Did anyone else get bored and wonder off halfway through?

I think my media-addled mind just couldn't watch a war story that wasn't in the Saving Private Band Of Blackhawk Down stylee.

 

Don't tell me - the good guys lost, right?

 

Agree rev, it was watchable, just abit odd the way it was portrayed, the advertising 4 this prog was better than the programme u just knew what was going to happen in the shed though!

 

I disagree - although shot on a budget I thought in some respects it was better than band of brothers - which looked 'slick' by comparison. The scenes when when the Royal Warwicks in the barn realised they were about to be executed were very upsetting, esp with the officer's increasingly worried pleas about their treatment up to that point. The casual disdain with which the SS guy chucked in the hand grenades in were truely horrifying. I wanted to find the nearest German and give him a good kicking.

The cutting betwen the naval operation, the squaddies and the scenes between Churchill and Halifax was superb - it gave a real sense of the imminent catastrophe facing this country in 1940.

Don't forget if the BEF has not escaped from France and we had been forced to sue for peace - or the Germans invaded, the World today would have been an entirely different place.

 

Have to agree with you their Boss, my mind was thinking exactly the same.
Cheers
Colin

 

Does anyone know if it's repeated?
Ta

 

I recorded this for my lad last night (he's 12). Though reading the above comments it sounds like it may be unsuitable viewing.

Can anyone let me know if I should let him watch it?

Thanks, Nick.

 

its quite disturbing the way they treated the pow's, u wouldnt want to be caught by the SS Leibstandarte, there atrocities are well documentated, as for leting a 12 year old watch, it is quite frank & shocking, but not bloodthirsty

 

there was some occasional 'language' used - but to be honest I'd say it would be a good thing to show your lad if he's interested in history.

Part 2 on BBC 2 tonight.

 

I was not very impressed with the way the programme was presented, it showed the cheap approach to making it with the constant close ups mixed with a little of the real scenes from the actual affair.

My father was taken prisoner in the desert and spent 4 years in various prison camps. Although he did not like to talk about it much,he did say that they were comparatively well treated by the Wermacht. The SS were evil men and were expected to commit atrocities to justify their membership. I was very sorry to see that the leader of the "gang" which committed the murder of the Brits got away with it through "lack of evidence". What a dreadful situation to be in for our troops at Dunkirk though!

Les

 

Two and a half years in the making. I thought it was really very good. The executions were sickening and the total lack of discipline among the BEF sappers was enlightening.

I believe it's on for the next two nights. Compelling viewing IMO

UB

 

Agree 100% UB.

100 Royal Norfolks were also massacred by a unit of the SS Totenkopf division during Dunkirk - however 2 soldiers survived and identified the unit commander after the war - who was subsequently hanged.

go here for the full story

http://mackillers.8m.com/paradis.html

 

Agree with UB and BH - thought it was very good. Outraged by what they did in the barn, "just doing their job" eh?! Well thats what you always hear these days. That was a despicable act, and the fact that no one was ever brought to justice for it is disgraceful

 

the bit in the barn reminded me of the total brutality of war, just like the bit in saving private ryan were the gi & the german were wrestling around upstairs with the knife & the german told him to shushhh the wars over 4u, christ i was so mad watching it & even days later it still riled me. The SS were obviously no angels but the allies also werent totally squeeky clean

 

...and yet my uncle was captured by the SS Panzer Grenadiers (I forget which division) at Arnhem, and although he obviously didn't enjoy the experience he didn't have a bad thing to say about them.

Just goes to show that even thoroughgoing scumbags like the SS weren't all bad...

SB

 

I have to agree in the main with Leslie.
they didn't have the budget and it showed
However it is still an interesting programme for those that are interested in 1940.
They even had a shot of some Russian aircraft in it tonight!

Steve

 

I watched the second episode and have to say it was much better than the first one,quite enjoyed watching it. The most interesting bit is the interviews with those who were there of course. I recorded the last one.

Les

 

For a 12 year old "I'm a celebrity get me out of here" is probably more fun to watch. But when the 12 year old grows up and starts to question values the reality of what life at the sharp end of a war is, of course, far more relevant. He can then get a grip on why things have changed and then if he becomes Prime Minister he will be better able to judge whether to commit the country to war for example. 12 years old can take a lot of TV brutality. Certainly he should watch it. I was slightly embarrased by my own lack of knowlege of so much that was shown. I also questioned whether I would have the guts to do what those guys did. DL