Living History with Mat McLachlan

Sword Beach was the most easterly of all the D-Day landing beaches, and the one most likely to face the wrath of German counter-attacks. As the British infantry landed their flank was supported by a daring airborne operation. Would the British get ashore before German reinforcements moved against them?In the fourth of our special series on the D-Day landings, Mat is joined by histo

Our focus now shifts to the British sector of D-Day, and the landing on Gold Beach. Would the Brits get ashore in the face of treacherous weather and fierce German resistance?In the third of our special series on the D-Day landings, Mat is joined by historian Gary Sheffield to tell the story of the landing at Gold Beach.Hosts: Mat McLachlan and Gary SheffieldProducer: Jess Stebnick

While American troops were being cut down on Omaha Beach, their comrades to the west were coming ashore on the rolling dunes of Utah Beach. Why did this landing go so much more to plan?In the second of our special series on the D-Day landings, Mat is joined by historian John McManus to tell the story of Utah Beach.Hosts: Mat McLachlan and John McManusProducer: Jess StebnickiSubscri

It's the 80th anniversary of D-Day and Mat is breaking down the entire day by telling the story of each of the five beaches. It's a five-episode special series that will reveal the real story of the invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Today the Americans are tasked with the toughest mission of D-Day: landing in front of the imposing cliffs and tough defences of Omaha Beach. Was '

The end is drawing near. After failure, disappointment and outright disaster, it's time for the Allies to evacuate Gallipoli. But this is no simple task - nearly 100,000 men need to be withdrawn from the peninsula under the noses of the Turks. Will the British and Anzacs be able to pull it off? How can they slink away without losing half their force?In the eight and final episode o

As part of their cunning plan to outflank the Turks and seize the high ground in the August Offensive, the Allies play their trump card. They stage a new landing at Suvla Bay and bring thousands of reinforcements ashore. But the terrain at Suvla is not as easy as it appears on a map, and the British are dogged by indecision and poor leadership. Will the men get ashore, and what new

The Allies are getting desperate and as the heat of summer descends on the peninsula, they are determined to try a bold gamble to win the campaign once and for all. Turning their attention to the Anzac sector, they come up with an ambitious plan that involves breaking out to the north of Anzac and seizing the high ground. But the men are wracked by disease, the terrain they must cr

Stalemate has descended on Gallipoli and both sides now have to confront a new enemy - the appalling living conditions in the trenches. If the constant risk of death was not enough to do a man in, he also had to contend with heat, flies, corpses, disease and a nauseating diet. Could things get any worse?In the fifth episode of our special series on the Gallipoli campaign, Mat is jo

The British and French have secured the barest of toeholds at Cape Helles, and the Anzacs are hanging on by their fingernails at Anzac Cove. Now their commanders must decide what to do next. Turning away from Anzac for the time being, they decide to throw their scarce resources into the main battlefield of Helles, and finally secure the objectives of Krithia village and Achi Baba h

While the Australians and New Zealanders are struggling to come ashore at Anzac Cove, the British are landing at Cape Helles, on the southern toe of the Gallipoli peninsula. But once again, the Turkish defenders put up a stiff resistance that far exceeds their small numbers. Can the British get ashore in the face of this withering fire?In the third episode of our special series on