The stories behind the story
Great, unpublished
history!
Bill Cheall fought at Dunkirk, North Africa and Sicily. He was in the first wave on Gold Beach on D-Day, and finally went to Germany. Since Bill's WW2 memoirs were published, many former comrades and families have come forward with stories and diaries of their own, all connected to Bill's story in some way. Please enjoy the show!
Podcast website Established Sep 2016
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For security reasons, there are no known photos of Fred Zilken but I’ve managed to get hold of a very mysterious looking sketch of him. I daren’t say anymore because as Wilf Shaw admitted in a previous show “I’m still afraid of the long arm of the law!”
If you want to hear Fred’s SECRET WWII revelations and the story behind the sketch of him, listen NOW!
26 THE ZILKEN LETTERS - Rogue veteran exposes the army's best kept secrets!
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A uniquely brilliant living history series
in Apple Podcasts by SergeiDiGriz from UK
What a moving experience it has been listening to the awe inspiring Fighting Through podcasts. Hearing the individual witness accounts of familiar, and not so familiar, events from the two World Wars has made the history real to me in a new way. My uncle served on the Destroyer HMS Walker, and my wife’s grandfather was a Lancaster pilot during WW2; your podcasts have allowed us to connect with their world in a new way; living history. The community aspect to your work is particularly moving and impressive. I’ve shed a few tears listening to some of the accounts from your dad’s memoirs and others. Many thanks and please keep them coming!
THANK YOU SERGEI! Fantastic how the show has impacted - especially regarding the Lancaster pilot. How good is that?! Paul
Feedback comment of the month:
27 Veterans Bennett and Cheall remember D-Day, WWII
Juno beach memories vs 50th Anniversary of Gold Beach
92 year-old Royal Marine Roy Bennett remembers his WWII Juno beach landing and more:
"There was a horrendous noise as we landed, people were dying leaving the landing craft boat"
Bill Cheall re-visits France and Gold beach on the 50th anniversary of D-Day in 1994
"We arrived 50 years later at 12.15 hrs and it was still drizzling with rain, and windy, just like it was on D-Day"
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Stop press: It is with great sadness that I announce the passing of WWII veteran Wilf Shaw in hospital on 21 March 2018. His family advise that he passed away very peacefully in the early hours in hospital. He had enjoyed exceptional health for his age until a few weeks ago, when the breathing difficulties he had had trouble with during the past eighteen months worsened quite dramatically. See below to hear a special episode in tribute to Wilf and re-visit his fantastic contributions to this podcast and WW2.
RIP Private Shaw W, 4753850
Called up on 13 June 1940, 6th Battalion, Green Howards
Born 6 Feb 1920, Died 21 March 2018, Aged 98
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