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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Walter's War


Chief_Chum

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Hmmm …. A bit of a firecracker to handle this one. A very modern theme in a very anachronistic setting.

Did I catch the opening message correctly ? – “ little is known of his soldiers records or experiences. What follows is fiction “

If that is the case does anyone find it difficult to see the value of something like this when the details ( but not the historical basis) are a work of fiction ?

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Well written and well acted. I found nothing OTT or unbelievable, which a less sensitive / more "axe to grind" approach could have been. Well done to all concerned, I reckon.

Chris C

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A documentary on Walter Tull, "Walter Tull: Forgotten Hero" is on BBC4 at 9pm this Thursday (13th). Hopefully we'll learn more about the real Walter and his war service there. Personally, I enjoyed "Walter's War" but would appreciate something factual after all the excellent documentaries we've had in the last week.

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Walter Tull forotten hero documentary tonight at 9 pm followed at 10pm by Walter's War the drama that was on last week

for anyone who missed it, BBC4

Carol

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May be it was just me but I was very dissapointed with this programme, or am I being over sensitive on the whole race angle? they seemed to spend much too long trying to make points and labour on the apparent racism of the times which I feel really detracted from what a truly great man Walter Tull must have been to rise above all the obstacles he faced in his life? The programme only really took off in the last 15 minutes!

As I say may be it was just me?

Regards and best wishes to you all,

Scottie

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Yes agree Scottie, i did enjoy the programme and learning about his early life, and his time as a footballer

as you know Spurs is close to my heart, and also i didn't know he was remembered on the same memorial as my Gt Grandad in Arras.

I think the presenter was hell bent on making the race point, it did seem to really upset him!

Carol

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Yes I agree too. Interesting programme even so and good to see forum member AGWR featuring.

Michelle

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Scottie I think your missing the point mate,how can you say they were spending to much time on the race card,when quiet clearly this was the case,and to keep him out of the public domain for so long is quiet appalling to me, and as a spurs fan myself Carol,did you no anything about him because I didn't.

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As I say may be it was just me?

Not just you, Scottie. I really thought labouring the completely obvious point that imperialist British society was racist tended to detract from the programme. I thought the presenter rather fancied himself being on Newsnight the way he cross-examined the guy from the NA (?) trying to get him to actually say there was racism.

What did surprise me, on the race issue, was the way in which the sports journalist commented on the racist abuse that Tull suffered in his first Spurs match. There are some modern day journos who could learn something about diversity from 100 years ago.

John

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Hudsonwhistle,

thank you for thoughts about us, just the sort of ill informed comment about somebody you don't know and possibly will never meet that stifles any honest or open debate when ever race is mentioned! You should re consider your hurtful comment please? Alas another interesting thread takes a downward spiral!

As a Spurs fan I have known about this incredible man for many years (At least 20 years) as he has appeared in match programmes and publications and I have always included him in the numerous visits I have organised for friends and colleagues to Arras over the years. I even take a page from the Daily Mail that I have kept (Think its Feb 97) that tells his story and has his picture to illustrate my talk on him.

Sadly it was MY opinion that the presenter had his own agenda, I simply thought he should have focused more on Walter Tull and his incredible story.

Regards to you all

Scottie.

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Yes I agree too. Interesting programme even so and good to see forum member AGWR featuring.

Michelle

Just out of interest, who was 'AGWR' in the programme?

Anthony

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I've not yet seen this programme, nor the biographical 'drama' from the other night, so I'll have to reserve my judgement on whether the producers got the 'race' angle right, or overdid it as Scottie and John, who have seen it, suggest. I'll not reserve judgement on hudsonwhistle's 'jackboots' (ie Nazi) comment. Totally unjustified, out of order and out of place on this Forum. An apology is in order.

Jim

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Sadly it was MY opinion that the presenter had his own agenda, I simply thought he should have focused more on Walter Tull and his incredible story.

I thought he did didn't he!

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Jim

I've posted on this on the "other" Tull thread, but my only criticism of the race issue was the labouring of the particular point as I mention above. As I said on the other, I regard this as having been a "black history", rather than "war history" programme and it was generally pretty good.

I don't request an apology from "hudsonswhistle" and certainly don't expect one. I would, however, still very much welcome an explanation as to which of my comments in post #11 s/he thought warranted the comment.

Was it the my remark that Edwardian British society was imperialistic and racist? Or was it my praise for the manner in which the Edwardian journalist vilified those who had racially abused Tull? Or, perhaps, it was when I critcised some modern day journalists for not being as forthright in their condemnation of racism? Funny old world, innit?

John

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Try that one

Well, we'll have to disagree about whether that comment of mine warrants a "jackboot" comment from you. You are, of course, entitled to your opinion - much as I might think it fanciful.

BTW, if you're interested in exploring issues of racism during the War (and if you havnt already done so) you might want to do some reading about the British West Indies Regiment. Some interesting (if not surprising) stuff around.

John

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The subject matter invites reasoned debate. It is not happening here!

Dave

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Wasn't the point of the programme trying to focus on the fact that he never received his military cross and because he was a coloured man he never did,I think its quiet shameful to be honest, so well said Hudson

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