Never Mind The Dambusters

Subscriber-only episode

*** Episode on general release Wednesday 27th November

This week, Jane and James explore the training of bomber crews, and the perilous nature of life at the OTUs and HCUs.  They discuss the training structure, the tragic story of a training flight that ended in disaster for the Canadian crew, and the importance of memorializing those who lost their lives in training. Jane talks about a new bomber command memorial and tells a story very close to her heart.

The episode also includes viewer questions about  WAAFs on board bombers, volunteering for additional ops,  post-war careers for aircrew, the Italian Star campaign medal, dual control aircraft and numerous other bits and pieces!

You can read more about the Slingley Bomber Crash here

We'll post some pictures of the new memorial to the crew on our social media. We also have a  new Facebook page/group - here's the link if you want to join. 

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Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford-Lowes and James Jefferies engage with historian Andrew Bird to explore the often-overlooked role of Coastal Command in the RAF during World War II. The conversation covers the origins and structure of Coastal Command, its critical role in the Battle of the Atlantic, and the ongoing resource struggles between Bomber Command and Coastal Command. Personal stories and casualty rates highlight the human cost of these operations, providing a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the war.

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Support the show

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Subscriber-only episode

*** Episode on general release Wednesday 20th November

In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford-Lowes and James Jefferies engage with historian Andrew Bird to explore the often-overlooked role of Coastal Command in the RAF during World War II. The conversation covers the origins and structure of Coastal Command, its critical role in the Battle of the Atlantic, and the ongoing resource struggles between Bomber Command and Coastal Command. Personal stories and casualty rates highlight the human cost of these operations, providing a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made during the war.

Send us a text

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

In this week's episode, hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes discuss the significant contributions of African and Caribbean men in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They are joined by historian John Concagh, who shares insights into the motivations behind these men joining the RAF, the challenges they faced, and their experiences during and after the war. The conversation highlights individual stories of notable airmen, and their struggles against racism.
This conversation explores the experiences of Caribbean aircrew in the RAF during WWII, focusing on personal growth, institutional prejudice, and the lasting impact of their service. It highlights the stories of individuals like Johnny Smyth, Ulric Cross, Cy Grant and Errol Barrow, and discusses the broader implications of their contributions to military desegregation and post-war political landscapes.

Further reading:
John's website and articles : https://jconcagh.weebly.com/
Ulric Cross https://www.rafbf.org/news-and-stories/raf-history/black-history-month-remarkable-legacy-squadron-leader-ulric-cross
There's also a film about Ulric Cross currently showing on BBC iplayer
Cy Grant, his life and work: https://cygrant.com/project/war-memoir
Johnny Smythe https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/from-sierra-leone-to-the-short-stirling-the-story-of-johnny-smythe/
Errol Barrow https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/pilots-of-the-caribbean/heroes-and-sheroes/stateman-flying-officer-errol-walton-barrow/

Send us a text

Support the show

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Subscriber-only episode

*** Episode on general release Wednesday 13th November

In this week's episode, hosts James Jefferies and Jane Gulliford Lowes discuss the significant contributions of African and Caribbean men in RAF Bomber Command during World War II. They are joined by historian John Concagh, who shares insights into the motivations behind these men joining the RAF, the challenges they faced, and their experiences during and after the war. The conversation highlights individual stories of notable airmen, their struggles against racism, and their lasting impact on military history. This conversation explores the experiences of Caribbean aircrew in the RAF during WWII, focusing on personal growth, institutional prejudice, and the lasting impact of their service. It highlights the stories of individuals like Johnny Smyth, Ulric Cross, Cy Grant and Errol Barrow, and discusses the broader implications of their contributions to military desegregation and post-war political landscapes.

Further reading:
John's website and articles : https://jconcagh.weebly.com/
Ulric Cross https://www.rafbf.org/news-and-stories/raf-history/black-history-month-remarkable-legacy-squadron-leader-ulric-cross
There's also a film about Ulric Cross currently showing on BBC iplayer
Cy Grant, his life and work: https://cygrant.com/project/war-memoir
Johnny Smythe https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/blog/from-sierra-leone-to-the-short-stirling-the-story-of-johnny-smythe/
Errol Barrow https://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/research/online-exhibitions/pilots-of-the-caribbean/heroes-and-sheroes/stateman-flying-officer-errol-walton-barrow/

Send us a text

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford-Lowes and James Jefferies delve into the complexities  and controversies of the Allied strategic bombing campaign during World War II.  Did the campaign succeed? How is success measured? 
They explore the ongoing debate regarding its effectiveness, the shifting objectives of the campaign, the aims of the Casablanca and Point Blank Directives, and the impact on German war production and civilian morale. Through a detailed analysis of historical surveys and perspectives, the conversation highlights the nuanced nature of military strategy and its consequences. This conversation delves into the complexities of the bombing campaigns during World War II, focusing on their impact on workforce morale, the diversion of resources, and the eventual destruction of the Luftwaffe. The discussion highlights the challenges in measuring the effectiveness of bombing on civilian morale and the war economy, as well as the strategic implications of resource allocation and air superiority.

Send us a text

Support the show

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Subscriber-only episode

*** Episode on general release on Wednesday 6th November 2024

In this episode of Never Mind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford-Lowes and James Jefferies delve into the complexities  and controversies of the Allied strategic bombing campaign during World War II.  Did the campaign succeed? How is success measured? 
They explore the ongoing debate regarding its effectiveness, the shifting objectives of the campaign, the aims of the Casablanca and Point Blank Directives, and the impact on German war production and civilian morale. Through a detailed analysis of historical surveys and perspectives, the conversation highlights the nuanced nature of military strategy and its consequences. This conversation delves into the complexities of the bombing campaigns during World War II, focusing on their impact on workforce morale, the diversion of resources, and the eventual destruction of the Luftwaffe. The discussion highlights the challenges in measuring the effectiveness of bombing on civilian morale and the war economy, as well as the strategic implications of resource allocation and air superiority.

Send us a text

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

In this episode of Nevermind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies discuss the intersection of video games and military history, particularly focusing on RAF Bomber Command. Joined by Ethan Adato, they explore how video games can serve as educational tools, the ethical implications of portraying historical events, and specific games like Bomber Crew that simulate the experiences of bomber crews during WWII. 
The conversation delves into the immersive nature of video games, their potential to engage younger audiences in history, and the moral complexities involved in recreating wartime scenarios. In this conversation, the speakers explore the representation of war in video games, particularly focusing on the impact of bombing on civilian populations, the challenges of accurately portraying historical events, and the ethical implications of gameplay. 
They discuss how games can both educate and sanitize war, the responsibility of popular games to address historical realities, and the cultural reflections of war in media. The conversation also touches on the future of war gaming, including the potential of VR experiences and the historical context of war gaming as a whole.

Send us a text

Support the show

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Subscriber-only episode

**Episode on general release on Wednesday 30th October

In this episode of Nevermind the Dambusters, hosts Jane Gulliford Lowes and James Jefferies discuss the intersection of video games and military history, particularly focusing on RAF Bomber Command. Joined by Ethan Adato, they explore how video games can serve as educational tools, the ethical implications of portraying historical events, and specific games like Bomber Crew that simulate the experiences of bomber crews during WWII. 
The conversation delves into the immersive nature of video games, their potential to engage younger audiences in history, and the moral complexities involved in recreating wartime scenarios. In this conversation, the speakers explore the representation of war in video games, particularly focusing on the impact of bombing on civilian populations, the challenges of accurately portraying historical events, and the ethical implications of gameplay. 
They discuss how games can both educate and sanitize war, the responsibility of popular games to address historical realities, and the cultural reflections of war in media. The conversation also touches on the future of war gaming, including the potential of VR experiences and the historical context of war gaming as a whole.

Send us a text

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here

Battle of Britain Part 2

This week Jane and James continue their discussion on the role of Bomber Command during the Battle of Britain. They discuss the 'Battle of the Barges',  the heroic actions of Sergeant John Hanna VC, and the daring Dortmund-Ems Canal raid. The conversation also highlights Winston Churchill's recognition of bomber crews in his famous 'The Few' speech, and the subsequent bombing of Berlin. 

Send us a text

Support the show

Please subscribe to Never Mind The Dambusters wherever you get your podcasts. You can support the show, and help us produce great content, by becoming a paid subscriber from just $3 a month here https://www.buzzsprout.com/2327200/support . Supporters get early access to episodes and invitations to livestreams.

Thank you for listening! You can reach out to us on social media at @RAF_BomberPod (X) or @NeverMindTheDambusters (Instagram)

You can find out about James' research, articles, lectures and podcasts here .

You can read more about Jane's work on her website at https://www.justcuriousjane.com/, and listen to podcasts/media stuff here