The Promise - Para's in Palestine

I'm taping it on Sky+ so trying not to read this thread at all! Eeven my daughter is watching it! but I have told her not to tell me about it, as I want to watch it all in one go!

Andy

 

Aye-That was one of the first things I noticed which made me think it was going to be good. That said it must be remembered the airborne massive wear their berets completely different today from the rest of the army, ironicaly they wear it like a 'HAT'

I see where you're going with that one Drew!! .

I'm looking forward to the second episode as I thought the first one was great. Am I right in thinking this is based (loosely) on a true story ie that of the Granddaughter finding her Grandfather's diary about Palestine??

All the best...........

 

Not just Paras being portrayed; it's great to see some other badges on maroon berets. Would have been nice to have seen even one GPR badge!

As for Belsen; 6AB were back in England in April.

Steve W.

 

After watching this last week I started to read Cordon And Search, by Dare Wilson, it is the authoritive work on 6th Airborne in Palestine, and yesterday I picked up By Blood And Fire- The Attack on the King David Hotel, by Thurston Clark.

 

Anyone else get confused last night was it me, or did they skip a bit then go back and leave you wondering what the bloody hell was going on apart from that it was very good

 

Not just Paras being portrayed; it's great to see some other badges on maroon berets. Would have been nice to have seen even one GPR badge!

As for Belsen; 6AB were back in England in April.

Steve W.

Hi Steve

my research at the moment is around 7 (LI) Parachute battalion and their action as part of 6 AB from Petershagen to Neustadt 05-08 April 1945

belsen was 'entered' 15 April

 

Anyone else get confused last night was it me, or did they skip a bit then go back and leave you wondering what the bloody hell was going on apart from that it was very good
Worked for me. They certainly know how to leave you wondering though: there's nothing like a cliff-hanger of an ending!

Although I have a sneaking suspicion that dénouement last night might not be all it seemed ...

 

I'm a bit puzzled by Captain Rowntree's accent; he doesn't sound very British to me! Is he meant to be a foreign refugee from the Nazis who joined the British Army and who, like Robert Maxwell, took a new name from a common British brand?

I've not seen anything in the publicity to suggest that it's based on an actual diary by a Para.

 

I'm a bit puzzled by Captain Rowntree's accent; he doesn't sound very British to me! Is he meant to be a foreign refugee from the Nazis who joined the British Army and who, like Robert Maxwell, took a new name from a common British brand?
It was mentioned in the first episode. You're probably spot on there as - like Captain du Maurier - he's supposed to be Czech: it hadn't occurred to me until you mentioned it. But in these PC days I suppose you couldn't call him Craven, Player or Woodbine

 

I'm a bit puzzled by Captain Rowntree's accent; he doesn't sound very British to me! Is he meant to be a foreign refugee from the Nazis who joined the British Army and who, like Robert Maxwell, took a new name from a common British brand?

I've not seen anything in the publicity to suggest that it's based on an actual diary by a Para.
It was said in last weeks episode that he is Czech, and the only book I know of is Cordon and search which is a history of 6th Airborne in Palestine, I know of no auctual diary written by a Para who was there.

 

Worked for me. They certainly know how to leave you wondering though: there's nothing like a cliff-hanger of an ending!

Although I have a sneaking suspicion that dénouement last night might not be all it seemed ...
Well they showed the Sgt leaving the Arabs house then we see the Grandaugter, reading that he is in Prison and hoping he can be forgiven for what he had done to the Arab, and when they go back it looks like he is in confinement, as for the cliffhanger ending well remember Bobby walking out the shower in Dallas

 

Thanks. I missed the bit where it was said that he was Czech.

 

No spoilers please

I've not watched last nights episode yet

 

Drew,

Think you have to find another character to idolise mate!

Last night was superb - you could really feel the frustration! The bomb at the restaurant didnt quite work for me - loads of emergency services, but not a single member of public running over.....

So far, the palestinians are shown as the dispossesed, the jewish are singled minded with a few liberals thrown in for good measure, the Brits are trying to maintain control by being liked and seem a bit surprised its not happening. Sounds about right!

Its an interesting point that prior to 1946 there wasnt a big issue - and that the post-holocaust migration caused the major friction, the need to expand leading to what we have now.

I've never really thought of it like that before - easy enough to blame Hitler, but there is then the irony that if we had dealt with Germany properly at the end of WW1 there may have been no Nazi Germany, no Holocaust and thus no modern day Israel !

My head hurts.....

Pete

 

my Dad, when he was alive always had a dislike for the Jews, because of that time and their killing British Soldiers, and in particular the Para's losses

I watched last weeks and this weeks back to back tonight-whilst I suspect its not 100% I can understand why the British soldiers disliked the Jews in Palestine.

Does anyone know what the total losses (ish) of British troops/police were in Palestine?

 

British casualties in Palestine from terrorist action during 1946 were as follows: Police, 28 killed, 35 wounded; Army and R.A.F., 45 killed, 93 wounded. In addition, 300 civilians - British, Arabs and Jews - were killed or wounded.


British Light Infantry Regiments

 

I have V+ tonights episode will post comment tommorrow.

 

I watched last weeks and this weeks back to back tonight-whilst I suspect its not 100% I can understand why the British soldiers disliked the Jews in Palestine.

Does anyone know what the total losses (ish) of British troops/police were in Palestine?
Here is a ROH which seems prety comprehensive even giving a description of the event at time of death in some cases, Roll of Honour - Databases - Palestine 1945-1948 - British Casualties - Search Results and having watched Sundays episode tied into the events of the end of last weeks which were not a dream (see my earlier post) it is given what I have learned ..........currently reading a history of 6th Airborne in Palestine as well............and been told over the years, pretty much on the money.......... and for me the Jewish terrorists were no better than the IRA in their heyday, and in some cases worse! I mean we are not only talking about former members of the British Army killing those who not so long before they had served alongside........... but killing those who had liberated them from the camps I thought Para's being blown to bits in Afghanistan, by non contact war was cowardly enough......... but Palestine in that time was to some degree much worse!! Great programme but a shameful period in Israel's history

 

The series inspired me to do some background reading on the events depicted. I was aware of the events of the period depicted, but was shocked to learn that the Irgun and Stern gangs were killing British soldiers DURING the war.

They were condemned by the Jewish Agency and Haganah, the main Jewish defence force. The Jewish fighters in the TV series all appear to be from Irgun.

Kidnappings, Beatings, Murders and Hangings

 

I watched the last one last night - The whole series gets a massive thumbs up from me. I really enjoyed it and for the first time in ages the squaddies actually looked and attacked like squaddies.

Well done Chann 4 !