Wipers Times

[ALBION28]

Great programme. By great coincidence four of us were in Ypres from last Sunday to Thursday. When we got home we saw the prog. was on and watched it.
If any of you have never been to Ypres then it is a "must do" experience.
We went to the Menin Gate on Wednesday night. It was pouring with rain but was packed with British, Belgian and many other nationals who were there to hear the last post performed by the Belgians. They have done so every night night since WW1 ended (except for German occupation in WW2). It made hairs stand at back of neck.
Ypres now fully rebuilt is a pleasant town with a nice cathedral and impressive Cloth Hall which houses the Flanders Fields fantastic museum. Pascherndale also has a very interesting WW1 museum. On our way back we called in at Vimy Ridge in France. Also a good visit.
Also, importantly, the beer was very good!!!

I second your recommendation. When I was teaching we ran annual trips to teach the children a mixture of respect and never to let this happen again. My uncles name is on one of the panels. The Germans finally got him in 1917. He had been previous blown up on the infamous Hill 60, buried up to his neck and had his head smashed with a German rifle butt to finish him off (he survived). After recovery in England he was declared fit for duty. He was never to come home to his family again. He was buried near the Cloth Hall but his grave was, like many others blown up in the continued battle. He has no known grave. In our family he is remembered to this day.

 

[Blackadder]

I second your recommendation. When I was teaching we ran annual trips to teach the children a mixture of respect and never to let this happen again. My uncles name is on one of the panels. The Germans finally got him in 1917. He had been previous blown up on the infamous Hill 60, buried up to his neck and had his head smashed with a German rifle butt to finish him off (he survived). After recovery in England he was declared fit for duty. He was never to come home to his family again. He was buried near the Cloth Hall but his grave was, like many others blown up in the continued battle. He has no known grave. In our family he is remembered to this day.

Fantastic. You must be very proud of him.

 

[The Sock of Poskett]

Excellent production - funny, moving, and powerful. Top work all concerned.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Really enjoyed this programme. My G Grandad was blown up over there - a horrific way to go - I did a bit of research of his, and his regiment's, ww1 records and it wasn't pleasant. If this was a true reflection of life in the trenches it is encouraging to know there was something to laugh about.
How the hell did they get a piano and record player in the trenches?!

 

[ofco8]

Did you visit the British church tucked behind the cathedral? Used to be a Belgium chocolate shop just off the main square leading to the gate run by a lady whose father looked after the church during the war. She was very proud of this and spent a very long time telling many a tale whilst plying me with chocolate. I ve been many a time, sadly she passed away a few years ago.

Do you mean St. George's Church? We went there. Lots about the regiments in WW1 and kneelers made for all the regiments, including a few for Royal Sussex Regiment..

 

[oneillco]

Anyone see it? Best thing I have seen telly for along long time. Brilliantly written, directed and acted. if you didn't see it have a look on the iPlayer.

Loved it too but please "along" long time?

 

[desprateseagull]

whats it about? Confessions of a Loo cleaner..?

 

[Beach Hut]

Think I might watch this on the BBC Iplayer tonight

 

[Stat Brother]

Think I might watch this on the BBC Iplayer tonight

They'll be nothing better no tonight. FACT.

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I second your recommendation. When I was teaching we ran annual trips to teach the children a mixture of respect and never to let this happen again. My uncles name is on one of the panels. The Germans finally got him in 1917. He had been previous blown up on the infamous Hill 60, buried up to his neck and had his head smashed with a German rifle butt to finish him off (he survived). After recovery in England he was declared fit for duty. He was never to come home to his family again. He was buried near the Cloth Hall but his grave was, like many others blown up in the continued battle. He has no known grave. In our family he is remembered to this day.

Never under-estimate how much we owe to your Uncle and the many, many like him

 

[Nibble]

I usually enjoy lesser known stories from the World Wars and this is a very interesting tale, although you would be hard pushed to believe it from this dramatisation. Chaplin on smirkingly charmless form, other characters no more that incidental head popper uppers and generally very dull. Gave up after 40 mins.

 

[Eggmundo]

I thought it was superb.

Didn't sensationalise the story which made the reality stand out better.

After that, the 'Harvest' series and peaky blinders I was quite happy to pay my license fee last week.

 

[Paskman]

Loved it too but please "along" long time?

Sorry, spellchecker on small handset and tapatalk. I will write it out 100 times!!!!!!

 

[Working class pride]

I missed it which is a shame as its the sort of thing I like to watch. However, I think this country has to go back to remembering the wars in the way it was when I was a kid. When I was young, it was more a sadness and even anger at the two wars, with an anger that WW1 happened at all and a sad anger that WW2 had to then be fought. Nowadays Poppy Day has become a recruitment tool for the armed forces and a flag waving jamboree for the monarchy. Perhaps because the poor blokes who I remember, who actually had to do the fighting have all but died out. The press seem to now glorify the killing and the legacy of the old WW2 veterans that I knew seems to have been lost. England is also (thankfully) much more multi cultural and people from all over the world live in London and as London is the power house of the economy it would be good if we could now look at WW1 and WW2 with a more global perspective and move on, whilst remembering the poor sods that lived through it and who lost friends and family. The flag waving and military pomp and ceremony is so wrong and out of place on Poppy Day as it was military nationalism that caused the deaths of millions during those terrible years.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

I missed it which is a shame as its the sort of thing I like to watch. However, I think this country has to go back to remembering the wars in the way it was when I was a kid. When I was young, it was more a sadness and even anger at the two wars, with an anger that WW1 happened at all and a sad anger that WW2 had to then be fought. Nowadays Poppy Day has become a recruitment tool for the armed forces and a flag waving jamboree for the monarchy. Perhaps because the poor blokes who I remember, who actually had to do the fighting have all but died out. The press seem to now glorify the killing and the legacy of the old WW2 veterans that I knew seems to have been lost. England is also (thankfully) much more multi cultural and people from all over the world live in London and as London is the power house of the economy it would be good if we could now look at WW1 and WW2 with a more global perspective and move on, whilst remembering the poor sods that lived through it and who lost friends and family. The flag waving and military pomp and ceremony is so wrong and out of place on Poppy Day as it was military nationalism that caused the deaths of millions during those terrible years.

It's undoubtedly the case that the formal remembrance of the events of WW1 is selectively managed - to serve a purpose that goes beyond merely "remembering the poor sods".

With a number of public events being planned next year to mark the centenary of WW1, I wrote, a few months ago, to the organisation that is co-ordinating commemorative events in Kent and Medway, to ask what was planned to mark the destruction of HMS Bulwark at Sheerness, on 26 November 1914. The answer that came back is ... nothing.

Why does this matter?

In terms of loss of life, the explosion on HMS Bulwark remains the second most catastrophic in the history of the UK. Over 700 men were killed, when a powerful internal explosion ripped the Bulwark apart at 7.50am on 26 November 1914 while she was moored at Number 17 buoy in Kethole Reach, four miles (6 km) west of Sheerness in the estuary of the River Medway. Out of her complement of 750, only 14 sailors survived. Two of these men subsequently died of their injuries in hospital, and almost all of the remaining survivors were seriously injured.

Why does it matter to me?

Simple. One of the men killed was Stoker 1st Class Alfred Harrison, my grandmother's brother. Much missed by his family, of course. But there is no tale of bravery to account for his death. All he seems to have been doing is eating his breakfast at the time.

I guess it's down to those of us who know about this event to remember the poor sods on our own.

 

[Norman Potting]

It's undoubtedly the case that the formal remembrance of the events of WW1 is selectively managed - to serve a purpose that goes beyond merely "remembering the poor sods".

With a number of public events being planned next year to mark the centenary of WW1, I wrote, a few months ago, to the organisation that is co-ordinating commemorative events in Kent and Medway, to ask what was planned to mark the destruction of HMS Bulwark at Sheerness, on 26 November 1914. The answer that came back is ... nothing.

Why does this matter?

In terms of loss of life, the explosion on HMS Bulwark remains the second most catastrophic in the history of the UK. Over 700 men were killed, when a powerful internal explosion ripped the Bulwark apart at 7.50am on 26 November 1914 while she was moored at Number 17 buoy in Kethole Reach, four miles (6 km) west of Sheerness in the estuary of the River Medway. Out of her complement of 750, only 14 sailors survived. Two of these men subsequently died of their injuries in hospital, and almost all of the remaining survivors were seriously injured.

Why does it matter to me?

Simple. One of the men killed was Stoker 1st Class Alfred Harrison, my grandmother's brother. Much missed by his family, of course. But there is no tale of bravery to account for his death. All he seems to have been doing is eating his breakfast at the time.

I guess it's down to those of us who know about this event to remember the poor sods on our own.

Interesting story Lord B, full details (as always with caveats regarding possible accuracy) on Wikipedia. My great grandfather was also involved in a little known (apart from in the High Brooms and Southborough areas of Tunbridge Wells from whence most of the casualties came) WW1 incident - the accidental sinking of the HMS Hythe off Gallipoli. Fortunately he lived to tell the tale but 129 of his comrades out a total death toll of 154 didn't. One can only conjecture that many of the poor b****s would not have survived the Gallipoli debacle in any case.

 

[DavidinSouthampton]

I usually enjoy lesser known stories from the World Wars and this is a very interesting tale, although you would be hard pushed to believe it from this dramatisation. Chaplin on smirkingly charmless form, other characters no more that incidental head popper uppers and generally very dull. Gave up after 40 mins.

I think I must have been watching a different programme.......

 

[Stat Brother]

For those that missed this last time round, it's being repeated bbc2 @ 9pm.

 

[LamieRobertson]

For those that missed this last time round, it's being repeated bbc2 @ 9pm.

And adapted for the stage later this year