Living History with Mat McLachlan

This week marks the 210th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, the epic battle that resulted in the defeat of Napoleon and the rewriting of European history. But recent research has revealed that one man who fought at the battle had a fascinating connection with Australia. Lieutenant Andrew White of the Royal Engineers had been born in the fledgling colony of NSW, the son of a convict. His journey from colonial child to gentleman officer serving on the staff of the Duke of Wellington is one of the most remarkable tales of early Australia. Join Mat as he tells the story of Andrew White, Australia's first returned serviceman and only Waterloo veteran.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

It's been 60 years since the first Australian combat troops were deployed to Vietnam. In this episode Mat discusses the political situation that led to their deployment, their early actions and the lessons learned that helped shape our commitment to the war.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

This week marks the anniversary of the Battle of Messines, in June 1917. At the time, it was considered the greatest Allied victory of the war, and Australian and New Zealand troops played a vital role. In this episode Mat breaks down the battle, what innovative tactics helped to win it, and the huge Anzac sacrifice required to bring victory.Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

May 8 marks the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day, the day the Germans surrendered in the Second World War. Mat is joined by historian Lachlan Grant from the Australian War Memorial to discuss what this important day meant for Australians, both at home and overseas.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Lachlan GrantProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

Mat is joined again by legendary London battle guide, Steve Hunnisett, to explore more sites that tell the story of London's wartime past.Sites visited:- Salvation Army HQ, where an amateur photographer captured iconic images of London in flames during the Blitz- The Royal Exchange, where a direct bomb hit created 'the largest crater in England'- Two extraordinary war memorials - one from the Napoleonic Wars and one from the First World War - that tell the stories of Londoners who volunteered to fight- An unassuming jewellery shop, where a hero lost his life trying to foil a robbery in the dark days of WW2- The Merchant Navy Memorial, that remembers more than 35,000 sailors lost during both world wars, and tells the story of some of the most remarkable ships to ever take to sea.Watch the video version here: https://youtu.be/ZmtMluJtB74?si=3tH0bepMXPvGwSO1To book a tour of London's wartime sites with Steve, visit https://www.blitzwalkers.co.uk/Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Steve HunnisettProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

Although Australians were actively involved in the Burma campaign throughout the Second World War, this vitally important theatre of the Asia-Pacific War has fallen through the cracks of history. Mat speaks with historian Daryl Moran to reveal the service and sacrifice of Australians in this forgotten campaign.In the Fight: Australians and the War in Burma, 1942-1945, edited by Andrew Kilsby and Daryl Moran, is available now.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Daryl MoranProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

Lambis Englezos is well-known as the man who discovered a mass grave containing 250 Australian soldiers on the 1916 battlefield of Fromelles. This battle had been an unmitigated disaster, with more than 5500 Australians killed, wound or captured in only 20 hours of fighting. It is still remembered as the greatest military disaster in Australian history. In July 2025 Lambis will return to the Western Front to lead a special group tour, which will commemorate the anniversary of Fromelles and Pozieres, and also visit all the key Australian battlefields. In this episode he joins Mat to talk about the experience of walking the ground where the Anzacs fought, and why the French and Belgian battlefields continue to hold a special place in his heart.Join Lambis on this exclusive tour! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/fromelles-pozieres-anniversary-tour-2025/ for details.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: Lambis EnglezosProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV

It's the latest episode in our Q&A series. This week's questions include: Was it a war crime to drop the atomic bombs?; How can I visit Tyne Cot Cemetery in Belgium?; and is it possible to speak with Vietnam veterans?Send your questions to Mat on X (https://x.com/MatMcLachlan), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BattlefieldTours) or Insta (https://www.instagram.com/mat_mclachlan/)Presenter: Mat McLachlanProducer: Jess StebnickiFind out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.

February marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most iconic battles of the Pacific War. But why is the battle so iconic, when so many other Pacific actions have fallen through the cracks of history. Mat is joined by US historian John McManus to find out!Topics include the pivotal role of the USA in WW2; the strategic importance of Iwo Jima as part of the bombing campaign against Japan; the plans to capture the island; the bloody fighting on the landing beaches, the airfields and Mount Suribachi; the outcomes of the battle and the assessment of whether it was all worth it; and the enduring cultural significance of Iwo Jima.Presenter: Mat McLachlanGuest: John McManusProducer: Jess StebnickiJoin one of our battlefield tours and walk in the footsteps of the Anzacs! Visit https://battlefields.com.au/ for more information.Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlanFor more great history content, visit www.LivingHistoryTV.com, or subscribe to our YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/LivingHistoryTV