Episode details

Radio 5 Live,08 Nov 2021,41 mins
How Did Exploding Rats Help Win WW2?
Teach Me A Lesson with Greg James and Bella MackieAvailable for over a year
Greg James and Bella Mackie don their best spy gear for a lesson in wartime espionage from History teacher Miss Patel. Greg (Codename: Agent BaeWhizz) and Bella (00-PAL) learn how wartime recruits to the secretive Special Operations Executive (SOE) were trained up and prepared for covert activities in occupied Europe. They’ll acquire cover stories, costumes and gadgets – possibly including some exploding rats – and discover how much these real-life stories, like the amazing Noor Inayat Khan and Virginia Hall, inspired the likes of James Bond and the modern-day SAS. Bad students of all ages are welcome. Expect brilliant teachers, captivating subjects but absolutely no homework. Get in touch with your funny school stories - email us at [email protected]
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