Thunder in the Mountains with Tom Isitt

Thunder in the Mountains with Tom Isitt

Author: Paul Reed May 23, 2026 Duration: 1:00:21
In this special edition of the podcast we explore a lesser-known theatre of conflict from the First World War in Northern Italy with historian Tom Isitt. Tom's new book - Thunder in the Mountains - follows a journey he made across those battlefields and with him we discover the unique challenges of mountain warfare, the diverse nations involved, and personal stories from the battlefield. We examine the Battlefields on the Izonzo, discuss some of the highest points of the Great War in the Dolo...

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
Podcast Summer Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:40
In a special summer edition of the podcast before it returns properly in September, we walk the battlefields near Passchendaele and have an extended Question and Answer session. Got a question about this episode or any o…
Podcast Questions & Answers Ep 10 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:14
In our tenth QnA Episode we look at subjects from Canada's Hundred Days in 1918 to the Missing of the Great War, ask how to begun studying the First World War given all that is available now, and discuss how sickness was…
Return to Richebourg [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:12
In an episode recorded live on the battlefields, we travel to Northern France and follow the Southdowns Battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment from behind the lines to their attack at The Boar's Head near Richebourg. We…
Podcast Questions & Answers Ep 9 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:43
In our latest Questions and Answers Episode we look at the rifles carried by British soldiers in the Great War, discuss the experience of Prisoners of War, ask what kind of recycling and salvage took place, and discuss t…
Somme 1916: Nab Valley [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:07
For our 200th Episode we return to the Somme battlefields where the podcast began in 2020 and walk the ground from Crucifix Corner, along the edge of Authuille Wood to Nab Valley, a terrible killing ground on 1st July 19…
Podcast Questions & Answers Ep 8 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:13
In our latest batch of Questions and Answers we look at what Mentioned in Despatches were, who they were awarded to how and what they were for, we discuss what special badges were represented on the headstones in War Cem…
Somme Books [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:54
The Somme is one of the most written about battles in military history. Where to start your reading given the huge number of books about the period? In this episode we take a 'layered' approach to reading and examine eve…
Podcast Questions & Answers Ep 7 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:05
In this latest Question & Answer Episode we look at subjects ranging from the Hampshire Regiment in the Great War, to ask if there is an increase in German visitors to the battlefields, and discuss how soldiers are being…
Gallipoli: The First D-Day? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:28
On the 80th Anniversary of the Normandy Landings in 1944, we look at how events at Gallipoli in 1915 link the two great conflicts, from Churchill to landing craft to a battalion of the British Army. What lessons were lea…

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