Steven Broomfield Posted 8 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 8 November , 2008 I was on Richard and Judy once. Does that count? Incidentally, having had time to ponder it, I still think this was a jolly good programme. If I see a better over the 90th Anniversary-fest, I shall be extremely impressed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 8 November , 2008 Share Posted 8 November , 2008 I was on Richard and Judy once. Does that count? Only if we're allowed to remind members of the reason for your invite, Great Chooser of Words. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Noble Posted 8 November , 2008 Share Posted 8 November , 2008 Hi. Another Leeds lad, brought 'in.' My kindest regards to all concerned. Chris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 Only if we're allowed to remind members of the reason for your invite, Great Chooser of Words. Oh, please do tell! I must have missed this one... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 The tenderhooks i am sitting on are doing nothing for my comfort. Bean-spilling time, please! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 9 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 November , 2008 Richard and, indeed Judy In my defence, the Southern Daily Echo (who started the story running) did nothing to let the facts get in the way of a good story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 Brilliant! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rose of picardy Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 I am American and evidently this program was aimed at me . Unfortunately, I don't seem to be able to watch the clips because this program is "unavailable in my area." I am sure PBS will get wind of it soon and I will be able to give it a look. Don't worry, Britain( and France ! Bows to Lafayette!) gets a lot of time in Revolutionary War documentaries over here! Seriously, this sounds like a stellar program. I can easily imagine Michael Palin doing a very good job with this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 Britain..........gets a lot of time in Revolutionary War documentaries over here! Funnily enough , we don't see too many of them over here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 Richard and, indeed Judy In my defence, the Southern Daily Echo (who started the story running) did nothing to let the facts get in the way of a good story! Were they boring? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rab Posted 9 November , 2008 Share Posted 9 November , 2008 Funnily enough , we don't see too many of them over here. But we do hear a lot of english accents in American films - audio hint on how to spot the baddy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KJames Posted 12 November , 2008 Share Posted 12 November , 2008 Watched this program on BBC4 last night and thought it was superb. Fascinating to hear about parts of the war that are so often ignored in England. Liked the 3-d effects on the stills too. Well done to all involved. Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_B Posted 12 November , 2008 Share Posted 12 November , 2008 I have great respect for JHF and it's fascinating to read his comments on this thread. But personally, there was something about M.Palin presenting this programme which didn't work for me. Just too many associations with the lighter side life perhaps. The "and that wasn't quite the last" approach as the flim moved from one story to the next as the clocked ticked down to 11am and still men continued to die reminded me too much of lines from the "Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!" Monty Python sketch when the counting kept changing. I wonder if JHF and his team ever had another presenter in mind? But the one moment in this film that really failed for me was the appearance of Ellision's granddaughters ( I hope I have the the relationship right) at his grave. This turned into a kind of "this is your life moment", obviously for them it was deadly serious and moving, but Palin didn't manage to handle this well. His "oh, have this photocopy .." comment when handing them a picture of their grandfather came across as off hand, almost flippant. I wonder if the film makers had second thoughts about including these scenes at all? On one point of fact, I'd say M.Palin made a very misleading statement regarding the "National Roll of the Great War" when referring to Ellision's entry. He says "What we do know about George Ellision's war comes largely from this thing we call the National Roll of the Great War ... a compilation of ALL (my italics) those involved made up from interviews with their families after the war". I guess the "compilers" must have forgot to ask my Grandmother about her dead husband, John Henry Storer. She could have shown them his death penny and his medals, but never his grave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PMHart Posted 12 November , 2008 Share Posted 12 November , 2008 Hi, Just found this thread and would like to give my support to John Hayes Fisher and his team. I have worked with John and he is absolutely straight. He is a rare beast amongst media producers in that he is very willing to engage in debate and make his working methods transparent - as I think his blog and recent participation on this forum have shown. Of course his historical advisor Paul Reed has long played a big role on the forum and always been willing to help those who have asked for his assistance. I think it would be tragic if we attack too hard and spoil the relationship the forum has with these chums who together do more to raise the profile of the Great War than most of us ever will. We may not always agree with John's interpretations of events but they are not 'wrong-headed' or stupid, merely perhaps reflecting slightly different priorities from our own as a self defining bunch of anoracks! He is making programmes that have to appeal to a mass market and I think he does that very well indeed. Finally I laughed out loud when I read the report of Steven Bs encounter with the motorcyclists on Richard & Judy! How did I miss that? Perhaps he could try it again at Bovington and we could get forum chum 'Tankie' Hammond to drive a Mark IV over him - just once of course - as a finale! Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Broomfield Posted 12 November , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 November , 2008 I'd be flattered. Or flattened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 30 August , 2009 Share Posted 30 August , 2009 The Last Day of World War 1 was shown here in Australia on Friday night by SBS, I thoroughly enjoyed it and will be re-watching it again thanks to Tivo. I may have missed this during the program and in this thread, but though I agree with the programs on the stupidity of command and senselessness for those lost that day particularly amongst the Americans ("warm baths"), I can "see" the moral, political and psychological importance, at that time, for the retaking of Mons by the BEF both for the 1914ers, British people and the Germans. I don't recall this point being mentioned, which I found a little dissapointing, as not all loss is senseless and lack sound purpose. Would be interested in Pals views. Cheers, Hendo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 30 August , 2009 Share Posted 30 August , 2009 Glad to see it has made Australia - as always, we are the last to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
National Service 1952 Posted 12 November , 2009 Share Posted 12 November , 2009 (edited) Paul "Those that can – DO and those that can't – CRITICISE" It has always been thus and will remain so. Best Wishes Norman Content deleted - a reminder of forum rules You will not make any statements that could be construed as defamatory of an individual, group or business Edited 13 November , 2009 by MagicRat Content deleted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 13 November , 2009 Share Posted 13 November , 2009 Palin was among the attendees at Westminster Abbey this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swizz Posted 13 November , 2009 Share Posted 13 November , 2009 Palin was among the attendees at Westminster Abbey this week. Yes - he was highlighted on the TV coverage and they mentioned about his NZ relative being killed (which was mentioned briefly at the end of this programme). Swizz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulsterlad2 Posted 13 November , 2009 Share Posted 13 November , 2009 Hello Pals, Christina mentioned two things about the dates actually recorded on the French soldiers' grave markers. The first, I can understand what's going on there but the second?? Could someone explain the significance of the date and the pension thing? 1. Some French soldiers killed on 11/11/1918 had their grave crosses marked as 10/11/1918 so that it wouldn't seem that they had been sacrificed in the last few hours of the war. 2. Some French soldiers killed on 11/11/1918 had their grave crosses marked as 10/11/1918 ..... something to do with paying out pensions ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Holstein Posted 16 November , 2009 Share Posted 16 November , 2009 Some years ago I was in Vrigne-Meuse in the run-up to a commemoration ceremony to be attended the following day by the French President. I happened to meet the deputy mayor of Vrigne and I asked him why the dates on all the graves in the cemetery were the same. He explained that they had all been back-dated in order to avoid any argument over the exact moment that a man had died, as there would be no pension if he died after 11am. He specifically cited the case of one of the dead - whose name escapes me now - who was actually shot an hour after the Armistice but whose death was noted as occurring before 11am. I suppose that might be the reason if it had only happened in one place but the backdating of deaths to 10th November occurred all along the front, so it must have been a high level decision. That being so, it is more likely to have been taken to avoid families knowing that their man died on the last day. Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain mchenry Posted 16 November , 2009 Share Posted 16 November , 2009 Interesting point Christina. I wonder if this was unique to the area that you mention, the reason I say this is that in Hebuterne Cemetery, on the Somme, is a plot of French burials from WW1 amongst whom is a cross marked 11/11/18. I forget the name though and have no idea if he died before or after 1100 hrs, 11/11/18. Best regards Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ulsterlad2 Posted 16 November , 2009 Share Posted 16 November , 2009 Hi Christina. Thanks for explaining the reasons behind the French decision. Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christina Holstein Posted 16 November , 2009 Share Posted 16 November , 2009 Hello Iain, I'm interested that there should be French graves dated 11.11.18 at Hebuterne Cemetery. As far as I knew, the backdating of deaths was not just done in Vrigne-Meuse but generally along the front, so I don't know why it would be different there. Christina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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