History of Modern Britain

Is anyone else watching this. I find it compulsive viewing. I wish Andrew Marr went into more detail as it's only an overview, but it's very good nonetheless. Last night it was Harold Wilson and Ted Heath. I can vaguely remember Wilson, and definitely remember Heath and his 3 day week. Last night was painful in a way - all the failures of the 1960s and 1970s, Britain in sharp and seemingly terminal decline.

Next week we have Callaghan and Thatcher, if you haven't been watching then do tune in, it's terrific.

[Stingo]

Damn - missed it -forgot - was a tad tired.

Never mind - will tune in next week...

No!
Did catch Dan and Peter Snows Battlefields of the 20th Century on BBC2 Monday. First one was about the Battle of Amiens 1918. (the beginning of the end of WW1) Next week - Battle of Midway. V. Good stuff imo.

Ed, sorry for the highjack! Will def try and catch next weeks episode re: Thatcher.

Originally Posted by Steve H

No!
Did catch Dan and Peter Snows Battlefields of the 20th Century on BBC2 Monday. First one was about the Battle of Amiens 1918. (the beginning of the end of WW1) Next week - Battle of Midway. V. Good stuff imo.

Ed, sorry for the highjack! Will def try and catch next weeks episode re: Thatcher.

A few years ago we were in the Loire valley - it was o boring that we came home early but via Amiens and had a look at the battlefields. It's truly shocking. War memorials and cemeteries are all over - often small little fields with a few graves, sometimes far bigger, and all immaculately tended, in many cases by the descendants of the farmers who owned the firelds, and who are still immensely grateful - what a shocking waste of human life.

[Luckypants]

Originally Posted by Ed

A few years ago we were in the Loire valley - it was o boring that we came home early but via Amiens and had a look at the battlefields. It's truly shocking. War memorials and cemeteries are all over - often small little fields with a few graves, sometimes far bigger, and all immaculately tended, in many cases by the descendants of the farmers who owned the firelds, and who are still immensely grateful - what a shocking waste of human life.

I've yet to meet anyone who is not moved by the war cemetries of Belgium and France. The sheer scale of the slaughter is beyond our comprehension.

I visited the Menin Gate at Ypres, which has the names of 54,896 men that died during WW1 in that area and have no known grave. The French are still grateful for the sacrifice of so many and close the gate every night at 8.00 pm while buglers sound The Last Post. It was a humbling experience to be there.

I have it taped to watch glad to know its going to be good! The thing that always chokes me up about the huge gravesites is that a lot of these men were only 17-ish. "Shocking waste" doesnt seem to cover it. I always make time on Anzac day (rememberance day to you lot) to say thank you, but it feels that they wasted their lives for politics.

Originally Posted by Ed

A few years ago we were in the Loire valley - it was o boring that we came home early but via Amiens and had a look at the battlefields. It's truly shocking. War memorials and cemeteries are all over - often small little fields with a few graves, sometimes far bigger, and all immaculately tended, in many cases by the descendants of the farmers who owned the firelds, and who are still immensely grateful - what a shocking waste of human life.

Yep. Flanders is much the same. Tyne Cot Cemetery beggars belief. So many from the Commonwealth - now they really were a long way from home.