Battle of Arnhem Tour of Duty reality show

Well, I watched both episodes and apart from the fact that a few kids from Croydon now know something about the Battle of Arnhem I thought it was pretty poor. Why, oh why do these TV programmes continue to make such basic errors, who the hell does the research for them!!

For instance, one of the veterans who was interviewed was Colin Hall. Mr. Hall served in 10 Para and was taken POW at Oosterbeek. Whenever he appeared his name was put at the bottom of the screen with the words "Colin Hall 2nd Para Brigade". Now unless I've missed something the 10th Battalion were part of 4th Para Brigade. Yes, I know it's a small point but it really annoys the hell out of me when these programmes get such a basic thing wrong.

That said, the final part where the youngsters attended the Service at Oosterbeek Cemetery was well done and, as has been said previously on this thread, I do believe the Croydon bunch finally "got it".

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

I have to agree with you Paul, about the 2nd Para Bridge bit......who was the so-called 'technical adviser' for this programme.....someone who probably thought Arnhem was in Belgium????
I also noted Steve W's comment... if you watched the progamme as a complete novice would you have gleaned the fact that most of the men who fought at Arnhem came by glider rather than parachuted in????? In fact I can't recall the word glider ever being mentioned....but on balance it was a 'parachute' programme not an airlanding one.....

 

Is there a Channel 5 version of iPlayer. I got called in to work last night and forgot to tape the second half?

 

Is there a Channel 5 version of iPlayer. I got called in to work last night and forgot to tape the second half?




Try this Jamie:

http://www.five.tv/shows/battle-of-arnhem-tour-of-duty/episodes/episode-1-219



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

 

Well I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the unmistakable Lofty's back.lol

 

I suppose, all things considered, when you compare it to other "reality" shows on TV (or as I prefer to call them "programmes for the hard of thinking") it wasn't too bad and did what it said on the tin, namely to teach a group of about a battle in WW2.
However, IMHO, the best documentary is the one narrated by Frank Steer called "Arnhem, A Bridge Too Far-The True Story". I don't know if this has ever been broadcast on the TV though ..............

 

Well I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the unmistakable Lofty's back.lol

Must have missed that bit Dave! Although for the life of me I don't know how!

 

Hi Drew
Re Croydon, I was born there 1938, but have at last escaped to East Sussex thank God.
Re the programme I was pleasntly surprised, although the "kids" were supposed to go through the same training as the troops did in 1944 it was not the same BUT they did jump from a DC3 at 1,500 ft so I take my hat off to them, those that stayed the course.
Rotherfield

 

Try this Jamie:


http://www.five.tv/shows/battle-of-arnhem-tour-of-duty/episodes/episode-1-219




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



Cheers matey!

 

I also noted Steve W's comment... if you watched the progamme as a complete novice would you have gleaned the fact that most of the men who fought at Arnhem came by glider rather than parachuted in????? In fact I can't recall the word glider ever being mentioned....but on balance it was a 'parachute' programme not an airlanding one.....

The word wasn't used but there was the briefest of glimpses of the back end of a Horsa on the archive footage.

Agreed, it was parachute and not airlanding focused, but it would have been good to have seen the youngsters being told about how the paratroops' heavy equipment was delivered.

The constant reference to the largest airborne assault of all time could have been qualified by saying that three airborne divisions were involved, two of which were American, and the Polish Independent Parachute Brigade. I understand that there is a strong Polish Community in Croydon, so that link would have been well made.

As has been said by others, the doc was a low budget one but, in this case, less could definitely have produced more.

Steve W.

 

Originally Posted by Paul Pariso
Hi Stan,
Can you confirm that Colin's book is going to be published "properly" as a paperback?

Hello, I'd said I'd post when the book "Dropped In It" written by Colin Hall, an Arnhem veteran, is out in paperback. It's on Amazon.co.uk now

Dropped In It - the autobiography of a Cotswold Boy and Arnhem Veteran: Amazon.co.uk: Colin Hall, Deborah K. Hall: Books

 

I wonder where they rounded up the SS panzer Divisions as the opposition and will seem farcial without real bangs going off and the fear of the reality of war
Hello Jedburgh 22; I have seen the Dutch version. Of course the fearful elements that you mentioned, were missing. But even so, the result was that the Dutch teenagers had enormeous respect for the young kids in September 1944 who did have to face all those factors for our (Dutch) freedom. For that reason it was a good program. Chris V