Podcast Summary: Harold's Old Time Radio

Episode: Words at War – "Combined Operations"

Original Air Date: June 24, 1943 (Rebroadcast Feb 20, 2026)

Overview

This episode features a dramatic radio adaptation from the NBC wartime series "Words at War," specifically the inaugural episode based on Hilary St. George Sanders’ book Combined Operations: The Official Story of the British Commandos. Through a fictionalized narration by “Sergeant John Kenneth Smith,” listeners are immersed in the demanding training and daring exploits of British Commandos during WWII—culminating in a gripping account of the legendary St. Nazaire Raid. Drawing from real events, the episode delves into the peril, camaraderie, and sacrifice of combined special forces operations.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Combined Operations (03:08–04:14)

• Hilary St. George Sanders, author of Combined Operations, introduces the story as:

  "...an imaginative reconstruction of one of the most successful commando raids described therein. It does not pretend to be accurate in every detail. After all, why tell the enemy what he would very much like to know? But you may be assured that the incidents depicted either happened or might well have happened." (03:08)

• The narrator clarifies that for military security, all personal details are anonymized.

2. Recruitment and Volunteerism (01:06–05:11)

• “Sergeant John Kenneth Smith” volunteers for the Commandos, accepting duty for a secret, dangerous mission.
• Diverse backgrounds among recruits are highlighted—with playful banter:
  • Private Edward Moyfy explains his presence as a Brooklynite in a British unit:

    “Brooklyn is a city of which New York is a suburb.” (05:22)

    • The Sergeant Major jokes about Americans joining early via Canada.

3. Commando Training: Challenge & Brotherhood (06:08–14:08)

• Training described as relentlessly grueling—long marches, river crossings, intense physical and weapons instruction.
• Emphasis on self-reliance and teamwork:

  “Combined operations means just what it says. Attack and raiding operations in which the army, the Navy and the Royal Air Force work together. We don't go in for petty discipline here. Every man is on his own, more or less.” —Sergeant Major (06:08)

• Memorable moment: The recruits are bluntly told to march “22 miles, the round trip.” (07:47)

4. Camaraderie & Spirit (11:56–13:59)

• Recruits bond over fatigue and music, with pipes and humor.
• Corporal Yprovan Piper's bittersweet story of a love left behind for duty:

  “She’s a sentimental lassie and she says that's our love song... I was to be married to her. Then came the word I was accepted for the commandos and I was called back with only enough time to give her a wee kiss.” (12:19–12:31)

5. The "Impossible" March & Endurance (13:37–14:24)

• The sergeant announces a new challenge: meet at a map reference “73 miles from here... There won't be any lorries... That is your problem.” (14:02–14:08)
• The lesson: Commandos are expected to solve problems with independence.

6. From Training to Real Operations (14:54–18:07)

• The proud moment of becoming full-fledged commandos, swiftly followed by further relentless training with naval and RAF partners.

7. Mission Briefing: The St. Nazaire Raid (18:12–20:30)

• Commandos are briefed by Lt. Colonel Newman about their objective:

  “This ship, HMS Campbeltown... is packed to a bottom with tons of explosives... The Campbelltown's to be scuttled in the port of St. Nazaire. St Nazaire has the only dry dock on Europe's west coast big enough to accommodate the Nazi battleship Tirpitz. We're going to ram the Campbelltown against the gates...” (18:12–18:37)

• The urgency, stakes, and division of responsibilities are made clear.

8. Pre-Raid Tension and Gallows Humor (20:30–21:22)

• Private Edward Moyfy displays somber wit:

  “I'll lay you 50 to 1 that none of us comes back alive.” (20:30)

• Corporal Piper (Scotty) responds lightly, “I’ll not lose. I’ve got to come back... my girl would be very insulted if I showed up for my wedding in a shroud.” (20:45–20:53)

9. The Raid on St. Nazaire: Action & Sacrifice (21:22–26:29)

• The Campbeltown charges in under withering fire, commandos storm ashore to demolish strategic targets.
• Sacrifice is immediate and severe; key characters are wounded or killed as objectives are achieved.
• Dramatic highlight: With no alternative, Murphy (Moyfy) rushes a satchel charge across open ground, despite orders, to silence a Nazi machine gun nest — a self-sacrificial act filled with dark humor and resolve:

  Sergeant Major: “Murphy, you want to be killed? Stay put, now, that's an order.”
  Private Edward Moyfy: “You know what you can do with your order, boss... I owe those Nazis something for a guy at Dunkirk.” (25:40–25:53)

10. Aftermath & Reflection (27:10–29:48)

• The narrator reflects on the destruction wrought and the loss of friends:

  “There was no more house. No more Brooklyn. No more Irish Sergeant Major. No more Scotty.” (26:39)

• The Campbeltown’s time-fused explosives detonate, killing hundreds of enemy troops.
• Concluding thoughts connect the raid to the larger struggle against Nazi Germany, paying tribute to those lost:

  “Meanwhile, we commandos are awaiting the biggest raid of all... knowledge gained through the sacrifice of boys from Brooklyn, Cockneys from Lambeth, Irish sergeant majors and gallant youngsters who will never meet again on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond.” (29:16–29:47)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On volunteer spirit:

  "You volunteered to become a commando soldier." —Lt. Col. Newman (01:14)

• On the nature of the job:

  "Am I permitted to ask the nature of the job, sir?"
  "I'm sorry Sergeat, it's secret." (01:33–01:35)

• Wartime humor:

  “Brooklyn is a city of which New York is a suburb.” —Private Moyfy (05:22)

• Reflection on sacrifice:

  “There was no more house. No more Brooklyn. No more Irish Sergeant Major. No more Scotty.” —Sgt. Smith (26:39)

• Strategic focus:

  “...keep the Tirpitz out of the Atlantic.” —Lt. Col. Newman (18:37)

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Description | |---------|-------------| | 03:08 | Author Sanders introduces the story’s semi-fictional, security-conscious format. | | 06:08–08:13 | Training, team selection, physical hardship begins. | | 14:54–15:51| Recruits officially become Commandos. | | 18:12–19:49 | Mission briefing for the St. Nazaire Raid. | | 21:22–26:29 | Raid sequence: infiltration, firefight, commando losses, final acts of sacrifice. | | 27:10–29:16 | Results, reflection on losses, and the ultimate success of the mission. |

Tone & Style

The episode balances dark humor, camaraderie, and sober reflection amidst the tension and brutality of special operations. Dialogue blends stiff-upper-lip British stoicism, the wry observations of American volunteers, and the heartfelt sentiment of soldiers with everything to lose, set to the backdrop of authentic wartime danger.

Conclusion

This “Words at War” episode offers a compelling dramatization of the mindset, hardship, and sacrifice of WWII commandos. Blending fact with creative narrative, it memorializes the St. Nazaire Raid while evoking the broader themes of duty, loss, and unity among Allied soldiers—making clear how the lessons of such exploits would help shape the coming liberation of Europe. For modern listeners, it’s an evocative journey into the human side of special forces history and the power of radio storytelling in wartime.