Rum Ration

Colin and Rejoy
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  • HISTORY
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Expect episodes that discuss the human aspect of warfare throughout the evolution of weapons, tactics, strategy, and leadership. Topics will vary but will always bring in the aspects that your average soldier, sailor, and aviator had to endure when giving their all for their cause. Rejoy Chatterjee and Colin Robinson are two amateur military historians who were both infantry officers in the past. They have a shared love and admiration of the camaraderie and selflessness of combatants the world over, and are eager to bring to life stories of ordinary folks who achieved the extraordinary

  1. DEC 19

    Episode 35 - Frozen Resolve: The Battle of the Bulge

    In this episode of The Rum Ration, Colin and Rejoy head to the Ardennes in December 1944 for Hitler’s last desperate Western gamble: Wacht am Rhein. With Allied supply lines stretched and American units recovering in a “quiet sector,” the assault on 16 December erupts under fog, snow, and frozen rifles. The green US 106th Division is mauled and surrounded, while stubborn holds at St. Vith and Elsenborn Ridge bleed away the Germans’ one resource they cannot replace: time (okay, and fuel - the Germans couldn't replace that either!). They also unpack the psychological chaos of Otto Skorzeny’s Operation Greif—Germans in U.S. uniforms, rumours of assassinations, and checkpoints quizzing GI's on trivia. The turning point comes at Bastogne: “Nuts!”, a Christmas airlift, and Patton’s dash north to break the siege. We close with why the attack on the Bulge failed—logistics, terrain, delays, Allied airpower—and the brutal cost that made it one of the U.S. Army’s deadliest battles. Episode suggested (and birthday-dedicated) by friend of the show, Simon McLean.

    31 min

  2. DEC 12

    Episode 31 - Annus Mirabilis: 1759 - Plains of Abraham

    In this episode of the Rum Ration Podcast, we tackle one of the most decisive half-hours in North American (and global) history: the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, 13 September 1759.Colin and Rejoy are joined by Professor Hal Klepak, Professor Emeritus of History and Strategy at the Royal Military College of Canada, to unpack how a global struggle between empires—fought in Europe, India, on the oceans, and in the forests of North America—came to a head outside Quebec City. We explore the wider Seven Years’ War, why the conquest of New France was increasingly inevitable, and how a sickly young James Wolfe and battle-hardened Louis-Joseph de Montcalm approached command in utterly different ways. From the brutal, fumbling siege of Quebec to the daring night ascent at L’Anse-au-Foulon and the disciplined British volleys that shattered Montcalm’s line, we dig into tactics, luck, and consequences. Listen in as we trace how this brief clash reshaped Canada—and helped set the stage for the American Revolution. 📬 Have Questions or Suggestions? Send us a message at info@rumration.ca. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always... Cheers to history! 🥂

    1h 33m

  3. DEC 5

    Episode 30 - Last March Home: The Story of the Unknown Soldier

    Every war leaves names etched in stone, but what about the ones who never came home at all? In this episode of Rum Ration, we trace the story of the Unknown Soldier, the man without a name who came to stand for hundreds of thousands lost in the mud and chaos of the First World War. We follow his journey from shattered French battlefields, to a midnight selection in a quiet chapel, to a gun carriage rolling through silent London streets toward Westminster Abbey. Along the way, we look at how other nations, including Canada in 2000, created their own tombs of the unknown. Then we shamelessly bring the story home to The Royal Montreal Regiment and the rediscovery of Captain Richard Steacie’s long misidentified headstone, a powerful reminder that behind every “unknown” are individuals, families, and stories. Join us as we raise a glass to them all and reflect on why remembrance never really ends. 📬 Have Questions or Suggestions? Send us a message at info@rumration.ca. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always... Cheers to history! 🥂

    13 min

  4. NOV 23

    Episode 29 - The Poppy: Symbol of Remembrance

    Remembrance Day is more than a moment of silence—it’s a story, and the poppy is its narrator. In this episode of The Rum Ration, Colin and Rejoy trace the red flower from the churned mud of the Western Front to today’s lapels. We begin with Lt.-Col. John McCrae at Ypres and the poem that launched a symbol, move to American educator Moina Michael who vowed to “keep the faith,” and meet Anna Guérin—the French organizer who scaled the idea into an international movement. Along the way, we unpack how post-war veterans’ groups competed to own remembrance before unifying around the poppy. Finally, we compare how Canada, Britain, and the United States run their campaigns today—different designs and calendars, same mission: honour the fallen, support the living. If you’ve ever pinned a poppy to your coat, this is the story behind that simple, powerful act—and why it still matters today. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always...Cheers to history! 🥂

    42 min

  5. NOV 11

    Episode 28 - War Poetry: Once More Unto the Verse

    Episode 28 of The Rum Ration, “War Poetry – Once More Unto the Verse,” raises a glass to the verses that outlasted every battle. In this special Remembrance Day episode, Rejoy and Colin explore how poetry has captured the courage, chaos, and cost of war—from Homer’s Iliad and Shakespeare’s rousing Henry V to Tennyson’s Charge of the Light Brigade and McCrae’s immortal In Flanders Fields. Joined by celebrated poet George Elliott Clarke, former Parliamentary Poet Laureate of Canada, they trace how language became both a weapon and a memorial—giving voice to soldiers’ pain and defiance across centuries. Clarke reads and reflects on these timeless works, offering insight into why war poetry still moves us today. Whether sung, shouted, or whispered from the trenches, these verses remind us that behind every uniform is a heartbeat—and sometimes, a pen. 📬 Have Questions or Suggestions? Send us a message at info@rumration.ca. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always...Cheers to history! 🥂

    1h 17m

  6. NOV 2

    Episode 27: Armoury or Bust - A Century in Westmount

    In this 27th episode of The Rum Ration, hosts Rejoy and Colin raise a glass to the century-old home of The Royal Montreal Regiment (RMR) — and the extraordinary fight it took to build it. Joined by Assistant Curator of the RMR Museum, Amynte Eygun, they uncover how the RMR nearly vanished after the First World War, saved only by the determination of its veterans and the people of Westmount. Through civic votes, creative financing, and one indomitable general, Major-General Charles Basil Price, DSO, a memorial armoury rose from blueprints to copper-roofed reality in just 209 days. Dedicated in 1925 to the 1,192 RMR soldiers who never came home, the armoury became more than a building — it was a living memorial, community hub, and symbol of resilience. A century later, its walls still echo with service, sacrifice, and the timeless reminder that some battles are fought not abroad, but at home. 📬 Have Questions or Suggestions? Send us a message at info@rumration.ca. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always...Cheers to history! 🥂

    44 min

  7. OCT 24

    Episode 26 - Submarine Gamble: Birth of Canada’s Silent Service

    On the eve of the First World War, British Columbia’s Premier pulled off one of the boldest—and strangest—arms deals in Canadian history. Two submarines vanished from Seattle under cover of darkness and reappeared flying the White Ensign. Rear-Admiral Christopher Robinson, Canada's senior submariner, joins The Rum Ration to reveal how those leaky little boats quietly launched Canada’s submarine service—and a century of undersea ingenuity. 📬 Have Questions or Suggestions? Send us a message at info@rumration.ca. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always...Cheers to history! 🥂

    1h 9m

  8. OCT 21

    Episode 25 - Popcorn and Powder Smoke: Our Favourite War Movies

    To mark The Rum Ration’s 25th episode, Colin and Rejoy swap trenches for theatre seats in “Popcorn and Powder Smoke: Our Favourite War Movies.” They explore how films—from A Bridge Too Far and All Quiet on the Western Front to Three Kings—shape how generations remember courage, chaos, and sacrifice.  Colin’s picks focus on the cost of bravery and the absurdity of war, while Rejoy’s choices—Journey’s End, All Quiet on the Western Front, and The Charge of the Light Brigade—highlight quiet endurance amid despair. Between “fantasy sponsor” breaks from Trench Brew Ale and Foxhole Flicks, they remind listeners that war movies aren’t just about explosions—they’re about humanity under fire. It’s a cinematic toast to storytelling, memory, and the soldiers who inspired them all.  Grab your rations and popcorn, and join The Rum Ration for a spirited salute to our favourite war films ever made. Available now at rumration.ca or wherever you get your podcasts (Apple, Amazon, Pocket Casts, Spotify, and YouTube). 📬 Have Questions or Suggestions? Send us a message at info@rumration.ca. Support the Podcast - If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with your friends. And as always... Cheers to history! 🥂

    1h 1m
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About

Expect episodes that discuss the human aspect of warfare throughout the evolution of weapons, tactics, strategy, and leadership. Topics will vary but will always bring in the aspects that your average soldier, sailor, and aviator had to endure when giving their all for their cause. Rejoy Chatterjee and Colin Robinson are two amateur military historians who were both infantry officers in the past. They have a shared love and admiration of the camaraderie and selflessness of combatants the world over, and are eager to bring to life stories of ordinary folks who achieved the extraordinary

Information

  • Creator
    Colin and Rejoy
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    32
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Colin and Rejoy
  • Show Website
    Rum Ration