General Talk

General Talk

General Talk is a regular podcast from the Army Benevolent Fund featuring interviews with guests from the British Army, past and present. The podcasts give an expert insight into the military's ever-changing role in the modern world and how we, as the Army’s national charity, promote the welfare of our soldiers, veterans and their families

Episodes

41: Episode 41: General Dame Sharon Nesmith

March 31, 2025 • 28 mins
In this episode of the ABF’s podcast, General Talk, Dame Sharon reflects on the balancing act of parenting while serving at the highest levels of military leadership. 
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40: Episode 40: 25th Anniversary of the lifting of the Armed Forces LGBT ban

February 26, 2025 • 31 mins
Joining host, Harry Bucknall, to discuss this anniversary and share their experiences are: Ed Hall, Chair of Fighting With Pride; Brigadier Clare Phillips CBE, Deputy Military Secretary and Chair of the Army LGBT+ Network; and Guardsman Wez Guren, serving with the 1st Battalion, the Irish Guards. 

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39: Episode 39: Academy Sergeant Major Dan Cope

January 30, 2025 • 23 mins
The Academy Sergeant Major joins host, Harry Bucknall, to talk about ‘Dan's Running Challenge’, and what it takes to become one of the Army's senior soldiers. 
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38: Episode 38: Alix and Brenda Hale

December 20, 2024 • 27 mins
In a special Christmas edition of our General Talk podcast, host Harry Bucknall chats to our ambassadors, Brenda Hale OBE, and her daughter Alix. 
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37: Episode 37: Army Apprentices Part 2

July 31, 2024 • 47 mins
July’s edition of General Talk is the second of two episodes looking at the Army Apprenticeship Programme.
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36: Episode 36: Army Apprentices Part 1

July 4, 2024 • 27 mins
Harry Bucknall, the host of our General Talk podcast, visits Marchwood Port, Southampton and learns about the unique maritime nature of the privates’ roles as trainee Port Operators and the transferable skills, and civilian qualifications they are gaining as apprentices.  
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35: Episode 35: Lt Gen Tom Copinger-Symes

April 25, 2024 • 29 mins
Host Harry Bucknall talks to Lieutenant General Tom Copinger-Symes CBE, Deputy Commander UK Strategic Command.

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34: Episode 34: Coldstream Guards Sarajevo 1994

March 20, 2024 • 33 mins
In this edition of our General Talk podcast, host Harry Bucknall and guests remember the Band of the Coldstream Guards playing for peace in Sarajevo 30 years ago.

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33: Episode 33: Daz Keelor

February 26, 2024 • 27 mins
Daz Keelor, former soldier and Cornwall veterans’ welfare campaigner, looks back on his Army career, his love of rugby and the RAOC’s amalgamation into the Royal Logistic Corps in the early 1990s. 
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32: Episode 32: Anthony Loyd

January 10, 2024 • 45 mins
Harry Bucknall talks to Anthony Loyd, The Times’ senior foreign correspondent, about reporting wars and conflicts.

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31: Episode 31: Sir Lindsay Hoyle

December 12, 2023 • 31 mins
In this Christmas edition of our General Talk podcast, host Harry Bucknall talks to the Right Honourable Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons, about life in politics.
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30: Episode 30: Mark Harding

October 12, 2023 • 17 mins
Army veteran and award-winning fundraising campaigner, Mark Harding, talks about his work for military charities and overcoming a serious injury sustained in Afghanistan. 

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29: Episode 29: Lee Harris-Hamer

September 7, 2023 • 24 mins
In this episode, Harry Bucknall talks to Lee Harris-Hamer, Royal Artillery veteran, about life after the Army as an award-winning businessman. 

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28: Episode 28: The Lord Richard Dannatt

August 3, 2023 • 34 mins
In a fascinating conversation, Lord Dannatt talks about British Army resource cuts, political and defence issues, veterans’ welfare and his new book. “Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-40”. 
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27: Episode 27: WO1 Paul Carney

July 11, 2023 • 31 mins
Army Sergeant Major WO1 Paul Carney talks about his pivotal role at British Army Headquarters.

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26: Episode 26: King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery

June 23, 2023 • 30 mins
Harry talks to King’s Troop Commanding Officer, Major Francesca Sykes, who shares her proudest moments so far as CO during many recent historic occasions, including the 2022 Platinum Jubilee when the Troop’s horses displayed such “immaculate behaviour” in a crowd of three hundred thousand cheering spectators around Hyde Park. 

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25: Episode 25: Joshua Levine

March 27, 2023 • 34 mins
Best-selling author Joshua Levine talks about the unsung heroes of the Special Air Service (SAS) during World War Two. 
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24: Episode 24: Tim Hyams CB OBE

February 23, 2023 • 29 mins
Our Chief Executive, Tim Hyams, talks about the challenges facing the Army’s national charity and the changing nature of the British Army.

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23: Episode 23: WO1 (GSM) Andrew ‘Vern’ Stokes

December 20, 2022 • 27 mins
GSM Stokes talks about masterminding the ceremonial arrangements for HM Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral and his impressive Army career in the Coldstream Guards.
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22: Episode 22: General Sir Patrick Sanders

December 8, 2022 • 31 mins
Host Harry Bucknall talks to General Sir Patrick Sanders, KCB, CBE, DSO, Chief of the General Staff, British Army. 
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