Official Foyle's War TV Series Research Request.

An Official Foyle's War TV Series Research Request, needing to create a historically accurate shipping document paper trail based on the German's side of things as a key prop.
- Instant Gratification wanted! Cheers!

Cross posted here to save them some time. Edit: While she waits for Otto to accept her membership here.

See: http://www.ww2f.com/topic/51634-research-for-tv-drama-foyles-war/

 

Would it not be better for a genuine UK based researcher for "Foyle's War" to join the forum as a member, introduce themselves and then make a direct request to other members? Is the person truly an official "Foyle's War" series researcher?

I have watched every episode of "Foyle's War" and always found they have had some good storylines with the historical background well researched.

Personally, I would have thought a good place to start would have been the German archives (Bundesarchiv):
http://www.bundesarchiv.de/index.html.en

 

Hi there,
I posted the request Fred mentioned.
http://www.ww2f.com/...ama-foyles-war/
I've had to edit it as I was giving too much away!!
Please let me know if you think I should post the request anywhere else.
I'm not sure how I could prove I am indeed working on the show. Please let me know if you think of some way I could and I would be happy to.
Just to give you some idea of how it works, there are no general or "official" researchers on the show. The crew is divided into many departments: costume, make-up, art dept, locations, scripts, sound etc.
We have a number of weeks 'prep' and everybody on the crew researchers their specific area. Without exception, people that work in TV are perfectionists and strive for complete historically accuracy if they are working on a period show.
The series has been filmed all over the country and has a different crew every time.
The last one was filmed in Dublin with a largely Irish team. This one is in Liverpool with a lot of local crew.
I am a freelance graphic designer and it is my job to research and create or source things like signage, posters, photos, maps, documents, food packaging etc.
I have worked on productions set in this period and have tried the obvious routes of enquiry.
I have tried the Bundesarchiv. Unfortunately we really don't have the funds for me to go over there in person. We also don't have the funds to employ a professional researcher. I have emailed them, but I am not hopefully of a reply any time soon.
My main concern is time. The nature of the TV industry is that they squeeze as much work out if you in as short amount of time as possible.
I only have just 3 weeks of prep on this project before we start filming the 3 episodes so I have to gather research and references as fast as possible.
So if anybody out there can suggest anywhere I can get the information. Please let me know!
Thanks.

 

Edited. Fixed.

(There has been some software glitches on ww2f.com and ww2talk.com's new forum service provider.)

 

good day fred Wilson.m.yesterday.07:44pm.re:foyle's war tv series,just to let you know you can buy the tv,series.I have a copy.it is well presented,regards bernard85

 

Fred Wilson

why is it that you live in Vernon - and have all the Foyle's War segments - whereas I living not a million miles away at Agassiz- with a zillion channels just get lucky now and then to catch even

one a week - like to-night from Burnaby - a years old - old segment...

Cheers

 

Foyle9

Welcome aboard !

Have left you some comment here on ww2f.com
http://www.ww2f.com/topic/51634-research-for-tv-drama-foyles-war/#entry568544

Ron
http://ronsactualarmyalbum.blogspot.co.uk/

 

Hey Tom. I go hang gliding at Agassiz frequently. Mt Woodside & Bridal Falls are famous West Coast Scenic flying sites.
Next time through your way I'll drop by. Be nice to meet face to face!

The reason I get such a selection of channels? I live ± in the bush. Satellite TV Service.

 

Fred

we also lived in the bush - but they called it Bella Vista overlooking the lake - i'm on York off Mc Donald

Cheers

 

Hello,

I'm doing a bit of research for 'Foyle's War' and I am struggling to find some quite obscure documents that I can use to make some props.

I need some examples of German shipping documentation from around 1942:

A Journey log of a merchant ship.
A detailed list of cargo on board a merchant ship. (The ships is carrying food, cigarettes, whisky etc)

I am struggling to find many German shipping records from WWII. If I could speak German, it would be a lot easier!

Even if I could find British equivalents, that would be a start. Its difficult to explain without giving the story away but lets just say the ship is controlled by Germans as part of an undercover business operation, not necessarily the Kriegsmarine- it's a private operation. I may have to employ a bit of artistic license as it is a fictional story very loosely based on some real events.
Sorry to be vague but I don't want to give away the story.

Many thanks,
Mary

 

Hello Mary,

The following is the load carried by the German ship Elsa Essberger. She had put into her base at Bordeaux on 23 August 1941 she completed loading late October 1941 and sailed in November of that year......

Rubber................4,059 - tons
Tyres...................266.4
Tin Ore................30.2
Wood Oil..............17
Walnut Oil............57
Leather Goods.....85.9
Buffalo Hides .......27.1
Gut.......................14
Coffee..................23.9
Dried Eggs...........65
Dammar................52
Tin........................55.6
Tungsten Ore.......48.2
Coconut Oil..........334.6
Shelled Peanuts...900
Sole Leather........57.7
Hemp...................189.7
Animal Tallow.......169
Tea......................106.7
Nutmeg.................7.5
Miscellaneous......110.9

Elsa Essberger was a blockade runner but at one time was a support ship to the German Raiders Orion and Atlantis.

She was attacked by a Liberator of No.120 Squadron on 11 January 1942. Damaged, the ship put into the Spanish port of Ferrol on 12 January 1942. She remained here for just under two months, transferring some of her cargo to other smaller ships and finally reached the Gironde / Bordeaux early in March 1942

 

Mary, I saw your post before the edit and with that in mind I have something that might be of interest.
I have a copy of a label of a certain German pharmaceutical company but with a twist. It was forged in WWII for SOE to apply to their products in order to discredit the company.
The label uses the company branding but with a spurious message added.

I might have some WW2-era stationery from a shipping company as well.

Lee

 

This file at Kew might also give some useful examples of a shipping manifest to use as a basis for a prop: http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/Details?uri=C11235071

Is the manifest supposed to be from an Allied or German merchant ship?

 

Hi Peter,
Thank-you for your reply.
It's really useful to know the kind of amounts and cargo a ship may carry.
Where did you get this information. Do you have a visual of the original document by any chance?

Mary

 

From http://www.ww2f.com/topic/51634-research-for-tv-drama-foyles-war/
- Again. It is German Commercial Maritime shipping Documents that she is looking for, Circa 1942. But British could get them started on the right track.

 

Link already here
could mods please merge

http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/51071-research-for-tv-drama/



regards
Clive

 

There can be so many posts here in a day that novice members can soon discover they can not find their original post, not remembering which forum it was in.
- Same think happened over on ww2f.com.

Also the search function on this new forum is annoyingly poor.

Plus be aware that there has been a flurry of software glitches on these and other Invision Power Forums I am a member of over the past week or so. A wide range of similar issues.
Posts disappearing, replies disappearing, html being plugged into edited posts, duplicated posts...
- many items have been posted onto their tech support list. http://community.invisionpower.com/

 

I'm having exactly that problem Fred!

Thanks for the reply Lee,
I'm surprised I didn't see the item at the National Archives as it looks like it could be helpful. I am researching dozens of other things at the moment though so it must have slipped through the net.
As for the other item you mentioned, it does sound interesting but I don't think I would have a use for it. Thank-you though.
The WW2-era stationary from a shipping company could be useful though. What exactly do you have?

Mary

 

Fred,

Do you have access to Netflix? Here in Ontario all 22 episodes are available. The first month is usually free. Great series!!

Cheers,
Don

 

Mary, sorry I've been searching my files for the shipping stationery but can't find it anywhere. It'll probably turn up when it's too late but if I do find it in the meantime I'll let you know.

Lee