For more information about the county that is now my home drop in on the Visit Herefordshire website.

This ambitious series set out to reveal the stories of ordinary men and women who achieved extraordinary things, whilst living, working and fighting on the Home Front in Britain throughout the Second World War. Travelling the length and breadth of the UK, I searched deep into the heart of a nation at war, gathering untold stories of bravery and sacrifice from those that were actually there. Combining rare archive, moving and emotional first accounts from survivors, and a journey of discovery covering thousands of miles, I uncovered the wartime past that kept Britain in the fight at home and across the globe througout our darkest days. It is a journey that tells us much about ourselves as a country, when at a time of crisis, duty and determination paved the way toward final victory.

The series ran daily from Monday to Friday for two weeks and the summary below will give you a flavour of what we covered in the show.

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EPISODE ONE – Northern Ireland

How We Won The War: Jules travels to Northern Ireland where he discovers how the people of Belfast survived one of the war’s worst blitz attacks; helped raise enough money to build 17 spitfires, and how one woman tricked her employers so she could save the life of a baby elephant.

EPISODE TWO – Scotland

How We Won The War: Jules arrives in Scotland as he continues his quest to seek out the stories of a nation at war. Getting to grips with rationing, Jules tastes some wartime treats; discovers the dangers faced by hundreds of women in secret munitions factories, and hears relatives recount the tales of the youngest victims of the war effort.

EPISODE THREE – North East England

How We Won The War: Jules reaches North East England in his travels around the United Kingdom seeking out the wartime stories of ordinary people at war. Jules discovers Churchill’s clandestine guerrilla army -ready to see off invasion at any cost;explores the largest air raid shelter outside Londonand gets stuck into the work faced by hundreds of Lumberjills - the women who worked the country’s war time forests

EPISODE FOUR – Yorkshire

How We Won The War: Jules arrives in Yorkshire in his travels across the United Kingdom seeking out the World War II stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Starting in Sheffield Jules meets two women who survived danger and sexism in Sheffield’s steel mills; he uncovers the story of a Hull herowho led the city through dark times only toend up behind bars, and how a Goat not only worked his way up the ranks to become an Air Commodore, but helped his squadron to stunning successes in the fight against the Luftwaffe.

EPISODE FIVE – The Midlands

How We Won The War: On today’s programme Jules journeys through the Midlands to hear about the emotional bonds formed between American paratroopers and the people of Nottingham; he travels the canals to explore how a small band of women kept essential supplies flowing during the war and, discovers how the factories of Birmingham provided just about everything we needed in our fight against Nazi Germany.

EPISODE SIX- The Home Counties

How We Won The War: Jules explores the Home Counties’ contribution to World War II as he continues his journey around the United Kingdom. Jules turns his hand to some of the experimental weapons dreamt upby a secretive organisation known as Churchill’s Toyshop; delves into the dark art of the country’s wartime black propaganda ministry, and puts some of today’s Girl Guides through their paces – World War II style!

EPISODE SEVEN – London

How We Won The War: On today’s programme Jules visits the capital to meet a volunteer who found himself battling the horror of the blitz as a teenage Fire Fighter; hears harrowing stories of children who escaped Nazi occupied Europe, and two courageous women describe how they helped defend the capital’s skies from the Luftwaffe.

EPISODE EIGHT – The South West

How We Won The War: Jules arrives in South West England as he continues his travels around the United Kingdom uncovering stories from the Home Front in World War II. On today’s programme he reveals how a nation of knitters kept our troops in the fight; he meets the relatives of some of the country’s bravest women – special agents sent into occupied Europe, and discovers how not even wartime rationing was enough to make people eat green coloured honey!

EPISODE NINE – Wales

How We Won The War: Jules comes home to Wales in the penultimate episode of his journeyto uncover the war time stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Today he discovers how 70 prisoners of war made a daring escape from a prison near Bridgend. In Cardiff he hears how women operated barrage balloons the size of two London buses to keep German bombers at bay; and there is an emotional reunion as a London born evacuee is taken back to the Welsh village that became his home throughout the war.

EPISODE TEN – The North West

How We Won The War: In the last of the series, Jules reaches North West England in his journey around Britain revealing how the Home Front kept the nation going during the Second World War. Today he discovers how an army of women helped keep the nation fed throughout the conflict; he explores the world of the performers who kept troops and civilians entertained throughout their darkest hours, and the bravery and sacrifice of the nation’s pigeons who flew into harms’ way to keep us in the fight.

Rowcroft provides specialist care to patients with progressive, life-limiting illnesses. To find out more and support their wonderful work see:

http://www.rowcrofthospice.org.uk/

The series is also avaliable as a podcast;

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/country/all

This year’s new series is now being broadcast, on BBC One, at 3pm most weekday afternoons. You can also catch the show on the BBC iplayer, and at other selected times throughout the BBC Schedule. Please check the listings for the latest information.

Watch out for regular contributions from me to this very popular publication. I recently combined two important parts of my working life in an article for Countryfile magazine about Escaping to the Country!

Watch this space!

See some of Jules’ past articles here

Broadcast over Christmas 2011, my passion for military history saw me through as the winner of the specialist round with questions on the Battle for Arnhem, ‘Operation Market Garden’, against some very tough competition! I was finally beaten into second place by comedian Justin Moorhouse following the general knowledge round. Celebrity contestants are given a donation to pass on to a charity of their choice and I was delighted to support the ongoing work of the Ghurka Welfare Trust.

http://www.gwt.org.uk/

He’s been out working with me on Countryfile and Open Country, so you may spot him sometime!

Sadly, he’s just been diagnosed with elbow dysplasia so we are having to take extra special care of him. Big thank you to Helen & Sally at Canine Hydrocare and all at Belmont Vets in Hereford for their support for him too.

It’s not all hard work though!