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WWI's Deadliest Hidden Machine | Railways Of The Western Front With Chris Tarrant

British History

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WWI's Deadliest Hidden Machine | Railways Of The Western Front With Chris Tarrant

The Great War was the first fully mechanized global conflict, but the true weapon of mass destruction wasn't mustard gas or artillery. Discover how an extensive, relentless railway network enabled the industrial slaughter of soldiers on the Western Front. We uncover the dark logistical truth behind this devastating historic death toll.

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20 Comments

@WxmRed 6 days ago

My grandfather and his brother-in-law (my great-uncle) were both railwaymen in Wrexham before WW1. My grandfather was a junior manager in the station; his brother-in-law was a platelayer (checking and fixing the track). The disparity between the white collar versus blue collar roles was a source of underlying resentment. During WW1, my great-uncle was posted to Passchendaele (Ypres) working on the narrow gauge railway directly behind the front line, in amongst the muck and the blood. My grandfather was sent to Italy, driving ammunition trucks. More resentment. After the war, during the General Strike of 1924, my great-uncle, back in his job as a platelayer on the railway tracks, was one of the strikers. My grandfather was a station master by then and he was driving steam locomotives as part of the effort to break the strike. They never spoke again, after that.

@jimburg621 2 weeks ago

Yeah, the effects the railroads had in the Americans civil war changed all warfare, Troops, supplies, the movement of everything. Good video

@51WCDodge 2 weeks ago (edited)

Letters to relatives from fellow soldiers the casualty always was 'Shot through the Head,' or 'Was killed instantly', 'Died with your name on his lips'. If only that had been true.

@NoelShelley 2 weeks ago

Thank you Sir for keeping the pointlessness of war in the public eye - The terrible and tragic loss of young lives, and all for what ? The sight of the rows up on row of head stones in any war graves cemetery leaves a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye. Then there is the Menin Gate as the last post is played ! God rest their souls !

@jontaylor1652 2 weeks ago

Thanks, this is excellent. Chris Tarrant is brilliant at doing documentaries.

@VivianHyde 3 days ago

Thank you so much for this British Channel Sir 🙏🫡🇬🇧💯

@brettcurtis5710 2 weeks ago

Another good one from Chris! The NZ Tunnelling Companies dug many of the Arras tunnels and left their mark with names and graffiti with unique NZ names!

@davew9360 2 weeks ago

Seems quite relevant at this time !

@daffyduk77 2 weeks ago

Fascinating to hear Huddersfield dialect from a 110 years ago. Different to the nearby Halifax accent I lived amongst so recently

@0ldb1ll 2 weeks ago (edited)

Prior to 1914 ALL German males had 3 years military training, then they went on the reserve and had additional annual training. They all had their weapons stored at home and had a specific seat on their train going to the front. On their train they even had a small gauge train on their train which had hand layed rails to take ammunition to the front.

@markwilde4606 12 days ago

Watching this and setting up and running my motley little collection of O gauge Hornby clockwork trains. Best hour of my day off.

@johncutts481 2 weeks ago

A brilliant and moving documentary.

@barbieblacksheep8440 2 weeks ago

Thanking Chris for this little chestnut... btw COMPOST CORNER !!!... Blessed Be !!!

@mbvoelker8448 2 weeks ago

Remarkable story of an aspect of war I'd never considered.

@Scot-p1v 2 weeks ago

“ WAR! What is it good for?”
Sadly, for many people’s 401k accounts. It’s getting tougher & tougher to sort through the individual investments in index funds to weed out munitions manufacturers

@GarnetNewfree 2 weeks ago

Am only a few minutes in, good show, well presented, well narrated, interesting subjects, good visuals, well done to the producers

@Dave5843-d9m 2 weeks ago

Even more disturbing is the British had no national interest in joining the war. They also had a puny military so conscription began from the outset. The British contribution was enough to create the horrific stalemate. In the end, Germany lost by going broke. Britain and France were only just able to stay solvent.

@lCountMike 2 weeks ago (edited)

WWI did not start in Belgium and France but in a small country called Serbia. First shots were fired from Austrian monitor on river Sava at Belgrade. 3 battles were fought involving hundreds of thousands soldiers before a single shot was fired at western front and yes, railways were involved. My grandfather, a Serbian artillery officer, died in very first battle of WWI, you have no rights to take that from him. He died for his king and country. His younger brother fought thru whole war until last battle of WWI. It started and finished there.