The Unconventional Soldier

By theunconventionalsoldier

"Letting the Guest Tell the Story"

The Unconventional Soldier Podcast explores conflicts from the Second World War, the Cold War, Northern Ireland and the Global War on Terror. Hosted by

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The podcast currently has 127 episodes available.

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Number 1: The Bayonet Is Obsolete
CONTENT My guests for this podcast are Neale Smiles and Stuart Lyle. Stuart is the Urban Operations Lead at the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, or Dstl, part of the Ministry of Defence. Neale is a former soldier working in the defence industry. For generations, the bayonet has been one of the most enduring symbols of the infantry soldier. But does it still have a meaningful place on the modern battlefield? In this episode, we examine the declining practical value of the bayonet in contemporary infantry combat. Modern rifles, suppressors, body armour and other weapon attachments increasingly make the fixed bayonet cumbersome and of questionable effectiveness, particularly in close-quarter fighting. We explore whether armies should move beyond tradition and instead place greater emphasis on practical hand-to-hand combat skills and purpose-designed fighting knives. We also consider the bayonet’s enduring psychological and cultural importance, from aggression and fighting spirit to its place in infantry identity and training. The bayonet may remain a powerful symbol but has its time as a practical weapon finally passed? Stuart's article on this subject can be found on the think Defence web page here: https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2026/09/the-bayonet-is-obsolete-the-case-for-change-in-extremely-close-quarters-combat/ "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: [email protected]. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
September 12, 202610min
Number 2: Sweden's Cold War Stay-Behind Operations
CONTENT The guest today is Dr Johan Wennstrom an intelligence historian and writer on statecraft, from the Cold War underground to today’s crises. He is the author of “The Stay Behinds: Sweden’s Cold War Guardians” a national bestseller in Sweden recently translated into English and also writes on Substack as “Our Man In Stockholm” (https://johanwennstrom.substack.com/). On this episode we discuss the secretive history of Sweden’s "stay-behind" network established in 1949. This clandestine organization was composed primarily of civilians, such as farmers and factory workers, trained to act as a resistance movement in the event of a Soviet occupation. Operating through a strictly compartmentalized cell structure, members were prepared to conduct activities as intelligence gathering and establishing escape rat lines while under direct Swedish command. The discussion highlights that despite Sweden’s official non-aligned status, the government maintained secret ties with Western intelligence to ensure national survival. Johan provides an overview of Sweden’s "Total Defense" doctrine at the time, illustrating the strategic preparations made to prepare for a Soviet Invasion during the Cold War. Johan's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" by John Le Carre. My choice is his book “The Stay Behinds: Sweden’s Cold War Guardians”. We also discuss "A Private Spy - The Letters Of John Le Carre" edited by Tim Cornwell. WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: [email protected]. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 26, 20261h 9min
Number 3: The Brutal Reality Of A Private Military Contractor's War In Syria
CONTENT Listener information - On this episode we discuss the realities of life in a war zone and suicide. My guest is Graham Paul Roberts, a former Welsh Guardsman and private military contractor who served in numerous global conflict zones in the military and as a PMC. He describes his journey from a premature birth and childhood bullying to training Syrian forces during the civil war. We discuss the psychological toll of war, including his struggle with complex PTSD and the hallucinations that haunted him upon returning home. Through his memoir, Echoes in Silence, he reflects on a pivotal realisation regarding the actions of the forces he trained and his subsequent path toward recovery. Today, Graham has found a new sense of purpose as a teacher in North Wales, where he uses his experiences to foster resilience and confidence in students with additional learning needs. He emphasizes the importance of seeking mental health support, crediting his recovery to professional intervention and the unwavering support of his family. Graham's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "B20" by Andy McNab. My choice is Graham's Book "Echoes in The Silence - A True Story Of War, Trauma & Resilience". WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: [email protected]. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
August 12, 20261h 1min
Number 4: Operation Market Garden: The Psychological Failures Behind Montgomery’s Biggest Gamble
CONTENT The guest today is Dr. Gary Buck, a psychologist and military historian, who uses psychological frameworks to analyze the planning failures of Operation Market Garden. Gary applies the OODA loop and Myers-Briggs personality types to examine why high-level commanders like Montgomery, Browning, and Urquhart made critical errors during the 1944 mission. He suggests that extreme stress and organisational pressure caused leaders to abandon their typical caution for risky, uncharacteristic gambles. The discussion highlights how cognitive biases and personal ambitions led to an overly optimistic plan that relied on luck and ignored stiffening German resistance. Ultimately, the discussion provides a psychological autopsy of how human decision-making processes can derail complex military operations. Gary's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Hogfather" by Terry Pratchett. My choice is Gary's Book "A risk too far - A psychological autopsy of the planning for Arnhem". WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: [email protected]. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
July 29, 20261h 30min
Number 5: Commanding The SAS During The Malayan Emergency
CONTENT The guest today is Rupert Hague-Holmes and we discuss the life of Lieutenant General Sir George Lea, a pivotal figure in British military history who played a central role in the survival of the SAS. The conversation explores Lea’s transition from a non-academic, athletic youth into a distinguished leader who commanded parachute battalions during the Second World War and spearheaded counterinsurgency efforts in Malaya and Borneo. Rupert highlights Lea's unique leadership style, characterised by a refusal to tolerate low standards and a willingness to share the same risks as his men, including combat tree-jumping in the jungle. Rupert argues that Lea was essential in professionalising the Special Air Service, implementing rigorous selection processes and operational infrastructures that remain in use today. Despite his significant influence and diplomatic success in handling sensitive global conflicts, Lea is portrayed as a modest man whose legacy was largely shaped by his integrity and quiet dedication to service. Rupert's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Arnhem 1944 The Airborne Battle" by Martin Middlebrook. My choice is Rupert's book on Lea "The Soldiers' General". WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE" If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here. SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod. Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473. Download these and other platforms via Link Tree. Email us: [email protected]. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
June 03, 20261h 22min