“The Somme: Secret Tunnel Wars” BBC Four, 9pm Monday 20 May 2013”

[Seadog]

Colin I cannot find a mention of the discovery of the human remains on the web site but I may not be looking in the right place, however I was surprised that the particular find as portrayed was not elaborated on in the film itself

Norman

[Colin W Taylor]

Norman

See below on this link regarding Francois Bideau:

http://www.laboissel...oject.com/news/

It was a film concentrating on British Tunnelling - I can understand why it was chosen not to go into detail on this part.

I'm keen to get back out to France and visit on an open day.

Kind regards

Colin

[J Banning]

See http://www.laboisselleproject.com/2012/05/24/discovery-of-two-french-soldiers-2/

The burials took place in August 2012. Francois Bideau's relatives were in attendance and asked that the funeral be kept a quiet, private affair. The LBSG were represented.

[Seadog]

Thanks Colin

Norman

[RammyLad1]

I was enthralled from start to finish. Peter Barton really brought home the bravery of those moles. The emotion in his voice at times was palpable. Great presenter and historian. I hope that the BBC commision more work like this.

[keithmroberts]

Excellent. It's a shame that it was shown on a "minority" channel. Perhaps that was down to the absence of "celebrity" presenters, but to many of us Peter and the team are far more real than the pretty faces who are dropped in to front so many programmes where the work has been done by others. It's entirely fitting that the only people in the film, were those who have been key members of the project from its inception.

I enjoyed it and hope it gets many repeats as an example of how to make a military history documentary.

I really do look forward to my next opportunity to visit the site.

Keith

[MichaelBully]

Just adding my apprecation of the programme to the other comments. Very impressed and felt that I got a lot out of watching it. Well done to all those involved.

Regards, Michael Bully

[Ivor]

I was enthralled from start to finish. Peter Barton really brought home the bravery of those moles. The emotion in his voice at times was palpable. Great presenter and historian. I hope that the BBC commision more work like this.

I couldn't agree more. I was one of the lucky ones last September to be shown round the site by Peter whilst on a Leger Tour of the 'Tunnellers’ at War' which took us to the 'Glory Hole' site, the guide for this Leger tour was Jeremy banning's brother, Mark.

Not only did Peter give us a guided tour of the site, showing us other tunnel entrances and answering questions but also showed us where the French Soldier's body had been found in a shallow trench and the story around his death from where bullets from both the German and French soldiers had been found giving an idea how far the French had got towards the German lines and how close the Germans had got to the French trenches and buildings. It was fascinating. Whist Peter guided us round the site it was Jonathan Porter who took me down the 'Glory Hole' to where the shaft is dug, explaining things about clearing the shafts out, what they found, showing me the writing on the wall and the soot from the candles, etc. Not only did we go to this site but other sites where tunnelling had taken place by both sides and it brought home to me the bravery of these men and I was surprised how far back the tunnels started and how long the tunnels were before getting below the front lines.

I hope that this programme will be brought on DVD and in book form, they would both go down on my birthday/Christmas present list.

[wheelsjbl]

Having literally just finished reading Crumps and Camouflets, on Australian Tunnellers, I found out about this show. I have now seen it and am in agreement with everyone here, an Excellent program without the "dumbing down" usually seen in documentaries lately.

A story well told, by a man who obviously knows his subject and who can pass on the knowledge to others clearly and intelligently without the need to "hype it up". Aimed at an audience of adults and not

to a group of adolescents with the attention span of a gnat and probably the same intellectual capacity, which seems to be the standard fare these days.

Well done to Peter and the whole team who brought us this fascinating story.

[tanks3]

Brilliant program from start to finish. I learnt so much not only about the moles but the context of the 2 saps and there proposed effect on the day. Loved it. More please

Tanks3

[PhilB]

An excellent programme, and a superb job of presentation.

[Guest]

I didn't know the date of the attack had been given over a telephone!

Mike

[Simon Jones]

it's really not that scary when you're down there!

I have put the latest version of my database of La Boisselle Tunnellers online (over 1,000 men of 179th and 185th Tunnelling Companies), hoping for some more family contacts. https://sites.google...elletunnellers/

Simon

[sjustice]

Right proper: Proper history. Proper research. Proper teamwork. Proper presenter.

And no bullshit.

Brilliant. Well done Peter, Jeremy, Simon and all involved.

Cheers,

Simon

[Ralphed]

A great night's WW1 viewing to look forward to but why have they stuck "Only Connect" in the middle at 8.30pm ???

Victoria's got a couple of reasons i can think of.

[Ralphed]

What brilliant TV. Thought provoking from start to end. Finished all too soon. Going to watch beneath hill 60 (again) tonight.

[KIRKY]

Agree was really great, was fortunate enough that my son and I went down last year and last September Jeremy took myself and family members around the site always a great pleasure to talk to any of the people involved!

hope there are many more projects line up?

Tony

[SteveMarsdin]

Victoria's got a couple of reasons i can think of.

You'll be calling them "y-sap" and "Lochnagar" next !

Back to THE programme:

I was very impressed: a great insight into not only La Boiselle but tunnelling in general, I didn't know those tunnels at St Andrew's existed !

PS.

[Hywyn]

I'd like to add my name to all those showing their appreciation of an excellent programme, well presented.

Hywyn

[jscott]

I agree with all the comments above, a superbly researched and presented documentary. May there be many more like them. I found myself looking at my watch as it neared 10pm in the grim hope that it might be a 2 hour special!

Congrats to Peter and all involved.

Jonathan

[centurion]

I didn't know the date of the attack had been given over a telephone!

Mike

To be fair it wasn't, as the programme in effect said, it was inferred (presumably by an alert and quick witted German intelligence officer) from some one wishing someone luck in the morning. Spotting this amongst all the 'noise' in the tapped conversations shows someone was "on the ball"

At the time the British whilst becoming aware that the German were increasingly tapping the field telephone system didn't know how this was being done and weren't taking all the appropriate measures. Tragically the French had discovered the mechanism (having captured one of the machines the Germans were using) and had issued instructions to convert field telephone networks to twisted pair lines rather than earth return but didn't bother to pass the information on the the British who only made the discovery much later (by a Canadian signaller).

Found the programme very good. I had worried that it might just be a slicker version of the presentation at the GWF conference at the Taly Ho (presenting the same information) but in fact the two complimented each other very nicely. Shows what excellent value all the presentations at the conference are.

[bruce]

I can only echo what has already been said about this superb programme.

A fascinating subject, explained by someone who knows what he is talking about, and whose enthusiasm comes shining through.

Like others, I wish it had been twice as long a documentary.

Well done to all those involved.

Bruce

[keithmroberts]

For anyone who was unfortunate enough to miss it, here's a link to the BBC i-player http://t.co/RPRBj6xZOk

Copied shamelessly from jeremy Banning's post on twitter.

Keith

[Staffsyeoman]

And not a flake of Snow in sight. Absolutely top notch all around.

[centurion]

And that increasingly rare event in BBC documentaries an intelligent use of graphics. Just enough to make the relevant points but not intrusive or showing off how technically clever the graphic programmers are. Most people probably don't remember the graphics which is how it should be.