Hello I'm James Rogers and this is the history hit World Wars podcast. In this episode we're going to be looking at the bombing of Dresden

which is without doubt one of the most controversial Allied bombing raids of the Second World War. The novel mix of high explosive

and incendiary bombs caused untold destruction. Over three days American and British bombers reduce this German city and important

transport hub to rubble leading tens of thousands dead.

And so in this unique episode of the history hit World Wars podcast first recorded for Dan Snow's history

hit. Dan talks with Ken Oatley, a veteran of World War II who took part in the bombing of Dresden.

Ken talks about what it was like and what he feels about having been

involved in this aspect of the war. He was also one of the last men to hear Guy Gibson

alive and he took part in numerous other raids.

And so in this podcast we hear can talk about Dresden,

but also about the broader wartime experiences that he underwent.

There really is no better way to learn and reflect on this important

controversial aspect of history than through the testimony of those who were

there. who were there? I was a navigator on mosquitoes for the last year of my service. I was flying for five years but in different capacities and so forth. I started off on

the pilot's course and went to Canada and was nearly within a month of my pilot's status and we were taken off that a

we were taking off that a lot of the pilots were taken off in Canada five off of those courses

to become navigators, which seemed an awful waste of time

but came back to England for another course on navigation.

They said this down to South Africa.

So I was down there for six, seven months.

Then I came back and the whole place was hiring with air crew from all over the world,

they were coming in, and although I started flying months, several years before some of them,

...