Julian Whippy Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 I have been asked for help by a French TV company making a documentary about the Unknown Warrior. They are seeking British families who had soldier casualties on the Western front (mainly Somme and Arras) in their family, and who where denied the honour of an identified grave, and who have a photograph and supporting details of "their man" that they would be happy to contribute to the programme. (The Question being - is "he" the unknown warrior?) They may also like to interview some of the British contributors who have relatives recorded on memorials to the missing at Thiepval, Le Touret, Dud Corner, Arras, Pozieres etc The program is in its early stages, and is due to air in November. It is unlikely to show here but is set for Holland, Belgium and France and possibly Canada. If you are happy to provide that required, and agree to it being shown on TV then either PM me or email me= enquiries@battle-honours.co.uk and i can pass on your details to them. My own great uncle, Private Albert Whippy fell at Aubers in 1915 and is commemorated at Le Touret, i will be contributing, as perhaps for a fleeting moment we can all have a romantic idea that it is MY Uncle Albert from Londons East End, that was lowered in an English Oak Coffin with a Knights sword to lay with the Kings at Westminster Abbey? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ororkep Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 I’m sorry am I missing something, as I thought the whole point of the British Unknown Soldier is that he remains unknown, whilst representing a focal point of mourning for the unidentified generation of those that fell. Great steps at the time were taken for his identity to remain secret so there is no possible way of ever knowing. Personally I cant help feeling it would somewhat demean the occasion to contribute to a programme that could only 'speculate' just who it might have been. I fail to see how the French might know anyhow, would they not betterr concentrate on their own national unknown soldier? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 I think its a great idea. Surely the idea of the unknown warrior was itself a representation of the losses which crossed all boundaries. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 I suspect that the French film makers will know that and are just highlighting a few stories - every unidentified man is possibly the unknown warrior. If they start to bandy about wild and wanton theories leading to a wobbly conclusion then a case for objection would be reasonable, but in the general cause of remembrance I can see no problem with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KevinEndon Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 who is the unknown soldier, I may be related, but I dont know. Maybe they are looking for an unknown relative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 To be honest Julian I think the title of the thread is going to invite the cynics. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old-ted Posted 12 February , 2008 Share Posted 12 February , 2008 The process of selecting the "Unknown Warrior" was complex & shrouded in secrecy. There were several unknowns selected and an apparently random choice made from them. I think the issue is, Do we want to know who he is? The whole point is that it could be any of those lads who have "no known grave". Some comfort would have been gained by many families in the thought that he could be their loved one. Television production companies will produce programmes, that is how they make their cash, I wonder if the truth is less important than the potential advertising revenue such a programme would generate. Keep the candle burning. For them all. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Whippy Posted 12 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 12 February , 2008 I think you may be missing the point ORORKEP! As supported by Andrew Heskeths post, No one, escpecially the French producer is suggesting for one minute that they CAN or WANT to identify the Warrior it is merely about the process, the principle and the poignancy of the event and it will be an educational tool furthering remembrance. Of course OLD TED I know everyone here that sounds SO cynical ,Never buys a book about the Great War, or watches any documentaries, buys a DVD and of course never goes to a Great War museum do they, after all to do so surely would be just to line the pockets of the owners and producers who are running businesses for revenue!!! The subject is a healthy one for the French TV to cover so help them out with a Photo, thats all they are asking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norrette Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 I can imagine the program ending - they are all the unknown soldier. He is a composite of all missing men; and likely to be an OR? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthergw Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 I think that the whole idea of the annual ceremony at the cenotaph, an empty tomb, and making sure that the warrior buried at Westminster being unknown was that because he is nobody's he is everybody's. He is The Commonwealth Soldier. Any thing which reminds us of the sacrifice made in wars is a good thing in my eyes, as long as it is done in a reasonably dignified manner. I would just say that having a named headstone and a known resting place was hardly an honour. It was surely the least that these men and women deserved. The many thousands who are memorialised at Le Touret, Dud Corner and so on have not been treated with any less honour than their comrades in arms with a named headstone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the gunners dream Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 I think this is a great idea and can only help to highlight the anguish felt by those families who lost loved ones and were denied a grave to visit. I can speak from experience that our family still feels the loss of my great grandfather who is commemorated at Pozieres and was not found after his death on 21 Mar 18. His wife never recovered from his loss, nor did his 7 children who spent the rest of their lives wanting to know more about his death. Julian please PM me if you'd like to know more etc and I would be more than happy to talk to them as long as it is for the reasons you have already stated. His military history can be found below: http://www.memorial-tours.org.uk/Frank%20Smith.htm Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 Given that DNA evidence will never come into it, we'll never know who the Unknown Warrior is/was. They may have had a piece of uniform with an insignia, but couldn't pin him down to any specific Btn, so a TV prog like this I think will just open peoples eyes to what the Unknown Warrior stands for. I don't know about the rest of you, but I like to think that my Gt-Gt Grandfather (Henry Blatchford - see sig) could be the UW but again, without DNA evidence, it'll never happen. Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 No one, escpecially the French producer is suggesting for one minute that they CAN or WANT to identify the Warrior it is merely about the process, the principle and the poignancy of the event and it will be an educational tool furthering remembrance. The subject is a healthy one for the French TV to cover so help them out with a Photo, thats all they are asking! Personally I think this is a good idea, why not !!! if it is an educational tool to further the rememberance and help to understand the poignancy of the event. It is just a pity that there is as yet no intention to show the programme here. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 Give Julian a break please, he has made a simple request. If your not interested stay out of it. If you want a debate on the unknown soldier, start a new thread. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadsac Posted 13 February , 2008 Share Posted 13 February , 2008 Hello `Et Al' contributers to this ; it just ocurrs to me to throw into `the fray' the rememberance of the chap that is supposed to have made a fortune collecting `for the Widow of the Unknown Warrior' !!! Also was not someone prosecuted in 1922 ?? for doing exactly that ?? Sadsac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julian Whippy Posted 14 February , 2008 Author Share Posted 14 February , 2008 Ladies, glad to see some more sensible contributions have dribbled in-some very poignant stories as well. Thanks Terry you said exactly what i was thinking! 2 or 3 more families who wish to add to the story still would be nice please. Julian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Hone Posted 14 February , 2008 Share Posted 14 February , 2008 I am happy to provide details of my great-uncle, who appears as my avatar. He is one of the 'wall of the missing' at the Thiepval Visitor Centre and first inspired my interest in the Great War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Victoria Burbidge Posted 24 February , 2008 Share Posted 24 February , 2008 Julian, Thank you for bringing this to our attention. My great-uncle (Rfn. Charles Durrant – 2/Rifle Brigade) also fell during the Battle of Aubers Ridge on 9th May 1915 and is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial. If you are looking for more names, I’d be more than happy to forward details. V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBI Posted 11 March , 2008 Share Posted 11 March , 2008 http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=859737 My Grand Mothers Brother. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 12 March , 2008 Share Posted 12 March , 2008 I cannot see any objection to television producers doing this sort of thing, nor of family members contributing. I, myself, have a relative was went "missing" at Vimy (of whom I have a photo!), and I can't see any of my family objecting to seeing him on some TV programme. Of course, I am too far away to be of interest to this particular situation, but it may eventually happen here as wel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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