Living History With Mat Mclachlan

When 35,000 Allied paratroopers dropped into Holland in September 1944, four Australians from opposite corners of the continent found themselves at the heart of one of World War Two's most catastrophic operations.In this remarkable episode, Mat McLachlan reveals the forgotten Australian stories of Operation Market Garden. Through authentic accounts and personal testimonies, we follow Keith Prowd from Gympie as his burning bomber falls from the sky at 550 feet; Alan Wood from Sydney, typing dispatches while German mortars explode around him; John Hackett from Perth, leading bayonet charges before being hidden by three Dutch sisters who risk everything to save him; and Tom Hall from Melbourne, whose Typhoon rockets try desperately to keep Hell's Highway open.From Prowd's Death March through frozen Poland to Hackett's months in hiding during the Hunger Winter, these four men experienced Market Garden from every angle - in the air, on the ground, and through the typewriter keys that would preserve its history. Th

While the world watched Iwo Jima and Okinawa, over 70,000 Australian soldiers were fighting and dying in what many would later call the 'unnecessary wars' - the final campaigns in Bougainville, New Guinea and Borneo.In this powerful episode, Mat McLachlan tells the forgotten story of Australia's last battles of World War Two. From November 1944 to August 1945, Australian forces fought through some of the war's most grueling conditions, losing over 2000 men in campaigns that history has largely overlooked.Through authentic accounts from the soldiers who were there - including seven Victoria Cross recipients - we experience the mud, monsoons and malaria of jungle warfare. We meet young men like 20-year-old Frank Partridge, who became the war's youngest Australian VC recipient, and veterans like George Palmer, who carried the memory of a Japanese soldier he killed for the rest of his life.Were these campaigns strategically necessary, or were they, as critics claimed, a waste of Australian lives for political pur

Was dropping the atomic bomb necessary? For nearly 80 years, historians have debated President Truman's decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan. But secret intelligence intercepts - classified for decades after the war - reveal what Japanese leaders were actually planning in the summer of 1945.Using newly available evidence from the "Magic" intercepts, Mat McLachlan examines the brutal alternatives Truman faced: invasion projections of over a million American casualties, Japanese preparations to turn their entire population into combatants, and intelligence proving Japan's refusal to surrender.Through the stories of Colonel Paul Tibbets, who piloted the Enola Gay, and Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto, who survived Hiroshima, this episode explores one of history's most controversial decisions - and why the evidence suggests it was the only choice that could end the war and save lives.The atomic bombs killed 200,000 people. But would the alternatives have killed millions more?Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Je

Step into the hallowed halls of London's Guards Museum with Mat McLachlan as he uncovers extraordinary artifacts from one of history's most pivotal battles. In this captivating episode, Mat takes you behind the scenes to examine authentic Waterloo relics that have survived over two centuries - from battle-worn uniforms and weapons to personal effects that once belonged to the soldiers who fought on that fateful day in 1815. You'll discover how these precious artifacts made their way from the Belgian battlefield to their current home in London, and what they tell us about courage, sacrifice, and the brutal reality of Napoleonic warfare.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Lee MurrellProducer: Jess StebnickiWatch the full video version of this episode at: https://youtu.be/aWVEQ9_r7Hs?si=Zy_NqutT4gFgxX6kReady to walk in Wellington's footsteps? Join Mat McLachlan on an exclusive private tour of the Waterloo battlefield, where you'll explore the very ground where history was made. Discover the stories behind the strateg

In October 1942, as Field Marshal Rommel's Afrika Korps prepared for one final push towards Cairo, Australia's 9th Division and New Zealand's 2nd Division stood ready at El Alamein for what would become the decisive battle of the North African campaign. Author Tom Gilling joins Mat McLachlan to explore how Montgomery's meticulously planned offensive depended on the tenacity of these Anzac forces to break through Rommel's formidable defences. From the initial barrage that lit up the desert night to the grinding attritional warfare that followed, this is the story of how Australian and New Zealand forces helped deliver the victory that Churchill called "the end of the beginning" - a triumph that saved the Middle East and marked the true turning point of the Second World War.Tom Gilling's new book on the Battle of El Alamein, Start Digging You Bastards!, is available now.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Tom GillingProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Vi

On July 1st, 1916, 800 young Newfoundlanders climbed out of a trench and walked into history at Beaumont-Hamel. In twenty minutes, an entire generation was lost. This is their story - from fishermen's sons volunteering in St. John's to seasoned soldiers facing the German lines on the Somme. Through the actual words of Lieutenant Owen Steele, Private Frank Lind, and others who were there, Mat McLachlan tells how a small island's fierce loyalty to the Empire led to unimaginable sacrifice. A tragedy that shaped Newfoundland's identity forever, commemorated by a bronze caribou that still stands guard over the fields where so many gave everything.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube

Billy Sing was a living contradiction - an Australian of Chinese and English descent, who went on to become Australia's deadliest sniper of all time. In this episode Mat explores Billy's life, his deadly work at Gallipoli and his sad decline once the war was over.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week marks the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, the epic battle that resulted in the defeat of Napoleon and the rewriting of European history. But recent research has revealed that one man who fought at the battle had a fascinating connection with Australia. Lieutenant Andrew White of the Royal Engineers had been born in the fledgling colony of NSW, the son of a convict. His journey from colonial child to gentleman officer serving on the staff of the Duke of Wellington is one of the most remarkable tales of early Australia. Join Mat as he tells the story of Andrew White, Australia's first returned serviceman and only Waterloo veteran.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our

It's been 60 years since the first Australian combat troops were deployed to Vietnam. In this episode Mat discusses the political situation that led to their deployment, their early actions and the lessons learned that helped shape our commitment to the war.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week marks the anniversary of the Battle of Messines, in June 1917. At the time, it was considered the greatest Allied victory of the war, and Australian and New Zealand troops played a vital role. In this episode Mat breaks down the battle, what innovative tactics helped to win it, and the huge Anzac sacrifice required to bring victory.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 8 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, the day the Germans surrendered in the Second World War. Mat is joined by historian Lachlan Grant from the Australian War Memorial to discuss what this important day meant for Australians, both at home and overseas.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Lachlan GrantProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mat is joined again by legendary London battle guide, Steve Hunnisett, to explore more sites that tell the story of London's wartime past.Sites visited:- Salvation Army HQ, where an amateur photographer captured iconic images of London in flames during the Blitz- The Royal Exchange, where a direct bomb hit created 'the largest crater in England'- Two extraordinary war memorials - one from the Napoleonic Wars and one from the First World War - that tell the stories of Londoners who volunteered to fight- An unassuming jewellery shop, where a hero lost his life trying to foil a robbery in the dark days of WW2- The Merchant Navy Memorial, that remembers more than 35,000 sailors lost during both world wars, and tells the story of some of the most remarkable ships to ever take to sea.Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/ZmtMluJtB74?si=3tH0bepMXPvGwSO1To book a tour of London's wartime sites with Steve, visit https://www.blitzwalkers.co.uk/Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Steve HunnisettProducer: Jess Stebni

Although Australians were actively involved in the Burma campaign throughout the Second World War, this vitally important theatre of the Asia-Pacific War has fallen through the cracks of history. Mat speaks with historian Daryl Moran to reveal the service and sacrifice of Australians in this forgotten campaign.In the Fight: Australians and the War in Burma, 1942-1945, edited by Andrew Kilsby and Daryl Moran, is available now.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Daryl MoranProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Lambis Englezos is well-known as the man who discovered a mass grave containing 250 Australian soldiers on the 1916 battlefield of Fromelles. This battle had been an unmitigated disaster, with more than 5500 Australians killed, wound or captured in only 20 hours of fighting. It is still remembered as the greatest military disaster in Australian history. In July 2025 Lambis will return to the Western Front to lead a special group tour, which will commemorate the anniversary of Fromelles and Pozieres, and also visit all the key Australian battlefields. In this episode he joins Mat to talk about the experience of walking the ground where the Anzacs fought, and why the French and Belgian battlefields continue to hold a special place in his heart.Join Lambis on this exclusive tour! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/fromelles-pozieres-anniversary-tour-2025/ for details.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Lambis EnglezosProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Vis

It's the latest episode in our Q&A series. This week's questions include: Was it a war crime to drop the atomic bombs?; How can I visit Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium?; and is it possible to speak with Vietnam veterans?Send your questions to Mat on X (https://x.com/MatMcLachlan), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BattlefieldTours) or Insta (https://www.instagram.com/mat_mclachlan/)Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiFind out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

February marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most iconic battles of the Pacific War. But why is the battle so iconic, when so many other Pacific actions have fallen through the cracks of history. Mat is joined by US historian John McManus to find out!Topics include the pivotal role of the USA in WW2; the strategic importance of Iwo Jima as part of the bombing campaign against Japan; the plans to capture the island; the bloody fighting on the landing beaches, the airfields and Mount Suribachi; the outcomes of the battle and the assessment of whether it was all worth it; and the enduring cultural significance of Iwo Jima.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: John McManusProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or

Welcome to our new season! In this first episode Mat tells the story of the winter of 1916/17, one of the harshest ordeals faced by Australian soldiers in the First World War. Topics include the end of the Battle of the Somme; the attacks at Flers in November 1916; the devastating effect on morale of living in the frigid conditions; the remarkable story of Harry Murray, our most decorated soldier of the war; and a mispositioned memorial that reveals a rare piece of Australian history.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Talbot House was an 'everyman's club' in the Ypres sector in Belgium during the First World War. Established behind the lines in the town of Poperinghe, Talbot House was a place soldiers could come to for some respite from the horrors of the battlefield. Today it has been preserved as a museum, dedicated to telling the story of the house and its foundation by Australian chaplain Tubby Clayton. Mat visits the house, escorted by its director, Simon Louagie, to explore the stories of the lives and deaths of its many visitors.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Simon LouagieProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info

Mat is joined by regular co-host Karl James to discuss some important Second World War anniversaries.Topics include the sinking of HMAS Sydney and the opening of the Australian War Memorial in 1941, the end of the Kokoda campaign in 1942 and the Australians taking over from the Americans on Bougainville in 1944.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Karl JamesProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's the latest episode in our Q&A series. This week's questions include: Was General Monash the greatest general of the First World War?; Where can I lay a wreath on the Western Front battlefields?; and What evidence of Hitler's V-Weapons campaign can you find today?Send your questions to Mat on X (https://x.com/MatMcLachlan), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BattlefieldTours) or Insta (https://www.instagram.com/mat_mclachlan/)Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiFind out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.