20thmaine | 04 Nov 2014 3:19 a.m. PST |
One episode in and it's amazing what I have learnt. No-one over the age of 18 joined up in the early months of WW1. Most recruits were 17 or younger. Basic Training lasted a couple of weeks tops in both Britain & Germany. Trench warfare on the Western Front started almost immediately after war broke out. It is possible to throw a hand grenade 200m. I'm not 100% sure on this last one – but I think the British & German armies used the same rifle. |
Blutarski | 04 Nov 2014 3:31 a.m. PST |
….. sounds like a good series for "The History Channel". B |
steamingdave47 | 04 Nov 2014 3:36 a.m. PST |
Recording this to watch later- don't think I'll bother if this is the quality offered. |
Rick Dangerous | 04 Nov 2014 5:22 a.m. PST |
RE: Rifles, Empire and Commonwealth forces mainly used the Lee Enfield, whilst the Imperial German army used the Mauser. I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along to specify the exact models. |
Henry Martini | 04 Nov 2014 5:58 a.m. PST |
Re the rifles, I suspect that 20thmaine is referring to the armament of the celluloid warriors, not the genuine articles, Mister D. |
Martin Rapier | 04 Nov 2014 6:45 a.m. PST |
I am recording this and will watch with interest! In the thing abut the Somme a couple of years ago half the British were armed with No 4 rifles and pig sticker bayonets, so I have no great expectations of this but hey, it is WW1 on the TV. |
Nick B | 04 Nov 2014 7:10 a.m. PST |
I was also struck by the amount of motorised transport used by the British when leaving for the front. But I loved the throwing the grenades 200m! |
Rick Dangerous | 04 Nov 2014 7:26 a.m. PST |
@Henry. Ah. I reread the OP in it's original sarcastic tone and now it makes perfect sense. The Passing Bells – one to avoid then! |
20thmaine | 04 Nov 2014 8:07 a.m. PST |
Did it need a ? "original sarcastic tone" – that's the one ! It was also nice to hear the quote from 1984, which in their frame of reference won't be written for another 34 years. |
Norman D Landings | 04 Nov 2014 12:16 p.m. PST |
Yeah, I caught about 10 seconds of this while channel-hopping… the BEF consisted of six men with Lee-Enfield No. 4s. But frankly, that's pretty much what I expected. In all contemporary UK TV WWI documentaries, dramatizations and docudramas, there are certain boxes which absolutely have to be ticked: youthful volunteers… The Somme… obtuse high command… shell-shock… the 'forgotten contribution' of (insert Commonwealth nation du jour here)… and a shoehorned love interest. Very little else ever gets a mention. If you didn't know better, watching UKTV would make you wonder why WWI was ever referred to as a 'World War', since it seems to have been fought almost entirely in France. |
20thmaine | 04 Nov 2014 2:00 p.m. PST |
Spot on there Mr Landings – the plucky Brit has met a Polish Radiologist and "romance" bloomed. She can't fix shellshock…. There is still a distinct lack of men over the age of 20 – and no officers at all. It's 1915 in episode 2. Gas, useless gas masks, and the same 2 trenches. When they go over the top their Corporal stayed behind. I laughed. Local truces (tick), no forgotten nations yet (although to be fair to them I wouldn't mind if there were – the Chinese civilians who built the narrow gauge railway would be my choice – but I likem trains !). The Somme is tomorrow. |
Martin Rapier | 04 Nov 2014 2:05 p.m. PST |
I just watched the first two episodes. It actually isn't bad, both sides do have the right rifles and are decked out in the very finest modern repro uniforms. Main anachronisms are that IR 630 appeared to be simultaneously on both the western and eastern front, and the British seem to have forgotten to put the blades of their entrenching tools in their e-tool carriers (although the helves are correctly slung on the bayonets). Shame about the leaden dialogue, two dimensional characters and paper thin 'plot'! Ah well, what do we expect. In 1914 I think we are suppose to surmise they arrive at the front in late Autumn after training and when the trenches have been constructed. The 'morning hate' might feature a spot of artillery fire as well as the long range jam tin bombs:) The Somme tomorrow, which will no doubt be entertaining as usual. I expect it will feature lots of donkeys and lions. |
inverugie | 04 Nov 2014 2:21 p.m. PST |
Agree with the technical comments (and leaden commentary), but my other half was struck by the very good artifice of not knowing that (for a British audience) that both volunteers weren't British (one from a rural and the other from a city background) until they both emerged from their respective recruiting stations, to then be harangued by very similar sounding and looking SNCOs. A nice juxtaposition. |
20thmaine | 04 Nov 2014 4:45 p.m. PST |
Yeah, I liked that last bit as well : nice twist. |
Martin Rapier | 05 Nov 2014 4:08 a.m. PST |
Yes, it was a nice twist. But only worked because the Germans were speaking English. Agh! |
20thmaine | 05 Nov 2014 5:27 a.m. PST |
I recently watched The Book Thief – and this has Germans speaking English with the occassional German word to remind you that they are German. I can see why they do it but it is a bit daft. Typical exchange might be : "Are you going somewhere after school?" "Nien, I will come straight home Papa" |
Supercilius Maximus | 05 Nov 2014 11:52 a.m. PST |
The Passing Balls might be a better title, then. |
20thmaine | 05 Nov 2014 4:30 p.m. PST |
Well, the Somme was a bit of a tidy battle after all. I think Blackadder did a better job on the trenches – these ones seem….quite nice. A little bijou perhaps, and a few chintz curtains and a throw rug might make them a trifle more homely..but….I've lived in worse. |