WW2 Pod: We Have Ways of Making You Talk
Episode: The Magician Who Missed the Boat
Date: February 26, 2026
Hosts: Al Murray & James Holland
Overview
This special Family Stories episode focuses on wartime naval experiences during World War II, as told through moving listener-submitted stories about fathers, uncles, grandfathers, and mothers who served at sea. From wrenching accounts of D-Day landings and Arctic convoys to unique moments of survival, loss, and ingenuity, Al and James blend roguish humor with genuine reverence, giving voice to the personal histories that shed light on both the heroism and the humanity of the war years.
Key Stories and Discussion Points
1. Jack Plunkett and Naval Engineering during WWII
[03:47]
- Submitted by Michael: The story of his uncle Jack Plunkett, an electrical apprentice from Greenock.
- Jack’s company was requisitioned by the Royal Navy in 1939. He performed ship repairs, often climbing rope ladders in dangerous conditions.
- Helped put out fires after incendiary raids—one memorable night included a whisky-fueled fire down city streets.
- Grim aftermath: Jack stepped on the leg of a child lost in the bombing during a walk to check on friends, a trauma he kept secret.
- Nearly stranded at sea: Jack was servicing a ship that received sudden orders to Russia; narrowly avoided sailing with them into U-boat infested waters when a launch retrieved him in darkness.
- Later assigned to the Royal Navy Torpedo Factory, where he helped invent a seawater-powered 21-inch torpedo.
- Memorable quote (via Michael): “He was a generous, kind and gentle man and I feel very fortunate to have his wartime experiences immortalised in his own words.” [06:30]
2. Stan Webb and D-Day at Juno Beach
[06:39]
- Submitted by Andy: The tale of his late father-in-law, Stan Webb.
- Stan grew up poor in Bermondsey, London, and worked as a camera repair apprentice before being conscripted into the Navy.
- On D-Day, Stan’s LCT landed Canadian armour at Juno; a mine detonated, distorting the landing ramp and trapping tanks.
- Under fire, Stan used a sledgehammer to flatten the ramp, oblivious until his CO shouted, “Webb, get yourself in cover…because some bastard is trying to shoot you.” [08:00]
- Much of D-day included body recovery, a memory Stan seldom discussed.
- After the war, Stan pursued education and a career in psychiatric social work—a success he himself considered unremarkable.
- Notable line (from Andy): “Stan lived ‘til well into his 90s. He said, as so many of his generation did, that he had an easy time of it. I think otherwise.” [09:10]
3. Royal Navy U-Boat Hunts and the Toll of War
[09:16]
- From Meredith: Tells of her father, a New Zealander, who served on HMS Cambrian and previously on HMS Garlies during the Atlantic campaign.
- Describes the 38-hour U-boat hunt for U358, enabled by Bletchley Park intelligence, culminating in devastating loss of life on both sides.
- After the destruction of HMS Gould, only one German survivor from U358 was taken; over 50 German sailors perished in frigid water.
- Her father was haunted by these events for decades, occasionally brought to tears by memories of “those poor devils.”
- Memorable moment: Letter home referencing a psalm “written in the depths of despair by a heart long troubled with sorrow and with woe Selah.” [11:55]
- Closing image: Family pride at his funeral, marked by the singing of “For those in peril on the sea.”
4. Dunkirk and the Sacrifice of Samuel Baldry
[12:24]
- Submitted by Miles: The Dunkirk experience of his great-grandfather, Samuel William George Baldry, a crewman on the drifter Yorkshire Lass.
- During Operation Dynamo, Samuel leapt into the water to save soldiers after the Bourrasque disaster but was wounded, likely by exploding depth charges.
- Required surgery and metal plates in both legs but returned to sea for the duration of the war and continued as a fisherman afterward.
- Prideful reflection (from Miles): “I feel immensely proud that my great grandfather played a role in one of the most pivotal events in British history…” [13:54]
- James offers to research Yorkshire Lass and the event further.
5. Saved by Magic: The Magician Who Missed the Boat
[14:06]
- From Mike: Focuses on his parents’ remarkable war stories.
- Father, Geoffrey Allen Vincent, was spared a fatal journey when, as an amateur magician, he was asked to stay behind and entertain ambassadors; the ship he missed was torpedoed with all hands lost.
- Mother, Margaret Vivian Stone, joined the WRNs, installed radios and secret radar in fighter planes, and braved harrowing test flights as the youngest in her unit (and frequent target for pilots’ aerobatic jokes).
- Quirky anecdote: “My mother…often threw up as the pilots would deliberately do acrobatic loops to tease her.” [15:30]
- After the war, both parents studied at university and later married, connecting through shared grief and resilience.
6. Merchant Navy: The Fate of Leo Galvin
[16:42]
- From Clive: Remembers his father's uncle, Leo Galvin, a Liverpool merchant seaman.
- Leo sailed with the Blue Funnel Line, killed after the Asphalion was torpedoed in the Bay of Bengal; he died of injuries in a lifeboat after superheated steam scalded him.
- Personal discovery: Clive found Leo’s story, including a sketch and poignant remembrance, by chance in a second-hand autobiography.
- Touching author tribute: “A sunburned, blue eyed, humorous, kindly and courageous Liverpudlian. With him and his kind under a gentleman captain and professional officers, I had grown up.” (from George King's memoir, quoted by Clive) [20:30]
7. Golfing with Admiral Tovey and Survival in the Java Sea
[21:36]
- From Charlotte: Shares stories of her father, Norman “Freddie” Power, an RNVR sub-lieutenant on HMS King George V and later HMS Exeter.
- Fondly recalls tales of playing golf with Admiral Tovey and of the remarkable social life and amenities at Scapa Flow.
- Freddie requested a transfer from “boredom” at Scapa—was sent to HMS Exeter and captured in the Java Sea, spending three and a half years as a POW in Japan.
- Wry advice (from Charlotte): “Be careful what you wish for.” [23:50]
- Letters home are preserved at the Imperial War Museum and the Scapa Museum.
8. HMS Black Prince: A Wartime Odyssey
[24:05]
- From David: Uncle served as radar operator aboard HMS Black Prince, joining at 18, seeing action from D-Day to the Pacific and the Japanese surrender at Hong Kong.
- Ship only lost two men throughout the war, both from accidents; David notes his research through plans and archives but laments the unknown details of his uncle’s specific radar post.
- Poignant closing: “It’s nice to know the sacrifice and hardship taken by people like my uncle isn’t forgotten.” [25:40]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “Webb, get yourself in cover…because some bastard is trying to shoot you.” — Stan’s CO, as retold by Andy [08:00]
- “He was a generous, kind and gentle man and I feel very fortunate to have his wartime experiences immortalised in his own words.” — Michael on Jack Plunkett [06:30]
- “A sunburned, blue eyed, humorous, kindly and courageous Liverpudlian. With him and his kind under a gentleman captain and professional officers, I had grown up.” — Quoted from George King’s memoir about Leo Galvin [20:30]
- “Be careful what you wish for.” — Charlotte, reflecting on her father’s POW ordeal [23:50]
Episode Flow & Tone
- Alternates between sober reflection and light-hearted asides.
- Honors the gravity of loss, trauma, and resilience, while warming the atmosphere with personal quirks and moments of unexpected survival.
- Al and James interject with historical context, supportive research offers, and expressions of gratitude for contributors.
Timestamps Overview
- [03:47] – Start of Family Stories: Jack Plunkett
- [06:39] – Stan Webb’s D-Day story
- [09:16] – Meredith’s U-Boat hunt and its emotional aftermath
- [12:24] – Dunkirk rescue story: Samuel Baldry
- [14:06] – Mike’s parents: the magician and the wireless operator
- [16:42] – Leo Galvin, the merchant seaman
- [21:36] – Golf, Admiral Tovey, and HMS Exeter POW experience
- [24:05] – HMS Black Prince in WWII
- [25:51] – End, call for more listener submissions
Summary
This “Family Stories” episode shines a light on the extraordinary and the everyday within the WWII naval experience—courageous escapes, innovations in technology, ordinary heroism, and the enduring human cost of war. Listeners are invited to reflect on their own family histories and the essential acts, big and small, that together formed the backbone of the Allied war effort at sea.