British Army documentaries on the BBC

Just thought I would bring peoples attention to a series of programmes on the BBC on various aspects of the British Army that have just started running or are due to run soon.



The first one is a new two part series called 'The Bomb Squad' aired on BBC1. The first episode aired the other day and each episode basically follows a different EOD team on a tour of Afghanistan. Includes some very hairy helmet cam footage of IED disposal and it really makes it hit home just how brave and crazy they are fiddling around with those bombs, sometimes while under fire:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...uad_Episode_1/




The other one is a new series called 'Young Soldiers', the first episode of which was aired tonight on BBC3. It follows a group of young recruits joining the Rifles as they go through their training and eventually a tour of Afghanistan:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode...ck_of_Capture/


These two definitely worth a watch




There is also going to be a series of programmes on BBC4 as part of the 'Army: A Very British Institution' season. One of the programmes is following officer training at Sandhurst (Called 'Sandhurst: A First Encounter), due to be aired on the 19th. Another is going to be about how war has been dramatised on British Television from WW2 till today (Called 'When TV Goes to War') also due to be aired on the 19th.

Another is a documentary about performers entertaining the troops in war zones during WW2 (Called 'Entertaining the Troops') to be aired on the 22nd. Then there is another programme on the 22nd ('World War 2: 1941 and the Man of Steel) to mark the 70th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the USSR, which is basically a documentary charting the events of the invasion and how it was crucial to Britain's survival in the war.

And last but not least is a series called 'Regimental Stories' thats first going to air on the 20th on BBC4. There will be five half-hour episodes, each about a different regiment as it traces their roots and histories and sees what has made them what they are today. The first episode will feature the Royal Welsh, and the other episodes will feature the Parachute Regiment, the Royal Tank Regiment, the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and the Coldstream Guards

Obviously, being the BBC, if you miss them you will be able to catch up on Iplayer.

Sorry to our non-British members who are interested. There is always a chance they will be put up on Youtube so keep an eye out.

I've really enjoyed the documentaries on the BBC3, most of which have focused more on the Soldiers themselves, and although BBC3 gets a lot of flak for chasing the 'yoof' market, these docmentaries have been interesting, exciting, and on occasions, heartbreaking. For someone whose seen friends from school go off to join the army and come back from Afghanistan, as a lot of people from our generation has (I'm sure most British posters knows of at least one person from school/college etc who has joined up), it really showed what the Afghan war has been like for these guys, something that is often hidden behind headlines & statements by the Brass.

Ross Kemp in Afganistan's the top for me. If they can beat that, my hat goes down to them

Well Ross Kemp has recently come back from Afghanistan I believe, so there will be a third series on the way. But I don't think its really a matter of which is 'better', they are all just documentaries telling different stories. The two I have linked in the OP are definitely worth watching, especially the Bomb Squad one

Enjoyed the Ross Kemp specials. Might turn up on BBC America at some point, or online, somewhere...

Not British enough to watch I guess. Damn racists.

@ Azog 150, just watched Bomb Squad

That was INTENSE!

Seems Channel 4 is now due a documentary on British forces in Afghanistan:

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/n...new-doc-series

'Fighting on the Frontline' its called. Its a three part series and will first air on the 25th of September.

What is it with the sudden influx of documentaries I wander?

Maybe they're pulling out of the whole thing

Has anyone had a chance to watch any of these?

I watched the second episode of the Bomb Squad which, like the first, was very good viewing.

I also got a chance to watch the documentary on the Royal Welsh and the one about Sandhurst.

Several years ago, there was also a BBC documentary about the new recruits of the Royal Guard Cavalry (household cavalry?) I recall it was about 2 squads from different squadrons or regiments (not sure). Liked it enough not to search for another channel.

Originally Posted by Azog 150

Has anyone had a chance to watch any of these?

Originally Posted by Lord of the Drunk Penguin

@ Azog 150, just watched Bomb Squad

That was INTENSE!

Is anyone watching the Sandhurst documentary? The female Hooray Henry cadet is pure gold.

‘Think of a big, sweaty blacksmith in a forge bashing a metal rod. I feel like that rod being hammered into an Army officer’

Yes she said that in all seriousness.

Originally Posted by The Gurkhan

Is anyone watching the Sandhurst documentary? The female Hooray Henry cadet is pure gold.

‘Think of a big, sweaty blacksmith in a forge bashing a metal rod. I feel like that rod being hammered into an Army officer’

Yes she said that in all seriousness.

Caught that episode on iplayer last night, going to watch the second one tonight too. Cracking stuff. That Welsh officer is pure mental compared to the Colour Sergeant lol.

Young Soldiers Episode 2 is up.

Question: Is this a weekly documentary?

Yeah, its on weekly. Don't know how many episodes there will be though.

I liked the paras a few years ago

Young Soldiers' really getting to me, emotionally.

I really root for Darren because I can identify with his situation , being young and jobless , I might consider going to the army myself.

It's astonishing how much he's aged in the trailer of the fourth episode.

And the scene with Chuckles and his kids, made me bawl like a little girl. I'm not ashamed to admit it, I care for these guys and I want them to come back home safe.
Keep safe, guys!

Episode 1, Young Soldiers:



Episode 2:


You are welcome gents.

I've been watching a lot of BBC documentaries on British armed forces. Many of them are quite good. I particularly enjoyed Our War. There was also one on the Royal Marine Commandos that followed them through training and also followed one guy while he was in Afghanistan. It was pretty detailed and offered a lot of insight into their training; it was similar to Young Soldiers although perhaps more focus on their training. I can't remember the name of it, though =/.

One thing that is really shocking to me watching the aforementioned documentary on the RMs as well as Young Soldiers is just how insanely different the training is compared to my own. It's especially surprising given that the USMC was inspired/based on the RMs when it was founded and we share a strong link with them as organizations, but the training is very different. In both Young Soldiers and the RM doc it's surprising to me to see how the recruits are treated. It's very different from the American system, especially the USMC. I also find it strange how, for instance in Young Soldiers, they tell them you are now a soldier or what not on their first day after they make their oath. Then they are living in little four man rooms and waking up on their own with alarm clocks and not being screamed at or anything. Very strange to me.

As a comparison and to offer up a documentary that is also pretty interesting I highly recommend Ears, Open. Eyeballs, Click. It was a documentary done on USMC recruit training. It has no narration or explanations or anything. It's just them filming what goes on and it's very good. I saw it about a year after I joined and it was actually filmed at MCRD San Diego with 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Charlie Company... this I know because my senior drill instructor is in the documentary-- except that he's a kill-hat and not a Senior DI as the documentary was filmed about a year before I went to the Depot.

Anyway, here is a trailer. If anyone is interested let me know and I can pm them an address where they can watch the documentary online.


The second trailer showing a bit of Black Friday... My Black Friday was pretty memorable. September 11th, 2004. Wonderful day to meet my Drill Instructors lol.


AH HA! I found the Royal Marine Documentary. Here is the first part of it I think. Youtube has the only thing on it so check it out; it's quite good.