WW2 Unearthed - BBC1 Sunday 15 July @ 17.30

Paul.

The footage of NIH in their Cromwells did not seem to reflect the ground over which they fought on the right hand end of the Hitler Line. Was the footage just library stuff?

Regards

FdeP

 

Richard.

I do like your photo taken from the top of Monte Trocchio. Well done for getting to the top.

May I use the photo on my website?

Regards

FdeP

 

I make no apologies at all for giving this thread a "bump".

When I re-played the recording this morning I realised that there was a cracking shot of Gerry Chester as he spoke about the North Irish Horse men who are buried at Cassino and his own particular role in the regiment.

I have to admit, its a super image of a super chap

Ron

Got to agree Ron. Gerry looks great doesn't he?

Lesley

 

Paul.

The footage of NIH in their Cromwells did not seem to reflect the ground over which they fought on the right hand end of the Hitler Line. Was the footage just library stuff?

Regards

FdeP

As I mentioned earlier this particular version of the series was not edited/cut by us so I cannot remember what was used to be honest. I thought they were in Churchills not Cromwells? I don't actually recall any specific archive of the NIH in action at Cassino, so I suspect this is from a newsreel about the 4th Battle of Cassino.

 

It may well be. We are often governed by what footage is available. Would love to use IWM footage but it is too expensive.

 

You can imagine how I feel, after spending seven months working flat out, researching and writing the book that 'accompanies' the series. To have it go out in a graveyard slot, for one hour, no publicity and with a different title has, apart from anything else, ruined any chance of decent sales. Luckily for me, I wrote it for a flat fee, instead of for royalties, otherwise I can confidently say I would have lost half a year's income. As it is, I am left thinking that, beyond the fact that I enjoyed the research and met some great people, it was rather a wasted effort. I feel for everyone involved with the series. This wasn't a cheap rehash of well-known stories, and if it was centred on NI for the NI broadcast it could, if necessary, have been slightly tweaked in the voice-over department for the mainland audience - which is the equivalent of what I did when writing the book.

 

Frank,

Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa - I should have credited the photograph to our good friend Paul Hooton, who climbed it in 2008 or so. I'll correct the post above.I have been up to the top of Castellone (771 meters) with Damiano - decent view from up there, too. Not half as good as the one from the top of Cairo clearly.

Jeanh,

Seems a pretty poor way to deal with a half decent set of programmes. I'm not au fait with the machinations/commercialities of production companies/distribution deals/TV schedules, but it did strike me strange to cut it down to one episode - and given the fact that July (pre Olympics/post Wimbledon) schedules seem to be so jam packed with repeats, it was particularly strange to deal with it in such a way this month. I also noted that 'Country Tracks' that was shown the same day at 11am had a Northern Irish theme so whether the schedulers thought "let's lump into that Sunday schedule", and then someone else jammed it between two based Greenwich Naval College progammes. Proper weird stuff.

best

 

Minden

NIH in Cromwell's that's a new one - all they ever had were Churchills- and NOTat Cassino but rather Diadem when they were supporting 1st CDn Inf, Div though the Valley

just more sloppy research I suppose
Cheers

 

Tom, I did the 'sloppy research' and can assure you the original series had nothing to do with Cromwells!

 

Chaps.

My sloppy typing I am afraid. I am not sure where I got Cromwells from. They are very much Churchills - NIH only ever used Churchills.

Sorry for the confusing.

The programme was terrific. I wish that it had lasted the full three hours.

Regards

FdeP

 

Re the Northern Ireland edition, it's a shame they missed the Swordfish Squadrons that were based there for the Merchant Aircraft Carriers.

From Wikipedia:
Air party


Members of the air party and two Fairey Swordfish on the snow-covered flight deck of the MV Ancylus.




The 'air party' (on the Merchant Aircraft Carriers) was the Fleet Air Arm personnel who flew and supported the aircraft. It consisted of an air staff officer (lieutenant commander), the aircrew, a doctor, a batsman (landing control officer), ten ship's gunners, four signalmen, and three or four able seamen. Under Board of Trade regulations and to comply with the Geneva Convention they were signed onto the ship's articles as merchant ship officers and ratings. Officially they were entitled to the nominal sum of 1 shilling per month on articles, but in practice this was rarely if ever paid. The Merchant Navy part of the crew might have an extra mate and/or wireless operator but was otherwise unchanged.
The aircrew on each ship formed one flight of the MAC-ship wing which consisted of 836 and 860 Naval Air Squadrons, based at HMS Shrike, RNAS Maydown, near Derry in Northern Ireland. 836 NAS was manned by the Royal Navy and 860 NAS was manned by Dutch personnel and assigned to the two Dutch MAC-ships.
An informal, illegal benefit for aircrews was their ability to smuggle contraband without paying import duties. Aircraft were flown off to RNAS Maydown laden with goods which were usually unloaded and hidden before HM Customs could intervene.[1]

Roy

 

One of the Swordfish pilots based at Maydown, Jack Thomas, who flew patrols from the Alexia has written a fabulous collection of poems, published as "The lonely Sky and the Sea", some of which capture those days. Worth finding though may not be easy. I had my copy directly from him a couple of years ago. Another good account is Stanley Brand's "Achtung! Swordfish" - amazing how those crews would cannibalise damaged Swordfish to ensure they could keep something in the air - and all this on the deck of the ship in vile weather conditions.

 

Minden

NIH in Cromwell's that's a new one - all they ever had were Churchills- and NOTat Cassino but rather Diadem when they were supporting 1st CDn Inf, Div though the Valley

just more sloppy research I suppose
Cheers

They also had Shermans for the Italian campaign. According to the Regimental Diary (WO 170/846) they collected 15 Sherman tanks on 28 April 44 in Italy. This is the time at which they were coming over from the North Africa campaign, landing at Naples with their Churchills.
Two troops of each squadron were equipped with the Shermans. I don't know why, but I assume it was to give them extra flexibility.

 

WW2 Unearthed is now going out as Dig WW2 with Dan Snow on BBC2, 7pm, starting 28 August - 3 nights in succession, 1 hour each. Victory!!!

 

WW2 Unearthed is now going out as Dig WW2 with Dan Snow on BBC2, 7pm, starting 28 August - 3 nights in succession, 1 hour each. Victory!!!

Great stuff. I missed the first episode of the NI one and only saw the condensed 1 hour version when it was on the BBC, so I will be glued to the TV again. (Plus I just love Dan Snow)

Lesley

 

Jeanh
Quite right about NIH's Shermans - the main reason was that someone thought it good idea to insert Sherman with their 75mm Gun whereas all Churchills only had the six pounders - they soon disappeared though as they were not liked but with the losses in the liri valley they came on again at the Gothic Line and the 145th RAC refused them once more - and got ourselves new Churchill MK V's with the 95mm Bombard which we thought better -then the rotters dismantled us-a simple case as do what you are told - or else .
Cheers

 

Just watched WW2 Unearthed and found it very interesting especially listening to Gerry Chester talk about the NIH.

Cheers
Paul

 

Thanks for the additional info, Tom. Funny how different branches of the army reacted to the Bombard. The PIAT was a great success, of course, clearly the RAC liked the bombard, but when issued to the Home Guard in the early version, the Blacker Bombard, they did not command universal confidence. Lt. Colonel Herbert, commanding 3 Battalion, Wiltshire Home Guard complained in November 1941: "It is apparently now only for use against moving targets up to 75 -100 yards. Charming for the Home Guard who have to load it, from the front in full view of the enemy 100 yards away." Later in the month he lamented : "…I have no possible use for them; so they will merely add to the dumps of scrap iron already lying about in our Wiltshire villages." (National Archives ref WO 199/191 –193)
Wish i could have made contact with you while I was writing the book for the series - going more deeply into the stories than the TV programme could go. I would certainly have asked your permission to quote the D-Day Dodgers in Italy song as a link beween the Liri Valley and the beaches of D-Day. I will think of you in a couple of weeks time when I am enjoying myself in Tuscany...