42. British Recruiting in The First and Second World Wars with Dr Harry J Sanderson

On this episode, Mark welcomes Dr Harry J Sanderson to the podcast to discuss the British approach and public perspectives to recruiting or volunteering for military service in the First and Second World Wars. Their discussion begins with the perceptions of Victorian society on military service and how there is a difference between motivations for volunteer service in 'peacetime' and 'wartime'. Most interestingly, why conflicts are remembered in different ways and the differences between the First and Second World War motivations are chatted about, as well as the delivery of a superb quote that "The Infantry will always be the thunderbolt in the hands of Jupitor to throw at the enemy". Most interesting and further detail on Harry's work will be published in Spring 2026 in a monograph titled 'The Soldier Factory'.From the macro to the micro topics of history, The History Syndicate Podcast is the forum for all with a common interest in all things history.The views expressed are those of the author and guest. They do not necessarily represent any views of any other organisation or institution.Hosted by Mark Martin.With Dr Harry J Sanderson.Edited and produced by Mark Martin.Music: Throughout History available via Podcastle.Audio: Mixed using Podcastle.Cover Art and images created using Canva and Canva DreamLab AI. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.