The Flying Archaeologist: BBC4 20.05.2013

[nf3996]

I watched a very interesting programme this evening about the role of the Hoo Peninsula (in Kent) in WWI. It looked at the remains of a munitions factory at Cliffe and the RNAS station at Kingsnorth, plus experimental trenches dug at Chattenden. It was first shown on BBC South East apparently, so others may have seen and commented on it previously. If not, it is worth watching out for should it be repeated again.

Alan

[Pighills]

I've recorded this to watch tomorrow, I did catch the odd snippet of it though, whilst it was on and I was trying very hard to ignore it, and it did look really interesting. Looking forward to watching it before the weekend!

[keithmroberts]

It was interesting, but like so many documentaries, lacked depth to my mind, and was definitely verging towards infotainment. Still, it was new to me, so I was glad to have seen it.

Keith

[Alan Tucker]

It was a bit dumbed down but the visuals were good

[NigelS]

For a short, originally regional programme, it was interesting and whetted the appetite for more information; certainly an area I'd not heard of before. Plenty of scope for in depth coverage but, sadly, I doubt it will happen.

NigelS

[6th Shropshires]

I watched it and found it very interesting. BBC 4 was very good that night, I do not tend to watch much TV but found myself watching the box up until midnight

[Tina Bilbe]

Being involved in the filming of it was even more interesting, I had no idea what they were going to ask me in advance and they wanted me to answer the same question several times to get different camera shots. I think I drove them nuts by answering differently every time. Watching the programme, apart from me doing a good impression of a demented Hobbit, I found out lots about the military history of the area that I hadn't known before but there was no mention of the Sea-plane Station at Port Victoria, presumably because there were no archaeological remains to film. I think every one of the sites visited in that programme could have had an entire programme to themselves, I have been researching Kingsnorth Airship Station for several years because my grandfather was a hydrogen worker there. I ammased so much interesting information that I sent a proposal in to the History Press and my book is due out any day now, which is exciting for me and possibly of interest to you. I have just found someone else is writing a book on Kingsnorth and I'm looking forward to finding out even more, when that comes out.

[NigelS]

The series is currently being rebroadcast on BBC4 so they're also becoming available on iPlayer again; The Hoo Peninsula programme Click is scheduled for Mon 14 Jul 2014 19:30 & Tue 15 Jul 2014 01:50; I don't remember whether it was featured in the programme, but the 'gallery' feature on the link above includes an artists impression & a photo of what is said to be the UK's first custom built Anti-Aircraft site, and, dating back to 1917, one of the earliest in the World at Beacon Hill, Hoo Common near Upnor (English Heritage 'Pastscape' entry)

NigelS

[AOK4]

They show the programme last Saturday again. I have recorded it and I am watching it now. Quite interesting.

Jan