PQ 17: An Arctic Convoy Disaster - Jeremy Clarkson

[M3DEV]

Superb program, Clarkson at his best.

[poing]

y2blade said:

Just watching this now, fascinating

Just finished watching it, brilliant story and well told.

[S13_Alan]

Digger said:

Damn. Missed the start. Hopefully it will be on Iplayer.

Has been since the other day - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b03n3297/PQ17...

[Distant]

A fantastic programme, a very moving story, and great viewing.

Top work BBC.

[Shelsleyf2]

Having just watch this the one thing that really got to me was the matter of fact way the ex merchant navy and royal navy man talked of their experiences, watching their comrades accepting death and talking of their part as though it was just one of those things. I thought how different things are today. We live in a compensation culture stress is a word used to cover the mundane and inconsequential. "A metal pricing sign fell on my head I must be due compensation!", " I was given meat incorrectly and ate it I am so stressed I need a day off work and compensation". How the world has changed.

[CrutyRammers]

Shelsleyf2 said:

Having just watch this the one thing that really got to me was the matter of fact way the ex merchant navy and royal navy man talked of their experiences, watching their comrades accepting death and talking of their part as though it was just one of those things. I thought how different things are today. We live in a compensation culture stress is a word used to cover the mundane and inconsequential. "A metal pricing sign fell on my head I must be due compensation!", " I was given meat incorrectly and ate it I am so stressed I need a day off work and compensation". How the world has changed.

The guy who was in the lifeboat where only 2 survived (?) struck me as an incredibly steely man, his control undimmed despite his age. Much respect.

[El Guapo]

MissChief said:

Caught this on I player through On Demand on my Sky box.

How very interesting.

You never know, when you spot an old boy sitting in a quiet corner of the pub, whether he might have gone through a similar ordeal.

[Halb]

For another ten year maybe.

[CrutyRammers]

I always remember my old man pointing out an old chap in the local club one night. That fellow, he said, parachuted into Arnham during Operation Market Garden. Now he was just the toilet cleaner at work.

[Riley Blue]

CrutyRammers said:

I always remember my old man pointing out an old chap in the local club one night. That fellow, he said, parachuted into Arnham during Operation Market Garden. Now he was just the toilet cleaner at work.

That's the thing - these great old men are everywhere though in ever decreasing numbers. One of my uncles was a tail gunner in bombers, my dad was in the RN and wounded when one ship was torpedoed and trapped below deck when another was mined. Both survived the war, my dad passed away a couple of years ago aged 92. Remarkable men, all of them.

[curlie467]

CrutyRammers said:

The guy who was in the lifeboat where only 2 survived (?) struck me as an incredibly steely man, his control undimmed despite his age. Much respect.

He certainly was, I think it was 4 that survived out of 20 on board. They couldn't row the boat as it was so heavy so they decided to push the dead over the side, he then went on to say "hope they were dead"!

[FiF]

Yep all so quiet and modest men. The tool room chap who sorted out metrology was ex Para from Arnhem.
The statistics clerk was ex Lancaster tail Gunner though his nerves were shot to pieces.
Father of the technical clerk was a diver from the X class mini subs.

Funeral of one grand old lad left from the Legion yesterday.

[0000]

Enjoyed this, hope we get more like it.

[Hairbrakes]

Superb program, just watched it over dinner. I hope as well that JC gets a later career in making documentaires like this!


Sadly it seems that a lot of the reviews of the program cant put petty predjudice aside

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/jan/0...

[FiF]

Hairbrakes said:

Superb program, just watched it over dinner. I hope as well that JC gets a later career in making documentaires like this!


Sadly it seems that a lot of the reviews of the program cant put petty predjudice aside

http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2014/jan/0...

It's going so well for the writer in the comments section - not.. Going as well as a Geoffrey Lean article.

[FourWheelDrift]

This is the pre-Christmas review I read - http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/television/9096362...

Cancels out any Guardian negativity.

[woody2846]

I watched this last night on the Iplayer and really enjoyed it. I thought Clarkson did a great job.
Was very well written IMO.

[Pistom]

FourWheelDrift said:

This is the pre-Christmas review I read - http://www.spectator.co.uk/arts/television/9096362...

Cancels out any Guardian negativity.

It must be good when an article labeled as negative has the following in it.

"JC actually does a splendid job. Out of a car, and on a subject he's passionate and moved and angry about, he's not just good, he's … dare I say it, almost likable."

JC could get voted for PM yet!

[FourWheelDrift]

Although this was PQ18, this photo shows the force and dangers they faced.

Ammunition ship SS Mary Luckenbach's 1,000 tons of TNT explodes after being hit by an aerial torpedo dropped by attacking German aircraft. The ship was completely destroyed and all 41 merchant sailors and 24 US guardsmen on board were killed.

It wasn't a big ship either, same size as those around.

[Nom de ploom]

stunning if horrific photograph.

I knew very little of the arctic convoys until I read Storm of War by Andrew Roberts ad more recently All Hell Let Loose by Max Hastings (both highly recommended btw).

its part of WWII history that its fair to say I think has been under exposed historically.

great documentary