Pals B...

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
Questions and Answers Episode 44 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:33
In this episode, we explore the role of British Army Chaplains during the First World War, examining who they were, what duties they performed at the front, and how effective they were in the brutal conditions of the Gre…
Are We Forgetting The First World War? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:41
Is the First World War slowly fading from public memory, or has our relationship with the Great War simply changed? In this episode, Are We Forgetting The First World War?, we explore how interest in WW1 has grown, shift…
Questions and Answers Episode 43 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:40
In this episode of The Old Front Line, we explore how individual lives and institutions reveal the human realities of the First World War. We begin by asking why only three officers were Shot at Dawn during the war, and…
Forgotten Memoirs of the Great War Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:25
We return to the subject of Forgotten Memoirs of the First World War and discuss The Years of Remembrance by Harold Maybury which was published in 1924. Maybury served in the ranks of the 2/4th Battalion South Lancashire…
Questions and Answers Episode 42 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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…
A Tale of Two Veterans [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:23
In this episode we discuss the importance of oral history and what it tells us about the experience of conflict and the culture of the British military in the Great War, and we contrast two interviews I did with veterans…
Questions and Answers Episode 41 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:40
In this episode, we unpack the meaning and origins of the term Downland, and explore how this distinctive landscape helps us better understand the geography and terrain of the First World War. We take a closer look at th…
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Duration: 38:01
In this special edition, we’re joined by Jon Gedling, Director of Estates for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, to discuss the challenges and responsibilities involved in caring for First World War cemeteries in Be…
Questions and Answers Episode 40 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:49
In this 40th Questions and Answers episode, we explore some of the lesser-known battlefields of the Western Front, uncovering places where traces of the First World War fighting can still be seen today. We examine what r…
West of Arras: Behind The Lines [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:06
We travel to the area Behind the Lines of West of Arras, visiting cemeteries where Casualty Clearing Stations were moved back to in 1918, discuss a small village where WW1 meets WW2, discover some original Great War graf…