CONTENT

The guest today is Stuart Lyle, the Urban Operations Lead at the UK’s Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, or Dstl, part of the Ministry of Defence.

For more than 12 years, Stuart has studied how modern armies fight in cities, leading work on everything from urban explosive ordnance disposal and wargaming to adversary doctrine and lessons from recent conflicts. His particular focus is on how data and emerging technology can help us better understand, and fight, the increasingly complex urban battle.

Stuart is also the designer behind the British Army’s Urban Phalanx platoon and Block Buster brigade concepts, ideas that are helping shape the Army’s thinking about the future of warfare. He also teaches urban operations across the UK Armed Forces and to international partners, including at the Defence Academy.

I am also joined by regular contributor Neale Smiles a former soldier working in the defence industry.

On this pod we discuss why modern militaries must engage in urban warfare. He identifies critical drivers for urban combat, including political significance, topographical necessity, and the natural survivability buildings offer to defenders. The discussion highlights how emerging technologies, such as thermobaric weapons and uncrewed systems, are fundamentally altering tactical approaches to high-intensity street fighting. Stuart also critiques current training limitations, arguing that simulation and garrison-based exercises are essential to prepare soldiers for the cognitive load of a digitised battlefield. Ultimately, he emphasises that as global populations shift toward mega-cities and slums, the ability to operate in complex built environments remains a universal military requirement.

Stuart's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Concrete Hell - Urban Warfare From Stalingrad To Iraq" by Lous A DiMarco. Neales choice is"African Days Hollywood Nights" by Michael Peirce.

WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES

Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.

"BUY ME A COFFEE"

If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.

Facebook @lateo82.

Twitter @TheUCS473.

Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.

Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.

This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENT

The guest today is Geraint Jones best selling author, screen writer, podcast host and ghost writer. He is also former British infantryman who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. The discussion focuses on his book, Voices of Victory, which compiles eyewitness accounts of British soldiers fighting through Germany during the final months of World War II. Gez emphasizes the importance of oral history and preserving the raw, personal experiences of frontline troops to prevent them from becoming mere data points in strategic records. He highlights the extreme psychological and physical toll of the campaign, noting how replacements often faced intense combat with minimal training. The conversation also explores the lasting impact of combat on veterans, drawing parallels between the trauma experienced by soldiers in WW2 and today's soldiers. The human cost of victory and the necessity of remembering individual stories to understand the true nature of war also features.

Gez's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Shogun" by James Clavell. My choice is Gez's Book "Voices of Victory - Powerful eye witness accounts of the battle to take Germany, Feb 1945 to VE Day ".

Gez's podcast Veteran State of Mind is here - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/veteran-state-of-mind-network/id1450720132

His web site is here - https://www.geraintjonesmedia.com/

WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES

Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.

"BUY ME A COFFEE"

If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.

Facebook @lateo82.

Twitter @TheUCS473.

Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.

Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.

This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

CONTENT

The guest today is Gemma Gardner, a British Army veteran who moved into performance psychology. After experiencing mental health issues following her medical discharge, she developed the Orus framework, which focuses on the five pillars of awareness, understanding, regulation, identity, and stability. The discussion highlights the psychological difficulties soldiers face when their military identity is stripped away, often leading to a loss of purpose and confidence in civilian life. Gemma emphasizes the importance of proactive transition planning to help veterans navigate life after service and advocates for better education on the cultural differences between military and civilian workplaces. We also discuss how veterans can redefine themselves and find new outlets for their service-oriented values.

Gemma's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Papa Papa Blues - A Memoir Of 80s To 90s Policing And Combat Sports" by CJ Brett. My choice is "Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius.

WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICES

Most of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales.

"BUY ME A COFFEE"

If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Instagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.

Facebook @lateo82.

Twitter @TheUCS473.

Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.

Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com.

This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.