Stories of the Great War explores the deeply human side of World War I, sharing powerful and moving accounts of individuals whose lives were forever shaped by one of history’s most devastating conflicts. From brave soldiers in the trenches to courageous nurses and compassionate chaplains, each episode brings personal narratives vividly to life through detailed storytelling, historical accuracy, and emotional resonance. Join us as we honor their experiences, sacrifices, and legacies, ensuring their extraordinary stories are never forgotten. Hosted by historian Chris Mowery, best known for the Youtube Channels Vlogging Through History and Stories of the Great War.
The Day the Tanks Arrived at the Somme: September 15, 1916.
Historian Dr. Gary Sheffield recounts the groundbreaking debut of the first tanks at the Somme, revealing their impact on trench warfare and the future of combat.
1 Jun 2026TRANSCRIPT
Jutland at 110: The Steel Coffin and the Silent Sea
Host Chris Mowery explores the tactical chaos and strategic irony of the Battle of Jutland, revealing how Britain's costly victory maintained a blockade that hastened Germany's defeat.
21 May 2026TRANSCRIPT
Thirty Minutes that Killed a Generation: The Royal Newfoundland Regiment
Host Chris Mowery recounts the devastating July 1, 1916, Battle of the Somme, detailing the Royal Newfoundland Regiment's tragic loss and its lasting impact on Newfoundland's history.
12 Jan 2026
Forged in Ohio, Tested in Hell: The 37th (Buckeye Division) in the Great War
In 1917, America didn’t have a massive standing army ready for France—so Ohio sent its communities. Steelworkers, farmers, clerks, and teachers mobilized together as the 37th Division, a National Guard force that would become known as the “Buckeye Division.” In this deep-dive episode, we follow their transformation from state armories to federal soldiers, shaped by the AEF’s massive “square division” doctrine, hardened in training, and carried across a U-boat-haunted Atlantic. Their first months in the trenches serve as a brutal apprenticeship—then comes the test: the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. We trace the chaos of the Montfaucon woods, the controversy that followed the stalled fight for the heights, and the grinding battle around Ivoiry—where Lieutenant Albert E. Baesel’s self-sacrifice earns a Medal of Honor. Finally, the Buckeyes are rushed north to fight under Belgium’s King Albert I, pushing through flooded Flanders to the freezing, bullet-swept Scheldt River—where volunteers swim into the darkness to help crack a fortified line and force a crossing. This is the story of a citizen-soldier division—born in Ohio, forged in mud, and remembered in the words that became their legacy: We’ll do it.
11 Dec 2025
The House of Guinness in the Great War
In the summer of 1914, a job at the St. James's Gate Brewery was more than just employment; it was a "golden ticket" in a city grappling with poverty and disease. Known for its "womb to tomb" care, the Guinness Brewery provided a level of corporate paternalism unheard of at the time, fostering an intense loyalty among its workforce. But when the call to arms rang out across the British Empire, that loyalty was tested in ways no one could have imagined.
In this episode, we explore the untold story of the 800 Guinness employees who traded their brewery aprons for khaki uniforms. We examine the unprecedented "Guinness Pledge," a promise of financial security and job retention that removed the fear of destitution for enlisting men. From the slaughter at Gallipoli—where the "Dubs" faced a massacre at V Beach—to the muddy trenches of the Somme, we follow the journey of these men from the vats of Dublin to the front lines of the Great War.
30 Oct 2025
The Invisible Wound: Shell Shock and the Great War
During the Great War, a new kind of injury emerged from the trenches—one that left no visible mark but shattered the minds of soldiers. It was called "shell shock." This podcast explores the story of this invisible wound, from its first appearance as a baffling medical mystery to its dismissal by military command as mere cowardice.
Journey back to the front lines to understand the initial theories that blamed the physical blast of shells, and then to the hospitals where the true psychological horror of industrial warfare became undeniable. The episode delves into the stark class divide in treatment: while enlisted men faced brutal disciplinary measures and torturous "cures," officers were sent to pioneering institutions like Craiglockhart Hospital. It was there that doctors like W.H.R. Rivers developed the revolutionary "talking cure," and where two of the world's greatest war poets, Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, forged a friendship that would change literature forever. Through their stories and the tragic case of soldiers like Private Harry Farr, who was executed for cowardice while suffering from severe trauma, this podcast traces the painful evolution of our understanding of combat trauma. It's a story of medical discovery, military crisis, and artistic expression that laid the foundation for the modern diagnosis of PTSD, revealing the enduring echoes of a war that never truly ended for millions
6 Oct 2025
The Devil Dogs at Belleau Wood: Separating Truth from Fiction
In the spring of 1918, with German forces only miles from Paris, the Allied cause was on the brink of collapse. Into this desperate fight were thrown the untested U.S. Marines.
This episode of "Stories of the Great War" explores the brutal, 26-day battle for Belleau Wood, the bloody crucible that forged the modern identity of the United States Marine Corps. Discover the savage, close-quarters fighting in the dark woods and across blood-soaked wheat fields that shocked veteran German soldiers and gave birth to legends. We'll delve into the stories behind the defiant cry, "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" and the heroic acts of valor that earned multiple Medals of Honor. Learn how this pivotal battle helped halt Germany's final offensive, boosted Allied morale, and earned the Marines their enduring nickname: "Devil Dogs." - or did it?
23 Sept 2025
The Man Who Gambled on Blood: Erich von Falkenhayn
In the autumn of 1914, with the dream of a swift German victory shattered on the banks of the Marne, Kaiser Wilhelm II turned to a new commander to salvage the war: General Erich von Falkenhayn. This episode delves into the life and controversial career of one of World War I's most pivotal figures. We explore Falkenhayn's rise to power, his stark realization that the war could not be won by traditional means, and the development of his chilling new strategy: attrition. At the heart of his plan was the Battle of Verdun, a horrific engagement designed not to capture territory, but to "bleed the French army white". Was Falkenhayn a cold-blooded butcher or a grim realist who understood the brutal nature of industrial warfare better than anyone else? From the slaughter on the Meuse to his brilliant, forgotten campaign in Romania, we examine the complicated legacy of the man who gambled on blood.
16 Jul 2025
Before Action: The Short, But Brilliant Life of Poet Lt. William Noel Hodgson
Join host Chris Mowery for a journey through the remarkable—and heartbreakingly brief—life of Lieutenant William Noel Hodgson. Nicknamed “Smiler” at school and praised for both athletic prowess and poetic talent, Hodgson left Oxford’s cloisters in 1914 to fight with the 9th Devonshire Regiment. From his baptism of fire at Loos to months of trench‑side writing beneath Mansell Copse, the episode traces how war reshaped his verse and spirit. At the center lies Hodgson’s haunting final poem, “Before Action,” published just two days before he fell on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Somme. Through vivid storytelling, original readings, and reflective commentary—delivered without sound effects or music—you’ll discover how one young man’s prayer for courage became an enduring voice of the Great War. Whether you’re new to WWI history or a seasoned listener, this episode brings the soldier‑poet’s legacy to life with clarity, empathy, and conversational warmth.
5 Jul 2025
Black Jack Pershing: Father of the Modern American Military
Chris Mowery narrates the life of General John J. Pershing, detailing his rise through various military conflicts to reveal how he developed the modern American army in this interview.
24 Jun 2025
St. Mihiel: America's First Independent Strike in the Great War
General John J. Pershing leads the American Expeditionary Forces in their first independent offensive at St. Mihiel, showcasing the emergence of the U.S. as a major military power.
20 Jun 2025
I Died in Hell - They Called it Passchendaele
This episode recounts the brutal Battle of Passchendaele during World War I, highlighting the strategic choices, terrible conditions, and enormous human suffering experienced by soldiers.
9 May 2025
Courage in the Argonne: The Lost Battalion
The Lost Battalion: Courage in the Argonne tells the gripping true story of more than 500 American soldiers who were cut off, surrounded, and left to fend for themselves in the dense Argonne Forest during the final weeks of World War I.
Led by Major Charles Whittlesey, these men of the 77th Division held their position under constant German attack, with no food, no water, and little ammunition — all while being mistakenly shelled by their own artillery. For six harrowing days, they refused to surrender.
In this episode, we explore:
The chaotic Meuse-Argonne offensive that led to their isolation
Personal accounts from trapped soldiers
The bravery of carrier pigeons like Cher Ami
How their endurance turned them into legends
The physical and emotional cost of their survival
This is a story of grit, brotherhood, and heroism in the face of impossible odds — a story too powerful to be lost to history.
6 May 2025
Shot at Dawn: Executions in the Great War
Shot at Dawn: Executions in the Great War explores one of the most haunting and controversial aspects of World War I — the execution of over 300 British and Commonwealth soldiers by their own armies, often for desertion, cowardice, or falling asleep at their post.
In this sobering episode, we examine:
The brutal conditions that drove men to the breaking point
The court-martial process and the lack of proper defense
The stories of individuals who were executed How shell shock and trauma were misunderstood and punished
The legacy of these executions and modern efforts for pardons
Using personal letters, military records, and expert analysis, we bring to light the emotional and ethical weight of these forgotten stories — and reflect on how war tests not only nations, but the limits of human endurance.
6 May 2025
Alvin York: From Reluctant Warrior to Hero of the Great War
In this emotional and gripping episode of Stories of the Great War, we follow the incredible true story of Alvin York—a humble farmer from Tennessee whose deep religious convictions initially led him to oppose fighting in the war. But when faced with battle in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, York displayed extraordinary bravery, capturing over a hundred enemy soldiers almost single-handedly. Through vivid accounts and personal reflections, we'll explore how York's courage, humility, and faith made him one of America's greatest war heroes, forever shaping his legacy in the history of World War I.
6 May 2025
Pals Battalions and the Price of Loyalty: Accrington at the Somme
In this powerful episode, we uncover the tragic story of the Accrington Pals — a battalion of friends, neighbors, and co-workers who volunteered together to serve King and Country in World War I. As part of the British Army’s unique "Pals Battalions" initiative, the men of Accrington marched off to war side by side — and on July 1, 1916, many of them died side by side on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
We’ll explore: The origin and purpose of the Pals Battalions
The recruitment and training of the Accrington Pals
What happened when they went "over the top" at Serre
The devastating consequences for their town back home
Through historical analysis, personal letters, and eyewitness accounts, this video honors their memory while asking hard questions about sacrifice, loyalty, and the human cost of war.
Inside a recent episode
The Day the Tanks Arrived at the Somme: September 15, 1916.
Published 7 Sept 2026 · Transcript excerpt
[…] Now that was enough to stop an ordinary rifle bullet. It wasn't enough to stop a shell. Nor, as the crews would soon discover, would it stop the armor-piercing rounds the Germans already had issued to their snipers. When a bullet struck the outside, flakes of hot metal would spall off the inside. […]
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