Somme Battlefields Forum

PaulReed

This is being shown on Tuesday 15th November @ 9pm UK time and covers a dig at Serre in the area of the Heidenkopf. There is another one the next day on Beaumont Hamel.

See their website:

http://discoverychannel.co.uk/finding_the_fallen/index.shtml

I watched the first one on Flanders last night and wasn't too impressed; it was one of the most bizarre WW1 programmes I have seen in a while. Will be interesting to see their treatment of the Somme.
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Simon Moston · Joined: 10 Nov 2005 Posts: 2

Ypres programme truly strange - but more than made up for by the programme on Serre.

NML really have now set the standard for 'digs' on the western front. I salute them.

PaulReed · Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:33 pm Post subject:

I have watched the first three of these covering Ypres, Serre and Loos. The last one on Loos was a little better, but overall I thought it pretty poor. I cannot comment on the archaeology, but I was surpirsed at the poor history throughout and lack of historiography; there were also a large amount of conflicting statements and others that did not make sense: one minute at the Serre the barbed wire was so thick that no-one could get in, the next there was a big battle in the middle of the Heidenkopf. I wonder what the Beaumont Hamel programme will be like - that is on Civilisation at 9pm tonight and then Discovery in the afternoon tomorrow.

Comments anyone?
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PaulReed · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 12:19 pm Post subject:

Watched the episode on Baeumont Hamel yesterday; once again very poor history, with a large number of factual errors and the whole team jumping to wild conclusions about what they were finding. I sincerely hope those involved will write up something on this - it is always difficult to judge how in depth the treatment has been from TV presentation.

Could have been an excellent series; instead it has been a major let down. Last one on 3rd Ypres on tonight.
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PaulReed · Posted: Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:30 pm Post subject:

Just watched the last one on Ypres where they found a watch with the word 'England' on the back which they traced to an officer of the same name who died with the 14th Welch on 31st July. Without knowing exactly where they dug it is difficult to be sure, but it didn't look like the area where 38th Division fought?

Later in the programme it transpired the lettering on the watch actually read 'Made in England' ! Shocked

Only announced after they had found a relative of the young officer and shown him the watch!

In some ways this episode was even more bizarre than the first one! What did others think?
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dbrady · Joined: 06 Sep 2005 Posts: 47 Location: East Lancs

He was a strange one as well, the relative that is. Imagine the disappointment after getting as exited as he did, then to find it was not his great uncles watch after all (probably!).
"Bizarre" just about sums up the whole series for me.
Although I do accept that the producers of the programme have to spice things up to cover each hour long episode I thought bringing in the local fire brigade to dampen the ground and then for the archeologists to re-enact that picture was as bizarre as it gets!
Back to normality tonight with the A19 debate (repeat).....

Mark
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Remembering those who fell in front of Gombert Farm, La Becque...

ypres · Joined: 23 Nov 2005 Posts: 9 Location: East Sussex.

I missed it, but now have a copy and will be watching it on Sunday afternoon when the house is empty and quiet.
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Sapper Michael Carter 132858 177th Tunnelleing Company, Royal Engineers. 13th June 1916. Private Richard Charles White 7053 1st Bn East Surrey Regiment. 20th April 1915. L/Cpl Joseph Kitchin 17596 Grenadier Guards. 15th September 1916.