What was it actually like to operate a tank during the Second World War?

In this episode, we explore the iron belly of tank warfare through the eyes of Private Arthur Ibbotson, who enlisted in the war as a young lad in 1942, first joining the Grenadier Guards in London and who ended up involved in one of the largest allied operations of the war: Operation Market Garden.

Arthur would have turned 100 years old in September this year, but sadly passed away on the 6th of June, the 79th anniversary of D Day.

Together with James, Michael Ibbotson, Arthur's nephew, recounts the realities of what tank life was like, and remembers his uncle's contribution to the greatest generation.

Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code WARFARE. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here.

You can take part in our listener survey here.