WW2 the last heroes (1 Viewer)

[Rob]

Anyone else been catching this Channel 4 series over here? I have taped them all and only yesterday started watching them. They are quite an impressive mix of newly discovered or rare footage, interviews with veterans and reenactments and special effects. The rare footage is good to see, the special effects with live ammo is ok but not really needed to be honest, but as usual its the words of the surviving soldiers that steal the show and bring a lump to the throat.

Was watching an episode about the fight for Caen that was both moving and shocking. We all know the disparity in the quality of the armour both sides had, but it really brought home the sheer Horror of trying to take on a Tiger in a Sherman even from close range. Tearful ex tankers described watching their mates Tanks go up in flames and never even seeing the enemy. One Sherman Commander described how as he stood in his turret a Tiger appeared and fired at his Tank at the very same moment he happened to spread his legs, the 88mm round went into the Sherman and through his legs, (I do not post this in any flippant or humorous way at all )and out through the other side, a fraction higher and it would have cut him in half. The Horrors of the Bocage cannot be underestimated.

A Welsh Soldier described how the Germans would fire into the Trees and bring clouds of splinters raining down onto them. He told how is friend had his cheekbone exposed buy a huge gash from one of these splinters and blood was pouring from the wound in a torrent. Using both their field dressings he tried to stem the flow but as he did so an officer came by yelling ' Leave him, get forward, leave him get forward' he had to obey orders and carry on. He has spent over sixty years wondering what happened to his mate who he had to leave there that day. Five years ago he discovered he had died of blood loss that day and he wept as he said he wished he could have had the knowledge and chance to save him.

I've watched War films and docu's since I was about seven, but its the words of the men who did these things that will always mean the most. I know we've all said this many many times on this forum, but us guys today are so lucky we don't even know the half of it. We can moan about the weather, the credit card or the cost of TS's, but we really are the fortunate ones because of what that generation did for us.

I will remember this this coming rememberance Sunday when I pause for the two min silence.

Rob

 

[uksubs]

Anyone else been catching this Channel 4 series over here? I have taped them all and only yesterday started watching them. They are quite an impressive mix of newly discovered or rare footage, interviews with veterans and reenactments and special effects. The rare footage is good to see, the special effects with live ammo is ok but not really needed to be honest, but as usual its the words of the surviving soldiers that steal the show and bring a lump to the throat.

Was watching an episode about the fight for Caen that was both moving and shocking. We all know the disparity in the quality of the armour both sides had, but it really brought home the sheer Horror of trying to take on a Tiger in a Sherman even from close range. Tearful ex tankers described watching their mates Tanks go up in flames and never even seeing the enemy. One Sherman Commander described how as he stood in his turret a Tiger appeared and fired at his Tank at the very same moment he happened to spread his legs, the 88mm round went into the Sherman and through his legs, (I do not post this in any flippant or humorous way at all )and out through the other side, a fraction higher and it would have cut him in half. The Horrors of the Bocage cannot be underestimated.

A Welsh Soldier described how the Germans would fire into the Trees and bring clouds of splinters raining down onto them. He told how is friend had his cheekbone exposed buy a huge gash from one of these splinters and blood was pouring from the wound in a torrent. Using both their field dressings he tried to stem the flow but as he did so an officer came by yelling ' Leave him, get forward, leave him get forward' he had to obey orders and carry on. He has spent over sixty years wondering what happened to his mate who he had to leave there that day. Five years ago he discovered he had died of blood loss that day and he wept as he said he wished he could have had the knowledge and chance to save him.

I've watched War films and docu's since I was about seven, but its the words of the men who did these things that will always mean the most. I know we've all said this many many times on this forum, but us guys today are so lucky we don't even know the half of it. We can moan about the weather, the credit card or the cost of TS's, but we really are the fortunate ones because of what that generation did for us.

I will remember this this coming rememberance Sunday when I pause for the two min silence. I know you will too.

Rob

I've sky+ mate and see there a program about the dambusters on BBC2 this week as well

 

[Mitch]

I have taped and just watched one this morning. They are very good and, looking forward to the dambuster doc. Been really spoilt with excellent programmes recently
Mitch

 

[Rob]

Mitch, Neil, yes we are really lucky at the moment. I've also taped docu's on the Cockelshell Heroes, Bletchley Park, the Spitfire, there is a new WW1 series on C5 and even the Land Girls is back on BBC1! (bit frothy but I like period tv series)

Rob

 

[Mitch]

I have all taped except the land gorls. The spitfire doc was excellent and good that they followed one pilot. The cockleshell heroes was superb and, showed the courage and expertise of these guys really well.

Another I recently watched and thought was excellent was the Mossie raid on the french prison narrated by Martin Shaw
Mitch

 

[uksubs]

Mitch, Neil, yes we are really lucky at the moment. I've also taped docu's on the Cockelshell Heroes, Bletchley Park, the Spitfire, there is a new WW1 series on C5 and even the Land Girls is back on BBC1! (bit frothy but I like period tv series)

Rob

Yep got that lot on my sky+ to watch as well, what the Land Girls like Rod ?

 

[Rob]

Yep got that lot on my sky+ to watch as well, what the Land Girls like Rod ?

Its ok Neil, not brilliant as its a day time WW2 soap sort of thing, but I love that period so I don't mind watching it if its on. There was also quite a good air raid scene at an airfield as the opening scene of the opening episode yesterday. Quite realistic for that time of day as it featured sudden violent death of a leading character, injury and destruction. Its well done and is I understand an award winning series. Maybe not something you'd want the dvd of but as I say not bad.

Rob

 

[Currahee Chris]

...............but we really are the fortunate ones because of what that generation did for us.

or what the current generation is giving to us right now.

I always take extreme exception to the titles for some of these documentaries "the last heroes", "the greatest generation", etc. Makes it sound like the warriors since haven't done anything, which is far from the truth.

 

[Rob]

or what the current generation is giving to us right now.

I always take extreme exception to the titles for some of these documentaries "the last heroes", "the greatest generation", etc. Makes it sound like the warriors since haven't done anything, which is far from the truth.

Mate, it was ' WW2 the last heroes' . Meaning heroes from that War, I doubt any offence is meant

Rob

 

[Currahee Chris]

Mate, it was ' WW2 the last heroes' . Meaning heroes from that War, I doubt any offence is meant

Rob

It's my God given right to quickly jump to conclusions, please do not infringe upon that!! {sm4}{sm4}

Cheers Rob!!
CC

 

[Rob]

It's my God given right to quickly jump to conclusions, please do not infringe upon that!! {sm4}{sm4}

Cheers Rob!!
CC

^&grin

And here was I thinking it was my better half who has that God given right!:wink2:^&grin

Cheers mate

Rob

 

[Mitch]

Have to say Chris that the generation that fought in the great war were a unique one. No disrespect to what has gone on since but, they are a generation simply apart from anything we have seen or, ever will.

Taking into consideration the whole picture but, I would bet in 100 years they will still be seen as that and, it will prevail over any of the conflicts since. You surely must admit that?

Anyway, I have just watched the second programme and it was very good looking forward to seeing the home front battle to win the war
Mitch

 

[uksubs]

Thought the dam buster was good last night

 

[uksubs]

Its ok Neil, not brilliant as its a day time WW2 soap sort of thing, but I love that period so I don't mind watching it if its on. There was also quite a good air raid scene at an airfield as the opening scene of the opening episode yesterday. Quite realistic for that time of day as it featured sudden violent death of a leading character, injury and destruction. Its well done and is I understand an award winning series. Maybe not something you'd want the dvd of but as I say not bad.

Rob

Cheer for that Rob

 

[Mitch]

Have not seen it yet watching it later
Mitch

Thought the dam buster was good last night

 

[Rob]

Have not seen it yet watching it later
Mitch

Same here, you gotta love Sky/Virgin boxes haven't you!

Rob

 

[uksubs]

Same here, you gotta love Sky/Virgin boxes haven't you!
t
Rob

You can even record your programs from your phone with the sky+ ap^&cool

 

[chris2269]

Great info I'll have to see if I can find them via torrents online and watch.

I have to give a shout out to Currahee Chris for having Iron Maidens "The Trooper" as his Avatar

 

[uksubs]

Great info I'll have to see if I can find them via torrents online and watch.

I have to give a shout out to Currahee Chris for having Iron Maidens "The Trooper" as his Avatar

You can still watch them on the BBC Iplayer mate:wink2:

 

[Currahee Chris]

Taking into consideration the whole picture but, I would bet in 100 years they will still be seen as that and, it will prevail over any of the conflicts since. You surely must admit that?

Perhaps, though it might depend on where one lives as well. Certainly I feel a very strong contention could be made for the generation that fought the american civil war or even the revolution as our greatest generations. Certainly people living within living memory of those events might tend to agree. No, unfortunately, perhaps I am a tad cynical, I think some of the luster of the WW2 generation will fade as we get further removed from the events. Battles like Normandy, Bulge, Iwo will fade into distant memory like Gettysburg, Yorktowne, etc. Certainly the historians of the future will see WW2 for what it was but not sure the general consensus of the populace would agree.

Regarding the current conflicts, who knows as they are current and the epilogue has yet to be written. I just know scores of these young men and women have served 3,4,5 some as high as 9 deployments in the combat zones. Admittedly, the intensity of the battles may not be what some of the WW2 generation but in terms of frontline time, time deployed away from friends and family, there are scores of men and women on active duty that got WW2 vets beat hands down in terms of combat time.

Ever thought of it at this angle? Perhaps the WW2 generation was the greatest generation because of the mobilization effort that EVERYONE- both abroad and on the homefront- underwent. I once said to a good friend of mine "Thank God we don't have to face the Nazis these days as I don't know if we'd have the stomach for it." He looked at me and said "Oh, I dunno, the blood of those old horses runs through us today."

I've often thought that the generation before the WW2 generation was the greatest- onset of the industrial revolution which played a huge part in propelling the US towards international superpower and then getting their families and communities through the depression and then WW2.

Interesting discourse but alas, I have taken this thread wildly off topic- sorry Rob. {sm2}