This is the final episode of Curly's War, a mini series of the Spare a Thought podcast based on the self-published book by Tom's grandfather, Walter George Blaza.

In this concluding episode, Tom is joined by his brother Matt and cousin Alex to share their personal memories of Walter - the grandfather they knew. They discuss the war memorabilia cabinet that fascinated them as children, Grandad's resourcefulness and self-sufficiency, and the contrast between his adventurous wartime years and the quiet, sheltered life he led in the Leicestershire countryside. The conversation explores how reading Walter's own words gave them new insight into his bravery, his moral compass, and why a farm boy from Shackstone was the perfect candidate to become a commando.

In the second half, Tom and co-host Emily Merry reflect on the process of making this series - what they've learned about war, storytelling, and the importance of preserving family histories. They discuss the value of first-hand accounts versus academic histories, and why it matters to seek out and share these stories before they're lost.

Links to previous episodes of Curly’s War:

Introduction: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-introduction/

Episode 1: The Interwar Years: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-1/

Episode 2: Joining the Royal Marines: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-2/

Episode 3: From D-Day to the Winter War: https://spareathought.podbean.com/e/curlys-war-episode-3/

Episode 4: War’s End:

You can follow Tom's work via his Substack: https://tomspare.substack.com/ Keep up to date with Spare a Thought via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spareathoughtmedia/

Spare a Thought is a Be the change. Media Network production. Opinions shared by the guests and hosts of this show are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Be the change. Media Network.