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Documentary on iPlayer with some very moving interviews with some of the SAS veterans
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08f00s0
Seems there's a new series on iPlayer.
Yup - rewatched the old series over the last few days or so. Reminded me how good the first series was. Quite looking forward to the next lot!
The book that is it based on is equally entertaining. Looking forward to Season 2.
I felt the book rushed through the European campaign somewhat, as if the author thought it wasn't as interesting as the desert bits. Even if the TV series needs to have some element of entertainment to it, I hope we don't stray too far into parody.
In which case, this is great fun.
anyone know the breed of that dog?
Looks like my father's Jack Russell.
I remember having "Ice Cold In Alex" as the subject matter for my MATTS 'Values & Standards' module one year.
It's an excellent film and was a perfect choice for that block.
Youngest_oab and I have the last couple of Series 1 to rewatch, but I’m looking forward to the shallow and historically inaccurate continuation of an entertaining romp with cool music…
Massively dramatised, some inaccuracy but great entertainment and some of the genuine war tales, including the SAS, are way beyond anything that could be made up. The SAS at this point were raw hard and unruly fighters, it’s still the basics of how they work now.
Oh that’s a Parsons Jack Terrier.
I liked the 'This is NOT a history lesson' at the start
Thought the soundtrack was a lot more subtle in this episode, too. Hopefully that'll pick up as they go on.
That landing scene was admirable, heartbreaking and so well done. The hell all side experienced because of one man’s vision. 🙁
And showing in one go, none of the dripfeeding nonsense:)
Am i the only one who thinks Jack O'Connell's NI accent is all over the place? He's really struggling with it and its hugely distracting. Especially as he seems to be doing a lot more talking in this series than the last one.
Massively dramatised, some inaccuracy
the 'some' in that sentence is doing all the heavy lifting. I get what they're trying to do isn't "Tell the story of the early days of the SAS with a reasonable nod to history", but it's gone so far to the the opposite extreme that it's a low budget telly version of Saving Private Ryan i.e. fictional characters in a real setting.
I enjoyed the first series, read the book on the back of it and enjoyed that, but having watched the 6 episodes of this found it lacking something. maybe because I've been cold-ridden watching it, but I thought the narrative didn't really work or go anywhere.
Am i the only one who thinks Jack O’Connell’s NI accent is all over the place?
By all accounts Maine didn't have a strong NI accent, he's a toff after all.
By all accounts Maine didn’t have a strong NI accent, he’s a toff after all.
Christ! that makes it even worse.
I enjoyed the series, unexpectedly moving in places with some great performances, particularly Theo Barklam-Biggs (plays Reg). I think they could have saved Connor Swindell's wages though.
Am i the only one who thinks Jack O’Connell’s NI accent is all over the place? He’s really struggling with it and its hugely distracting. Especially as he seems to be doing a lot more talking in this series than the last one
Paddy Maine's must be turning in his grave, whilst he was irish, he was upper class with an RP accent, in addition to that he was 6'2" tall and played second row for the British Lions, he was a very quietly spoken man who rarely swore and was extremely emphatic where his men were concerned, he also believed in discipline and hard training, so the portrayal of him couldn't be more out.
That landing in Sicily where they show them taking the town with 35 men, was actually 280 men, so i'm guessing budget didn't stretch to that!
Paddy Maine’s must be turning in his grave, whilst he was irish, he was upper class with an RP accent, in addition to that he was 6’2″ tall and played second row for the British Lions, he was a very quietly spoken man who rarely swore and was extremely emphatic where his men were concerned, he also believed in discipline and hard training, so the portrayal of him couldn’t be more out.
In one of those slightly random turns of events, my grandparents lived near Newtownards and knew the Maynes, and my Mum said after S1 that the portrayal was far from accurate. There is bonus Scrabo content later in S2, though.
Al 'Pub Landlord" Murray and his mate picking it to bits in their WW2 podcast.
I really enjoyed it, cinematography is great and pops in UHD/HDR.
It does clearly state in the opening title that it's not a historically accurate depiction, so I think if you take it as intended, it's really good entertainment with some gritty bits thrown in, as someone else above mentioned the Reg storyline.
Exactly, "Inspired by true events" and not a history lesson. But of course, the I've-read-a-book-about-the-SAS people feel the need to prove how knowledgeable they are.
“Inspired by true events” and not a history lesson.
The problem is that, if you use real people's names and historical events, it's natural for the audience to assume that it's historically accurate. If you want to make a drama, better to just create fictional characters with fictional names.
I grew up very close to Newtownards and was well aware of Blair Maynes exploits at a young age. They are rightfully proud of him in the area. I've enjoyed Rogue Heroes as entertainment but that enjoyment is always tempered by the cartoonish depiction of him. I think it is a disgrace and very disrespectful at times.
That said I have a hope that it will raise his profile enough to get him a posthumous VC, given how it was wrongfully denied at the time. A wrong even more apparent with hindsight.
You can't criticize someones actions during war when those aspects of their behavior are the very things that make them operate at the level he did. You also can't criticize someones actions following war when they have been through those experiences, and certainly suffered from extreme PTSD.
The gist of these comments probably counts for all elite troops in any war/nation/time?
I'm am looking forward to the depiction of the action that had him recommended for a VC - that was beyond fiction.
That said I have a hope that it will raise his profile enough to get him a posthumous VC
A VC citation signed off by Monty and still rejected. Fingers crossed.
Here's the citation.
Second part (5 image limit):
thols2Full Member
“Inspired by true events” and not a history lesson. But of course, the I’ve-read-a-book-about-the-SAS people feel the need to prove how knowledgeable they are.
The problem is that, if you use real people’s names and historical events, it’s natural for the audience to assume that it’s historically accurate. If you want to make a drama, better to just create fictional characters with fictional names.
But then the dullards who can't do critical thinking won't be pulled in by the letters S A S and there wouldn't be a second series.
Thanks for posting that RM.
And while I'm being a turbo-nerd, here are the DSO citations:
1. Lieutenant - Royal Ulster Rifles - 24th. February 1942
Citation:
At Sirte on 12/13 December this officer was instrumental in leading and succeeded in destroying with a small party of men, many aeroplanes, a bomb dump and a petrol dump. He led this raid in person and himself destroyed and killed many of the enemy. The task set was of the most hazardous nature, and it was due to this officer's courage and leadership that success was achieved. I cannot speak too highly of this officer's skill and devotion to duty.
2. Captain (Temporary Major) - Belfast Infantry - 21st. October 1943 Second DSO awarded as a bar on the ribbon of the first DSO
Citation:
Operation "Husky", Sicily, On July 10th 1943 & 12th July 1943, Major R.B.Mayne carried out two successful operations. The first, capture and destruction of coastal defence battery on Capo Murro Di Porco, the outcome of which was vital to the safe landing of XIII Corps. By nightfall 10/7/43, Special Raiding Squadron had captured three additional Btys, 450 prisoners as well as killing 200 to 300 Italians The second, the capture and holding of the town of Augusta. The landing was carried out in daylight, a most hazardous combined operation. By the audacity displayed the Italians were forced from their positions in masses and most valuable stores and equipment was saved from certain destruction. In both these operations it was Major Mayne's courage, determination and superb leadership which proved the key to success. He personally led his men from the landing craft in the face of heavy machine gun fire and in the case of the Augusta raid, mortar fire. By these actions he succeeded in forcing his way to ground where it was possible to form up and sum up the enemy's defences.
3. Major - Army Air Corps - 29th. March 1945
Third DSO awarded as second bar on the ribbon of the first DSO.
Citation:
Lt.Col. R.B.Mayne DSO has commanded 1st SAS Regt throughout the period of operations in France. On 7th August 44 he was dropped to the "HOUNDSWORTH" base located west of Dijon in order to co-ordinate and take charge of all available detachments of his Regiment and co-ordinate their action with a major airborne landing which was then envisaged near Paris. He then proceeded in a jeep in daylight to motor to the "GAIN" base near Paris making the complete journey in one day. On the approach of Allied forces he passed through the lines in his jeep to contact the American forces and lead back through the lines his detachment of 20 jeeps landed for operation "WALLACE". During the next few weeks he successfully penetrated the German and American lines in a jeep on four occasions in order to to lead parties of reinforcements.
It was entirely due to Lt.Col. Mayne's fine leadership and example, and due to his utter disregard of danger that the unit was able to achieve such striking success.
4. Lieutenant Colonel (Temporary) - 1st. Special Air Service Regiment - Army Air Corps, Belfast - 11th. October 1945
Citation:
On Monday April 9th 1945, Lt.Col.R.B.Mayne was ordered by the GOC 4th Canadian Armoured Division to lead his Regiment (then consisting of two armoured jeep squadrons) through the British lines and infiltrate through the German lines. His general axis of advance was N/East towards the city of Oldenburg, with the special task of clearing a path for the Canadian armoured cars and tanks, and also causing alarm and disorganisation behind the enemy lines. As subsequent events proved the task of Lt.Col. Mayne's force was entirely and completely successful. This success however was solely due to the brilliant military leadership and cool calculating courage of Lt.Col.Mayne who, by a single act of supreme bravery drove the enemy from a strongly held key village thereby breaking the crust of the enemy defences in the whole of this sector.
The following is a detailed account of the Lt.Col's individual action which called for both unsurpassed heroism and cool clear sighted military knowledge.
Lt.Col.Mayne on receiving a wireless message from the leading squadron reporting that it was heavily engaged by enemy fire and that the squadron commander had been killed immediately drove forward to the scene of the action. From the time of his arrival until the end of the action Lt.Col. Mayne was in full view of the enemy and exposed to fire from small arms, machine guns, sniper rifles and Panzerfausts. On arrival he summed up the situation in a matter of seconds and entered the nearest house alone and ensured the enemy here had either withdrawn or been killed. He then siezed a Bren gun and magazines and single handly fired burst after burst into a second house, killing or wounding the enemy there and also opened fire on the woods. He then ordered a jeep to come forward and take over his fire position before returning to the forward position where he disposed the men to the best advantage and ordered another jeep to come forward. He got into the
jeep and with another officer as rear gunner drove forward past the position where the Squadron Commander had been killed a few minutes previously and continued to point a hundred yards ahead where a further section of jeeps were halted by intense and accurate enemy fire. This section had suffered casualties and wounded owing to the heavy enemy fire and the survivors were unable at that time to influence the action in any way until the arrival of Lt.Col.Mayne. The Lt.Col. continued along the road all the time engaging the enemy with fire from his own jeep. Having swept the whole area with close range fire he turned his jeep around and drove down the road again, still in full view of the enemy. By this time the enemy had suffered heavy casualties and had started to withdraw. Never the less they maintained intense fire on the road and it appearded almost impossible to extricate the wounded who were in a ditch near to the forward jeeps. Any attempt of rescuing these men under those conditions appeared virtually suicidal owing to the highly concentrated and accurate fire of the enemy. Though he fully realised the risk he was taking Lt.Col.Mayne turned his jeep round once more and returned to try and rescue these wounded. Then by superlative determination and displaying gallantry of the very highest degree and in the face of intense enemy machine gun fire he lifted the wounded one by one into the jeep, turned round and drove back to the main body. The entire enemy positions had been wiped out, the majority of the enemy having been killed or wounded leaving a very small percentage who were now in full retreat. The Squadron having suffered no further casualties were able to continue their advance and drive deeper behind the enemy to complete their task of sabotage and destruction of the enemy.
Finally they reached a point 20 miles ahead of the advance guard of the advancing Canadian Division thus threatening the rear of the Germans who finally withdrew. From the time of the arrival of Lt.Col.Mayne his gallantry inspired all ranks. Not only did he save the lives of the wounded but he also completly defeated and destroyed the enemy.
Still think it's amazing how we was rejected for the VC for that action..
But of course, the I’ve-read-a-book-about-the-SAS people feel the need to prove how knowledgeable they are.
Not that at all, more that, if you read RM's post's above at Maine, the the real man, his actions and those of the SAS/ SRS were probably just as, if not more, unbelievable than the TV series, i personally think it would of been better if had more grounding in reality or more like the book upon which it is based, and they didn't need to "guy ritchie" what is already an amazing story.
It's a personal thing i guess.
As to having read-a-book knowledge, i’ve served along side some members of SAS as an FO directing artillery fire support onto targets from my mob, 7 Para RHA in Iraq and before that in Sierra Leone, you?
Working with mental hard men doesn't make you a mental hard man yourself. I mean, I remember drinking (The Intrepid Fox, Soho, approx 1990) with a Para who'd served in the Falklands. It doesn't mean I'm an expert on penguiins.
😀
You'd not want to be an expert on Falklands penguins, they stink....
The boathouse door.......and what colour to paint it? Is that covered in Series2?