The Journal of Joachim Hane containing his escapes and sufferings during his employment by Oliver Cromwell in France from November 1653 to February 1654

Joachim Hane, a German-born engineer, joins Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth forces and finds himself thrust into the turbulent world of 1650s France. Through his own journal entries, listeners hear a vivid blend of military science and personal ordeal as he surveys fortifications, debates artillery tactics, and navigates the uneasy alliances of a continent still reeling from civil wars. The opening months of his service reveal a restless mind wrestling with both the precision of engineering and the chaos of political intrigue.

The narrative follows Hane’s attempts to secure a strategic citadel while evading hostile patrols, offering a front‑row seat to the tense moments when mortar fire erupts and allies turn suspicious. His candid reflections on the hardships of supply shortages, language barriers, and the thin line between duty and survival bring the era to life. As the diary unfolds, listeners will sense the precarious balance between technical brilliance and the human cost of a soldier‑engineer’s precarious existence.