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Bodmin Keep War Stories

Aug 1, 2019

Bodmin was alive with Russians at the height of the Cold War when the town became home to a school for spies! Hundreds of Britain's brightest young men came to learn Russian in order to translate Soviet radio transmissions for GCHQ. Playwrights Alan Bennett, Michael Frayn and Dennis Potter were among those who passed...


Jun 16, 2019

Cornwall's maritime might and strategic coastal location made it far from remote when it came to D-Day operations. Find out how the county experienced an invasion of its own - from thousands of American GIs. Hear which celebrities visited soldiers at Bodmin Keep during training for the Normandy Landings. And discover...


May 20, 2019

It's 40 years this year since the Berlin Wall came down. Many fragments of it were taken by souvenir hunters. One of the biggest pieces in Britain ended up at Bodmin Keep museum in Cornwall. In this episode we'll hear from soldiers and civilians who were there when the wall went up at the height of the Cold War, and...


Apr 11, 2019

Hear about the essential role military musicians played in wartime, from issuing vital commands on the battlefield to keeping up morale among troops and, just like other soldiers, carrying out acts of extreme bravery and daring.

There's a cheeky version of a favourite wartime song, a cross-dressing music hall star...


Mar 30, 2019

Intriguing and surprising stories behind the collection at Cornwall's Regimental Museum in Bodmin. Find out how ordinary soldiers played their part in some of the biggest conflicts of the last century, from the impact of war on everyday life, to tales of extreme courage and daring.