BBC Interviews

[bob lembke]

I have been interviewed by the BBC on my father's service at Verdun with the German Army, for broadcast about or on November 11th, in connection with the anniversary of the Armistice. I can hardly think that I am alone. Has anyone else been approached? I believe that the interviews will be on UK domestic service, and also on the World Service, and also perhaps on BBC Online.

Bob Lembke

[Tyneside Chinaman]

Hi

I was on BBC Look North last night with presenter Gilly Hope. Her Great Uncle 20/1063 Private George Hope died of wounds in Manchester after being wounded in September as 20/Durham Light Infantry were approaching Flers.

His documents survive so we were able to work out more or less down to 100 yards where he was wounded.

John

[bob lembke]

My BBC Producer Cara Swift just e-mailed me and said that the UK domestic broadcast of at least my interview will be about 0820 GMT on the Today Programme on BBC Radio 4. As of yesterday she seemed to be at Verdun and editing the material. The material could also be broadcast on BBC World service abroad and the text will probably be posted on BBC.com . I am hoping that there will be other interviews with decendants of Verdun veterans; I was not told that, but it seems logical.

I will post if I have any more information.

Bob Lembke

[bob lembke]

Hot Flash! In the US, there will be WW I interviews on the BBC World News hour broadcast in Philadelphia at 8 PM EST on the 11th.

Bob

[bob lembke]

Hot Flash! In the US, there will be WW I interviews on the BBC World News hour broadcast in Philadelphia at 8 PM EST on the 11th.

Bob

There also is an hour of BBC news on my NPR station at 12PM EST, but I do not know if some of these interviews will be on in that time slot.

Bob

[Christina Holstein]

Bob,

I was also interviewed for Jonny Dymond's radio feature for the Today Programme on Radio 4. It has just been broadcast. It also included an interview with the great-nephew of French veteran and with the director of the Ossuary. The whole thing was about four and a half minutes long. I haven't heard from the team whether any of the interviews would be broadcast in a longer form or posted on the website in their entirety.

I was very impressed by Jonny Dymond and Cara Swift. I spent the afternoon with them at Verdun two days ago and even got them a bit muddy in some deep shell holes on the glacis of Fort Douaumont - all in the interests of creating atmosphere. They absorbed an amazing amount of information about a subject that was new to them.

Christina

[charlesmessenger]

Bob

I managed to catch a bit of you talking about the explosion at Fort Douamont. Sounded very good.

Charles M

[jay dubaya]

Heard both Bob and Christina this morning, had to dash out to get the kids to school. Always nice to put a voice to a name, thought you both made a very good show,

Jon

[bob lembke]

Bob,

I was also interviewed for Jonny Dymond's radio feature for the Today Programme on Radio 4. It has just been broadcast. It also included an interview with the great-nephew of French veteran and with the director of the Ossuary. The whole thing was about four and a half minutes long. I haven't heard from the team whether any of the interviews would be broadcast in a longer form or posted on the website in their entirety.

I was very impressed by Jonny Dymond and Cara Swift. I spent the afternoon with them at Verdun two days ago and even got them a bit muddy in some deep shell holes on the glacis of Fort Douaumont - all in the interests of creating atmosphere. They absorbed an amazing amount of information about a subject that was new to them.

Christina

Hi, Christina;

Yes, it was a very good piece, and they (Cara and Jonny) absorbed a great deal of accurate information; I am sure that you had an important role in that. About a day ago Cara said that they were finishing their editing, but that the material would be available to other BBC Programmes, so she was not sure who would use it or at what length. She also suggested that the interviews, probably at greater length, would be posted on bbc.com .

The engineer who technically set up my interview in the studio at the local National Public Radio station was very impressed when he heard that Jonny Dymond was to interview me, he thought that he had some star quality.

Bob

[per ardua per mare per terram]

I heard both interviews this morning. For others who want the experience, you can use their listen again facility:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/default.stm

[Christina Holstein]

Yes, definitely star quality. Simon McCoy, who was doing today's interviews has it too. I hope that the longer interviews will be available sometime. I'd be very interested to hear yours, Bob.

I spent an extraordinary afternoon at Verdun today. There were literally hundreds of people wandering about once the VIPs had gone. I did an interview in the Ossuary for BBC TV with Simon McCoy, followed by two more in the cemetery in front of the Ossuary. I have never seen so many people and the site of satellite vans and enormous TV vans in the Ossuary car park was extraordinary. I took the team up to Ft. Douaumont for a private visit after it was all finished and the car park was packed, as was the fort. After a rainy start the sun came out and and by the time we got to the fort the sun was setting in a pink sky and the full moon was rising. With views stretching out to the US monumont at Montfaucon and to the hills above Metz, it was very striking.

Perhaps after today people will decide that it is worth visiting Verdun after all. It's is such an overlooked battlefield and it has so much to offer.

Christina