A series of podcasts focusing on the impact of war on individuals, their families, and society in general has been developed by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
Announcing the initiative, Director of the Memorial, Brendan Nelson said that as human beings we learn best when sharing stories that open a world of possibility beyond our own lived experiences.
“The most successful way to process information is through the medium of storytelling,” Dr Nelson said.
“That is exactly what we want to do with this new and exciting podcast series.”
He said the War Memorial told the stories of the nation.
“Through the medium of podcasting, we are offering immediate access to our curators, historians, and our collection for listeners who want to know more about the Australian experience of war and conflict, wherever they are.”
He said the podcasts were not just about those who served, but also about those they loved and, often, left behind forever.
Dr Nelson said the Memorial had launched the first in a six-episode podcast, From a Whisper to a Bang!, which told the story of an Australian prisoner of war and his granddaughter’s emotional personal journey of historical empathy, her understanding of war and remembrance.
He said the episode was presented and produced by Australian broadcaster, Megan Spencer who began with her own family, investigating the story of her late grandfather, Corporal H.B. ‘Harry’ Spencer and examining the inter-generational ripple effect of his experience in World War II in which he was captured after the battle for Crete in 1941 and made a prisoner of the Germans.
Dr Nelson said monthly episodes of the podcast would be released on the Australian War Memorial website and be available through all major podcast platforms.
