In this episode we discuss the importance of oral history and what it tells us about the experience of conflict and the culture of the British military in the Great War, and we contrast two interviews I did with veterans in the 1980s: Jack Aston who served with 12th Squadron Royal Flying Corps and Aubrey Rose who was with the Queen's Westminster Rifles at Ypres and the Somme.

The image for this episode shows Aubrey Rose in 1914.

Aubrey Rose's officer killed at Gommecourt was: Captain Hugh Fenwick Mott.

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In this episode, we unpack the meaning and origins of the term Downland, and explore how this distinctive landscape helps us better understand the geography and terrain of the First World War.

We take a closer look at the Lewis Machine Gun, examining how it worked, how a Lewis Gun section operated in battle, and its role on the Western Front.

We also consider the influence of the Franco-Prussian War on both the military thinking and physical landscape of WW1, before turning to the decorations and medals awarded to British and Commonwealth soldiers, explaining how they differed and what they reveal about service and recognition in the Great War.

A wide-ranging episode connecting landscape, weaponry, military history, and remembrance across the First World War.

The Vickers Machine Gun Association: The Lewis Gun on the Western Front 1916-18.

Main image: German offensive on the Lys. A Lewis Gun-post in Marquois, 13 April 1918. (IWM Q6528)

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In this special edition, we’re joined by Jon Gedling, Director of Estates for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, to discuss the challenges and responsibilities involved in caring for First World War cemeteries in Belgium and France. We explore the history behind making these cemeteries permanent after the Great War, how maintenance practices have evolved, and the background to the so-called “black spot” issue. Jon explains what recent investigations have revealed, how the CWGC is addressing the problem, what the future might hold, and how visitors to the Western Front battlefields can support the Commission’s work.

If you want to report an issue in a cemetery you have visited you can contact the CWGC.

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You can order Old Front Line Merch via The Old Front Line Shop.

Got a question about this episode or any others? Drop your question into the Old Front Line Discord Server or email the podcast.

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