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Can a computer game really recreate the experience of the First World War?   In this episode, we look at Gallipoli, the latest First World War game from BlackMill Games, taking players to the Gallipoli peninsula and Mesopotamia. As it happens Chris, is the game's historical advisor. We discuss how history is translated into a computer game, what can be simulated, and where historical accuracy meets the demands of gameplay.   References: BlackMill Games (2026) Gallipoli: The Ottoman Front. Weir, P. (dir.) (1981) Gallipoli. Infinity Ward (2003) Call of Duty. Computer game. Activision. DICE (2016) Battlefield 1. Electronic Arts. Mendes, S. (2019) 1917. Kempshall, C. (2026) Star Wars Star Pilots: A History of Space Combat. DK.

What happens when a futuristic soldier finds himself in the trenches of the First World War? Rogue Trooper first appeared in 2000 AD in 1981, a genetically engineered soldier fighting an apparently endless war on the poisoned planet of Nu Earth. In Blighty Valley, written by Garth Ennis and drawn by Patrick Goddard, Rogue is transported back to March 1918, where he finds himself alongside a British platoon caught up in the German Spring Offensive. Drawing on the traditions of British war comics, including Charley's War, the story explores comradeship, class, conscientious objection and the experience of ordinary soldiers. References: Doctor Who: Twice Upon a Time (2017) Directed by Rachel Talalay. Written by Steven Moffat. [Television program]. Sherriff, R.C. (1928) Journey's End. Joyeux Noël (2005) Directed by Christian Carion. [Film]. Ennis, G. (2024) Rogue Trooper: Blighty Valley. Illustrated by P. Goddard. Oxford: 2000 AD.

Can a conscientious objector be a hero? Branded is widely regarded as one of the finest episodes of Dad's Army, combining comedy with a thoughtful exploration of courage, duty, and prejudice. When Captain Mainwaring discovers that the gentle Private Godfrey was a conscientious objector during the First World War, the platoon quickly brands him a coward. But the truth is far more complicated. In this episode, Angus, Jessica and Chris discuss how accurately Branded portrays conscientious objection, what it reveals about attitudes to the First World War, and why this remarkable episode remains one of Dad's Army's most powerful, while never losing the humour that makes it such a classic.   References Perry, J. and Croft, D. (1969) Branded. Dad's Army. Series 3, Episode 11. Directed by Harold Snoad. BBC1, 20 November. Curtis, R. and Elton, B. (1983–1989) Blackadder. Television series. BBC. McKibbin, R. (1998) Classes and Cultures: England 1918–1951. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Philpott, W. (2009) Bloody Victory: The Sacrifice on the Somme and the Making of the Twentieth Century. London: Little, Brown. Hammett, J. (2022) Creating the People's War: Civil Defence Communities in Second World War Britain. Manchester: Manchester University Press.

Can a crime novel help us understand the long shadow cast by the First World War? In this episode of Oh! What a Lovely Podcast, we explore Christina Koning's acclaimed Blind Detective series. The novels follow Frederick Rowlands, a veteran who lost his sight at Ypres and must navigate the challenges of postwar Britain using his memory, hearing, and sharp intuition. Set against the backdrop of the 1920s and 1930s, the series combines engaging mystery stories with a rich portrayal of a nation living with the social, cultural, and personal consequences of the Great War. Jessica, Chris, and Angus are joined by Christina Koning to discuss the inspiration behind Frederick Rowlands, the realities of blindness in the interwar years, and perhaps how crime fiction can illuminate the lasting legacy of the First World War.   References: Koning, C. (2023) Blind Detective. London: Allison & Busby. Faulks, S. (1993) Birdsong. London: Hutchinson. Barker, P. (1991) Regeneration. London: Viking. Barker, P. (1993) The Eye in the Door. London: Viking. Barker, P. (1995) The Ghost Road. London: Viking. Light, A. (1991) Forever England: Femininity, Literature and Conservatism between the Wars. London: Routledge. Chesterton, G. K. (1911) The Innocence of Father Brown. London: Cassell. Sayers, D. L. (1923) Whose Body?. London: T. Fisher Unwin. Winspear, J. (2004) Maisie Dobbs. London: John Murray.

What happens when a classic Agatha Christie story is reimagined with the memory of war lingering behind it? In the latest episode of Oh! What a Lovely Podcast, Jessica, Chris and Angus are joined by Kemper Donovan, author and host of All About Agatha, to discuss Agatha Christie's The Seven Dials Mystery and its recent Netflix adaptation. Unlike the familiar worlds of Poirot and Miss Marple, The Seven Dials Mystery blends mystery, comedy and espionage into a lighter and more adventurous story. The new adaptation embraces that spirit while reworking elements of the narrative for modern audiences, including giving the First World War a much greater role than it plays in the original novel.   References: Christie, A. (1929) The Seven Dials Mystery. London: William Collins Sons & Co. Chibnall, C. (2026) Agatha Christie's Seven Dials. Netflix. Wharmby, T. (dir.) (1981) The Seven Dials Mystery. London Weekend Television (ITV). Cannadine, D. (1990) The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Was patriotism in the First World War really shared by all, or was it shaped and enforced from above? In the latest episode of Oh What a Lovely Podcast, we speak with Richard Batten about his book For King and Country, an examination of patriotism in Devon during the First World War. Using Devon as a case study, Richard explores how local elites tried to encourage, direct, and sometimes police patriotic behaviour on the Home Front. From recruitment drives and conscription tribunals to charity work, farming, and fishing, the conversation looks at the many ways people were expected to serve the nation between 1914 and 1918.   References: Batten, R. (2025) For King and Country: The Role of Patriotism in Mobilisation in the First World War. Barnsley: Pen & Sword History. Catriona Pennell (2012) A Kingdom United: Popular Responses to the Outbreak of the First World War in Britain and Ireland. Oxford: Oxford University Press Gregory, A. (2008) The Last Great War: British Society and the First World War. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Silbey, D. (2005) The British Working Class and Enthusiasm for War, 1914–1916. London: Frank Cass.

What does the First World War look like when it arrives not as a battle, but as an invasion of home, family, and childhood? In this episode of Oh! What a Lovely Podcast, we discuss My Soul, A Shining Tree, a novel by Jamila Gavin that explores the opening months of the First World War through the experiences of children, civilians, and young soldiers caught up in the German invasion of Belgium in 1914. References: Jamilia Gavin, My Soul, A Shining Tree (2025) Christopher Clark,  The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 (2013)

What does the First World War look like when the story is driven not by battles, but by loss, hope and unanswered questions? In this episode of Oh! What a Lovely Podcast, we turn to A Very Long Engagement, Jean Pierre Jeunet's 2004 French film set during and after the First World War. The story centres on Mathilde, a young woman who refuses to accept that her fiancé has died after being condemned by a French military tribunal and sent into No Man's Land. As Mathilde begins her own investigation, the film moves between the violence of the trenches and the fragile hopes of life on the home front. Through a complex and shifting narrative, A Very Long Engagement reveals how chance, cruelty and survival shaped the fate of a group of soldiers caught up in the war. Links: A Very Long Engagement, Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (2004) Amilie, Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (2001) Alien Resurrection, Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet (1997) Un long dimanche de fiançailles, Sébastien Japrisot (1991) Paths of Glory, Dir. Stanley Kubrick (1957)

Can a film about the First World War work without trenches or battles? In this episode of Oh What a Lovely Podcast, Angus, Jessica and Chris discuss the 2025 film The Choral, which uses song, performance and collective experience to explore the impact of the First World War on a northern English community. We talk about what the film gets right, where it challenges expectations, and how it fits into wider portrayals of the war on screen.

Can a story about soldiers shaking hands in the snow carry a warning for the nuclear age? This episode of Oh What a Lovely Podcast brings Jessica, Chris and Angus together with Anne Marie Einhaus for a conversation about Robert Graves short story Christmas Truce. The story appears in the Penguin Book of First World War Stories and follows an elderly veteran who recalls the rare moments in 1914 and 1915 when soldiers on both sides met peacefully in the frozen landscape between the trenches. Through these memories the veteran describes friendship that cuts through wartime propaganda, as well as the swift return of violence. Set against a discussion with his grandson in the early 1960s, the story contrasts youthful optimism in the anti nuclear movement with the weary caution of lived experience. It is a thoughtful look at the limits of goodwill and the forces that shape conflict. References: Graves, R. (2007) 'Christmas Truce', in Ein­haus, A-M. (ed.) The Penguin Book of First World War Stories. London: Penguin Classics Keynes, G. (1962) A Bibliography of Siegfried Sassoon. London: R. Hart-Davis. Levy, D. (dir.) (1995) Silent Night (Stille Nacht)

Was Blackadder Goes Forth the most powerful portrayal of the First World War ever put on television? In this episode of Oh! What a Lovely Podcast, Jessica, Chris and Angus take a look at the enduring legacy of Blackadder Goes Forth. First broadcast on BBC One in 1989, the series blended sharp wit and biting satire with a surprisingly moving look at life – and death – on the Western Front. The team discuss how the show evolved, the historical realities behind its humour, and why that unforgettable final scene still resonates decades later. They also explore how Blackadder helped shape popular perceptions of the Great War, influencing how generations have come to understand the conflict and its soldiers. So, was Blackadder Goes Forth just a comedy – or something far more profound?   References: Badsey, S. (2014) The Two Western Fronts: The First World War and the Second World War in British History and Memory. London: Continuum. Barker, P. (1991) Regeneration. London: Viking. BBC (1964) The Great War [Television series]. London: BBC. Bet-El, I. (1999) Conscripts: Lost Legacies of the Great War. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. Iserwood, I. (2017) Remembering the Great War: The Nation, the Public and the First World War Commemoration. London: Bloomsbury. Newman, S. (dir.) (2025) The Choral Faulks, S. (1993) Birdsong. London: Hutchinson.

How did the First World War bring down Europe's great dynasties, and how did the BBC retell that story on screen? In this episode of Oh What a Lovely Podcast, we look at Fall of Eagles, the 1974 BBC drama that charts the decline of the Romanovs, Hohenzollerns, and Habsburgs. Across 13 episodes, the series follows the personal rivalries, dynastic struggles, and political failures that led to the collapse of three empires during the Great War. Created by John Elliot and produced by Stuart Burge, the show boasted an impressive cast and scripts from writers such as Jack Pulman (I, Claudius) and Troy Kennedy Martin (The Italian Job). Critics praised its scope and performances, even if it sometimes focused more on palace drama than wider historical forces. Join Angus, Jessica, and Chris as they discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and legacy of this ambitious attempt to dramatise the road to 1914 and the end of Empire.   Links: The Fall of Empires, BBC (1973) I, Claudius, BBC (1976) Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) The Sweeny (1975-78) The Italian Job (1969) Oh! What a lovely war (1969) Blackadder Goes Forth, BBC (1989) Britain's Great War, BBC (2014) Adrian Gregory, The Last Great War (2008) Alan Clark, Lions Led By Donkeys (1961) Paul Kennedy, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers (1987) Television Heaven

In this episode of Oh! What a Lovely Podcast, Angus, Chris, Jessica, and returning guest Ann-Marie Einhaus discuss War-Time in Our Street by J. E. Buckrose.   Set in a fictional Yorkshire village, these stories capture everyday resilience, humour, and quiet courage — from blackout chapel services and food shortages to romances and small acts of kindness amid wartime hardships.   Buckrose, the pen name of Annie Edith Jameson, was a prolific writer who produced more than forty novels exploring domestic life and family tensions with gentle humour. War-Time in Our Street offers a fascinating glimpse of how ordinary people became part of the wider war effort.     References JE Buckhouse,  WarTime In Our Street  (1917) – Down Our Street  Dorothy Whipple, High Wages (1930) Dad's Army  (1968-1977) Sandra Kemp, Charlotte Mitchell, and David Trotter, Oxford Companion to Edwardian Fiction (1997) Sapper, Sergeant Michael Cassidy RE (1915) Robert Harris, Act of Oblivion (2022) Kate Atkinson, Behind the Scenes at the Museum (1995) - Shrines of Gaiety (2022) Angela Brazil Eden Phillpotts, The Humand Boy and the War (1919) Jesse Pope Jean Webster, Daddy-Long-Legs (1912) Ann-Marie Einhaus & Barbara Korte, The Penguin Book of First World War Stories: From Arthur Machen to Julian Barnes (2007)

What do young adults think of First World War fiction aimed at them? In this episode of Oh What a Lovely Podcast, we hand the mic to a group of young readers to hear their thoughts on The Boy I Loved by William Hussey, a novel exploring the impact of war on love, identity and loss. After their thoughtful reviews, Chris, Jessica and Angus reflect on the responses and what they reveal about how the war is understood today.

What makes a 50-year-old book on WWI still essential reading? In this episode, Angus, Jessica, and Chris are joined by Ian Isherwood and Steven Trout, authors of But It Still Goes On: Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory at 50. We revisit Fussell's classic, exploring its legacy, impact, and the debates it continues to spark in the world of war literature and memory studies.   References: Ian Isherwood and Steven Trout, But it Still Goes On: Paul Fussell's The Great War and Modern Memory at 50, The Journal of Military History Paul Fussell, The Great War and Modern Memory --- Wartime: Understanding and Behavior in the Second World War --- Class: A Guide Through the American Status System --- Doing Battle: The Making of a Skeptic Frederic Manning, Her Privates We Siegfried Sassoon, The Complete Memoirs of George Sherston  Max Ploughman, A Subaltern on the Somme Robert Graves, Goodbye To All That Dan Todman, The Great War: Myth and Memory RC Sherriff, Journey's End Samuel Hynes, A War Imagined Charles Edmonds, A Subaltern's War