Before WW2, Nick Wells was an engineer who specialised in commercial vehicles. At the outbreak of war, he joined the Royal Navy and became an engine room 'artificer'. He was at sea for four years.Ray arrived in 1946 - an early baby boomer.Nick didn't talk much about his war but one horrific tale stuck in his son's mind: Nick saw a colleague get vaporised by steam from a damaged turbine when their ship was hit by a torpedo.Other stories included accounts of going ashore in Crete with commandos in small dinghies to sabotage enemy supply lines. Then hurtling perilously back to the UK across the Mediterranean. "Blood, sweat and tears," was how he described the voyage.There were also mentions of freezing Murmansk and motorcycling in the desert on a Moto Guzzi with a dangerously rogue flywheel. (It shot off into the sand at 60mph.) The overall effect of his father's war on Ray was a lifelong wariness of moving parts in engines. He's never serviced his cars. Send us a textSupport the show
--------
46:56
--------
46:56
Episode 9. Richard and Jack.
Richard Foster tells Matthew about his father, Jack, an ace night fighter pilot who shot down nine enemy aircraft - three of them within 50 minutes!Richard brings his father's log books to the interview and reads out reports of combats - as well as a crash in Libya. After the war, Jack became a test pilot at Farnborough, exploring the possibilities of supersonic flight. He flew over 50 aircraft, including British, American, and captured German and Italian planes. His outstanding flying talents - and his modesty - shine out of the discussion. Send us a textSupport the show
--------
1:06:35
--------
1:06:35
Episode 8. David and Edward.
Matthew met Edward and David Toms in the picture framing shop they ran. When they framed a booklet of Matthew's father's quotes (which included a few lines about WW2) he got to know a little about Edward's war. But it was only when Edward died and obituaries appeared in national newspapers, that Matthew found out quite how extraordinary Edward Toms' war had been.Send us a textSupport the show
--------
43:30
--------
43:30
Episode 7. Eric and George. And George.
Eric Grant talks about his father George who took 11 bullets after parachuting into Arnhem.He also talks about his mother, Pearl; about wartime romance; and about a desire to erase wartime history.Send us a textSupport the show
--------
38:18
--------
38:18
Episode 6. Robert and Hugh
Matthew talks to Robert Sackville-West about his father Hugh.Hugh won a Military Cross for his heroic actions in a tank battle during the liberation of France. But none of his family knew the full details of how he won his medal until after he died.Send us a textSupport the show
A new podcast (2025) about men who fought in World War Two, whose stories are told by their sons.In each episode, Matthew Collins interviews a son who tells the story of his father's war and explores its effects - on his father and on himself.Matthew's father, Patrick, joined the RAF in May 1939 when he was 17. He returned from the war at the age of 24, more mature in many ways than Matthew was at 40.But his father rarely talked about the war. And when he did, he usually told light-hearted stories about it - rather than discuss fully what he'd seen and done. He was, however, serious when discussing other family members - a brother who was shot at Dunkirk; a cousin whose ship was torpedoed; and his own father who'd survived battles in the First World War (as well as uncles who had not). War experiences seeped into Matthew's consciousness. From a young age, he appreciated that he was part of a lucky generation that was unlikely to be called upon to fight. But what if he had been called up? And if war had broken out, how might he have responded? After his father died, he started to compare notes with other veterans' sons.He then interviewed men who told the stories of their fathers' war. And reflected on its effects. On their fathers and on themselves.But the interviews also became explorations of the contrast between two very different generations - wartime dads and their baby boomer sons. And touching explorations of father/son relationships. To coincide with the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, nine episodes have, so far, been published. (The most recent - Episode 9, Richard and Jack, about ace night-fighter pilot Jack Foster - came out in August.) More will follow soon.Matthew Collins started his career presenting on TV. (He's best remembered as 'Special Assignments Man' for BBC2's The Travel Show.)He then raised two sons alone and became a prison teacher.For ten years, he ran 'Speaking Shakespeare' workshops in men's and women's prisons.Today he runs public 'Speaking Shakespeare' workshops for businesses; social organisations; and members of the public. To find out more about Matthew, please go to:https://www.matthewcollins.com/aboutMEANWHILE, HERE'S A BRIEF POSTSCRIPT:There are many more World War Two Vets' sons out there - with personal-historical reflections to share. Matthew wants to document as many as possible.He's already travelled around the UK recording interviews. And will continue to do so, funding this project out of his own pocket. But ideally, he could do with assistance. If you would like to support this podcast, please see "Support the Show" under each episode’s info. Or go to: https://www.patreon.com/wesonsofww2vetsThank you.
UK