BFBS Stories

Mario and Jess from BFBS were out in Estonia to spread festive cheer amongst the Enhanced Forward Presence - the main Battlegroup in the Baltic's at the moment being King's Royal Hussars.

Listen as they meet with the chefs, PTI, Commander of the EFP, Tank Commanders, Ambassador to Estonia, and take a wonder round the Christmas markets with the troops.

With the retirement of the Bell 212, BFBS looks back at memorable moments from the people who have worked with her and as part of the Army Air Corps detachment in Brunei.

With 28 years of flying across Southeast Asia, 36,000 plus flying hours and over 2,000 lives saved in Brunei alone thanks to this helicopter, it really is the end of an era.

As part of the RAF Fylingdales 30th anniversary, Natasha Reneaux speaks with Fight Lieutenant Richie Weeks about their long standing history, their space surveillance, what the future holds and more!

BFBS explores how, in an increasingly diverse and inclusive armed forces, people of all religious faiths and those of none mark the remembrance period in their own way.

In 1969, Colonel Gaddafi led a coup in Libya, took control of the country and proceeded, to close down British military installations located at El Adem and Tobruk. 

This presented the UK with a problem. There were no areas large enough left to allow the British Army to undertake large-scale armoured warfare exercises. 

In 1971 a 10-year lease was signed between the British and Canadian Governments that authorized battle group training to take place in the Suffield, a 2000 square mile area.

In January 1972, the British Army Training Unit Suffield was formally established. After months of preparation, the training area was created and ready in June and the first live rounds were fired by the 4th Royal Tank Regiment Battle Group in the July of 1972. 

To mark this year’s Pride celebrations, BFBS presenter Alice Vickery has been exploring the relationship between drag and the British Armed Forces.

Its 40 years since The Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina and then liberated by British Forces.

Join Gini Carlin as she speaks to those people that call the Islands home, and witnessed the conflict first hand.”

Ken, Kevin and Martin are armed forces veterans.

They were discharged from the military without their fellow servicemen knowing the reasons behind their dismissal.

This Remembrance Sunday, for the first time, they’ve been invited to march past the Cenotaph. 

Olly Mann has spoken to them about their double lives, and what happened when they men told the truth.

Until 12th January, 2000, it was illegal for gay, lesbian and bisexual people to serve in the British Armed Forces.

If they were outed, they could lose their medals, their pensions and their jobs, and sometimes serve a prison sentence. The British Government finally apologised for the policy in 2020.

Written and produced by Olly Mann and Matt Hill with thanks to Fighting with Pride, the LGBT+ military charity. fightingwithpride.org.uk

This audio was originally published as part of Olly’s podcast series The Modern Mann.

Jim Gellatly at BFBS has been speaking to musicians with strong forces connections, including veterans, cadets and serving personal.

Men and women who are lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and trans-gender talk about their experiences while serving in the UK armed forces. Some decided to keep their sexuality hidden, while others have come out. Some talk about how they were forced to give up the job they loved because they were found out. This programme was originally broadcast in February 2019, for LGBTQ History Month.

Every year the RAF holds a remembrance service for the 20 thousand Commonwealth airmen and women who lost their lives in the Second World War and have no known grave.

Sadly, due to the COVID 19 emergency, the full service couldn’t happen in 2020. Instead, a ‘Virtual Service’ took place at the Air Forces Memorial at Runnymede in Surrey.

The service was led by Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Mike Wigston and conducted by Deputy Chaplain in Chief of the Royal Air Force, Group Captain the Reverend Dr Giles Legood.

Photo Credit: MOD/Crown Copyright/ SAC Beth Roberts

Former Royal Marine Mick Dawson has rowed more than 20 thousand miles across the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

In 2009 he and fellow rower Chris Martin earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records for completing their seven thousand mile voyage across the Pacific in record-breaking time.

Here he tells Amy Casey about his experiences including coming face to face with killer whales, near misses with container ships and what it’s like to find yourself in the eye of a hurricane.

Listen as Mick introduces the tracks that have got him through long periods of isolation at sea.

Inspirational stories about life on Civvy Street.

Promoting positive stories about the achievements of former servicemen and women.

Veterans do some pretty remarkable things in civilian life and here you can listen to just a few of them. ‘Life After Service’ is our campaign to tell some of the many fantastic stories of what ex-servicemen and women go on to achieve with their lives and careers after leaving the armed forces.

Media reports of veteran unemployment and mental health issues are only a very small part of a much more positive and bigger story.

Mike Howarth explains how the radio station for the British armed forces began in Algeria during the Second World War and continued to broadcast to far-flung service personnel and their families through peacetime and further conflict.

BFBS has been by the side of those who serve our country, maintaining their link with home, wherever they are in the world, for more than 75 years.

Hear the stories of the radio presenters who provided a much-needed boost to moral by playing the hits in troubled times and dangerous places.

BFBS Radio’s Hal Stewart presents a series of five one-hour programmes recorded in Afghanistan, which we have mashed together, with personnel from the 4th Mechanized Brigade, nicknamed The Black Rats.

Jamie Gordon was a trainee presenter at BFBS Berlin in 1989.  This is his personal account of what happened on the night of the 9th of November when the Berlin Wall came down. 

In this programme, made to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the event, Jamie returns to Berlin and speaks to former servicemen and BFBS colleagues who were stationed in the city at the time. You’ll hear about what it was like for British Forces serving in this divided city and how servicemen and women bore witness to this incredible moment in history at the end of the Cold War.

You’ll also hear some recordings from our archive.  These were some of the first English speaking news reports from the city and as a result were in huge demand throughout the world. 

Whether you were there or following the news from elsewhere, or are entirely new to this story, this special programme captures the atmosphere of a unique time in the 20th century.

Produced by Hal Stewart and Jamie Gordon, ‘Berlin 30: Fall of the Wall’ is a finalist at the New York Festivals Radio Awards 2020

Jade Callaway and Jess Bracey delve into the history of 6 Squadron with the help of material from the BFBS archive. You’ll hear interviews from 6 Squadron crew recorded 50 years ago, followed by the reaction of current squadron members as they consider how life in the RAF has changed.

You’ll also hear about the highs and lows of deployment, what they think the RAF will be like in another 50 years as well as the debate surrounding their nickname. Are they “The Can Openers” or “The Tin Openers”?

Jason Herbert explains how a special unit consisting of mechanics, technicians, plumbers and even circus trapeze artists were brought together to break the stalemate of the First World War.

What they did would revolutionise warfare for the modern age. They came up with the idea of the tank.

Hear about the development of the tank, the people who built and crewed it and the meticulous preparation that led to the Battle of Cambrai.