BBC Dunkirk reporting (no surprises here)
Discussion
Just been on TV some English twit harping on about how Frogs "held the line", not a mention of the Britisn Army regiments who were sacrificed and left behind...
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_an...
No mention of the forced marches into Germany when hundreds either died or were killed by the Germans.
Rubbish reporting.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_an...
No mention of the forced marches into Germany when hundreds either died or were killed by the Germans.
Rubbish reporting.
There was a very interesting interview on R4 the other day with a chap who was in one of the details left to hold back the German advance while everyone else made for the beach. He was holed up defending a strategic crossing and 'basically just shot any German who came close'
They considered surrendering as they were slowly getting overrun but decided against it and kept fighting. Eventually the CO said that they should surrender as they had held out long enough but understood if anyone wanted to bail and make a run for it. The interviewee and 2 others decided to go for it, went out of the back of the building into a drainage ditch and managed a short distance before being picked up by the Wermacht.
The rest of them surrendered out front and were executed by the SS.
Very moving account form an old man still clearly affected by the incident so many years later...
They considered surrendering as they were slowly getting overrun but decided against it and kept fighting. Eventually the CO said that they should surrender as they had held out long enough but understood if anyone wanted to bail and make a run for it. The interviewee and 2 others decided to go for it, went out of the back of the building into a drainage ditch and managed a short distance before being picked up by the Wermacht.
The rest of them surrendered out front and were executed by the SS.
Very moving account form an old man still clearly affected by the incident so many years later...
Part of father's Royal Norfolk Regiment was captured at St Valery-en-Caux as part the of the 51st Highland Division. He spent the rest of the war as a POW.
Very little is ever mentioned of the plight of vast majority of POWs. He never wanted to talk about it much. I suspect life was far from the Jerry baiting antics often portrayed in the movies though.
Very little is ever mentioned of the plight of vast majority of POWs. He never wanted to talk about it much. I suspect life was far from the Jerry baiting antics often portrayed in the movies though.
colonel c said:
Very little is ever mentioned of the plight of vast majority of POWs. He never wanted to talk about it much. I suspect life was far from the Jerry baiting antics often portrayed in the movies though.
My Grandad was POW in the Far East, he never ever talked about it. I dread to think what he went through or witnessed. After the war he stayed in the Army until the '60's though.
to everyone in uniform, serving or retired.
They've been running their drama-doc from a few years ago on one of the repeat channels as well.
By and large, the BBC are best at producing dramas and documentaries on World War 2 subjects (when they bother).
Ironically, the best WW2 documentary series of all time ( The World at War) was produced by an ITV channel, Thames Television.
By and large, the BBC are best at producing dramas and documentaries on World War 2 subjects (when they bother).
Ironically, the best WW2 documentary series of all time ( The World at War) was produced by an ITV channel, Thames Television.
colonel c said:
Part of father's Royal Norfolk Regiment was captured at St Valery-en-Caux as part the of the 51st Highland Division. He spent the rest of the war as a POW.
Very little is ever mentioned of the plight of vast majority of POWs. He never wanted to talk about it much. I suspect life was far from the Jerry baiting antics often portrayed in the movies though.
Mt grandfather too - he was with the Seaforths. Got his MC taking a machine gun post.Very little is ever mentioned of the plight of vast majority of POWs. He never wanted to talk about it much. I suspect life was far from the Jerry baiting antics often portrayed in the movies though.
I miss him very much.
Mine got to the beaches and thought there was a slim chance of getting off, so him and a few mates borrowed some bikes and rode up the coast a while to a fishing village and tried to steal a boat. They were on the way out when the locals, who he could only guess did not want to be seen by Jerry to be helping the Brits, came out firing shot guns in their general direction. They were picked up just outside a mine field shortly after.
He then joined the commando's.
He then joined the commando's.
My Grandad was there too, a shell exploded peppering his back with shrapnel, he was never to fight again and they left large chunks of shrapnel in him. He did father several children before bending over while forking the garden in 1949 when a piece of metal severed the artery supplying his legs killing him, six months before my dad was born.
dougc said:
There was a very interesting interview on R4 the other day with a chap who was in one of the details left to hold back the German advance while everyone else made for the beach. He was holed up defending a strategic crossing and 'basically just shot any German who came close'
They considered surrendering as they were slowly getting overrun but decided against it and kept fighting. Eventually the CO said that they should surrender as they had held out long enough but understood if anyone wanted to bail and make a run for it. The interviewee and 2 others decided to go for it, went out of the back of the building into a drainage ditch and managed a short distance before being picked up by the Wermacht.
The rest of them surrendered out front and were executed by the SS.
Very moving account form an old man still clearly affected by the incident so many years later...
Not all of them were executed -though the SS attempted to: At Le Paradis the SS machine-gunned ninety nine men, but two survived to tell the tale and the day after, at Wormhoudt, out of an estimated one hundred that the SS tried to execute, fifteen survived. While Fritz Knoechlein (SS Obersturmfuhrer) was subsequently brought to trial and executed for Le Paradis, no-one was ever brought to book over Wormhoudt as no positive identifications were made of the SS involved.They considered surrendering as they were slowly getting overrun but decided against it and kept fighting. Eventually the CO said that they should surrender as they had held out long enough but understood if anyone wanted to bail and make a run for it. The interviewee and 2 others decided to go for it, went out of the back of the building into a drainage ditch and managed a short distance before being picked up by the Wermacht.
The rest of them surrendered out front and were executed by the SS.
Very moving account form an old man still clearly affected by the incident so many years later...
"Just been on TV some English twit harping on about how Frogs "held the line", not a mention of the Britisn Army regiments who were sacrificed and left behind..."
You would not be surprised if you visited many of the war sites in France. The degree to which the British contribution has been whitewashed is breathtaking. American, Canadian and French flags stand next to each other, but you would be hard pushed to find a British flag in most places.......
A visit to La Coupole (V2 site) was an example, no British flags in sight. A display of British WW1 stuff on the ground floor, with the larger portion of the exhibition being dedicated to the holocaust..... apparently being the main cause of WW2....
De Gaulle threw some serious mud at the British, and most of it stuck. The younger generations of French people are starting to accept the British contribution, but many older types still go along with De Gaulle, who swore that we abandoned them !
You would not be surprised if you visited many of the war sites in France. The degree to which the British contribution has been whitewashed is breathtaking. American, Canadian and French flags stand next to each other, but you would be hard pushed to find a British flag in most places.......
A visit to La Coupole (V2 site) was an example, no British flags in sight. A display of British WW1 stuff on the ground floor, with the larger portion of the exhibition being dedicated to the holocaust..... apparently being the main cause of WW2....
De Gaulle threw some serious mud at the British, and most of it stuck. The younger generations of French people are starting to accept the British contribution, but many older types still go along with De Gaulle, who swore that we abandoned them !
Eric Mc said:
Ironically, the best WW2 documentary series of all time ( The World at War) was produced by an ITV channel, Thames Television.
I always plus it when it is on, and can watch it over and over. The music is haunting, and Oliver is a great narrator.Sheets Tabuer said:
It's not just the French though, we had 5 aircraft carriers at Okinawa IIRC, never a mention.
Wasn't aware of that
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa#Bri...
edit
this is a decent enough page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dunkirk#Eva...
I remember in a doc, De Gaulle was one of only five commanders who were able to retreat in order and not be routed by the Germans in the previous battles when the Germans broke though. The other generals included Dempsey, Monty, Brooke and a fifth, can't remember the name...maybe Alexander.
Edited by Halb on Friday 28th May 12:16
Sheets Tabuer said:
My Grandad was there too, a shell exploded peppering his back with shrapnel, he was never to fight again and they left large chunks of shrapnel in him. He did father several children before bending over while forking the garden in 1949 when a piece of metal severed the artery supplying his legs killing him, six months before my dad was born.
Oh cr@p! That is totally bad luck there!! 
De Gaulle did a tour of New Orleans here in years following the war. He chose a particularly famous restaurant, Galatoire’s, that has been owned and operated by the same family for over 100 years. While a very nice restaurant and requiring proper attair, it has always had a "no reservation" policy. It is a tradition, everyone waits their turn presidents and peasants alike. When told this was the tradition and exceptions have never been made, DeGaulle felt insulted as due attention was not being paid his status and he stomped off in a huff. All in attendance was left with a bad taste regarding him to go along with the already known tales of his arrogance during the war. I of course heard this story from local old-timers so I cannot vouch for its authenticity; however, it sounds like his modus operandi.
De gaulle was a total pain in the arse, not only did he reveal secret plans but he treated britain with complete disdain after the war.
He twice vetoed our entry to the common market which was later to become the EU
I have often wondered if his attitude to the UK was because of him being frozen out in the later years of the war but I have come to the conclusion he is typically French. Indeed he tried to wipe out the notion his country was largely secure because of the British and who can forget him telling President Johnson all americans must leave French soil.
Johnson said "does that include those buried in it"
A totally odious man with napoleon complex.
He twice vetoed our entry to the common market which was later to become the EU
I have often wondered if his attitude to the UK was because of him being frozen out in the later years of the war but I have come to the conclusion he is typically French. Indeed he tried to wipe out the notion his country was largely secure because of the British and who can forget him telling President Johnson all americans must leave French soil.
Johnson said "does that include those buried in it"
A totally odious man with napoleon complex.
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