Send us Fan Mail

On the afternoon of the 8th April 1917, a German plane flew over the small village of Achicourt near Arras, where preparations were underway for an attack to be made by the 56th Division the following day.

The visit of the German plane set off a catastrophic chain of events that destroyed the village, killed countless soldiers and civilians, and resulted in one of the largest explosions ever seen on the Western Front to that point in the War.

Support the podcast:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/footstepsblog

https:/www.patreon.com/footstepspod

Send us Fan Mail

In our latest podcast, we present an overview of the Battle of Aubers, which was delivered to the Great War Group earlier in March.

What was supposed to be a gentle stroll across the Artois countryside turned into one of the worst days of casualties of the Great War for the British, with over 11,000 men being killed, wounded or missing for no material gain, and the offensive was abandoned after just one day.

Send a text

Welcome to the latest podcast!

In today's episode, we look at the work and perils of the Balloon Corps. Vital for observation and artillery support, balloon work was one of the most dangerous jobs in the military, with a shockingly short life expectancy.

We begin at Couin Military Cemetery, where a top hat and cane marked the grave of one of Edwardian theatre's most celebrated dandies (and also a balloon corps observer), Basil Radford, aka Gilbert the Filbert. We hear about the role of balloons, their design, and question whether the so-called "Guardian Angel" lived up to its name.

Support the podcast:

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/footstepsblog

https:/www.patreon.com/footstepspod