The British Army and the British Soldier

[Dave Homewood]

Does anyone happen to have a copy of this programme by any chance? I'd love to hear it:


genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/f6ff5b57a1054db4ad3e1a6bba5b7f4e

The British Army and the British Soldier

BBC Radio 4 FM, 10 October 1974 20.00

A series of 12 programmes presented by Rene Cutforth

2: Over the Hills and Far Away

This second programme tells the story of the redcoats from Charles II's day to their triumphant reappearance in Europe, culminating with Marlborough's great victory over the French at Blenheim in 1704. The regiments are mobs of undisciplined boys; the officers are ignorant, negligent and useless. The cavalry are without cloaks, boots and belts, and almost the entire force want shoes (Ireland: 1690)

Seldom has the British soldier's fortune varied so dramatically as during those years.

Surely never was such a march carried on with more order and regularity and with less fatigue both to man and horse (March to the Danube: 1704) with

Other parts JOHN LE MESURIER ARNOLD RIDLEY , JOHN LAURIE
PETER TUDDENHAM. SAM DASTOR
DAVID SINCLAIR , GODFREY KENTON ALAN ROWE , MANNING WILSON PETER PACEY and SEAN ARNOLD

Musical direction by CHARLES

CHILTON Ballad sung by RUTH TONGUE Written and produced by ROBERT CRADOCK in association with the National Army Museum

Contributors
Presented By: Rene Cutforth
Unknown: John Le Mesurier
Unknown: Arnold Ridley
Unknown: John Laurie
Unknown: Peter Tuddenham.
Unknown: Sam Dastor
Unknown: David Sinclair
Unknown: Godfrey Kenton
Unknown: Alan Rowe
Unknown: Manning Wilson
Unknown: Peter Pacey
Unknown: Chilton Ballad
Sung By: Ruth Tongue
Produced By: Robert Cradock
Wheeler: Gordon Gostelow
Marlborough: Noel Johnson

[Alan Hayes]

No, but it almost sounds like a Dad's Army spin-off considering the cast!

Did the other shows feature Le Mesurier, Laurie and Ridley?

[Alan Hayes]

I can probably at least find out if it survives... Might take a couple of weeks though.

[Dave Homewood]

They were only in the one episode I believe, and perhaps only in one small section of the episode. Please do try to find out.

[Alan Hayes]

Will do.

[Alan Hayes]

Haven't yet heard back about the archive status of that programme, but I have found the following (from The Observer Review, 13th October 1974):

[Dave Homewood]

Well if a TV critic is snarling that it's overloaded with history it's probably very good then.

[petere]

Nov 13, 2020 7:56:50 GMT 12 Dave Homewood said:

Well if a TV critic is snarling that it's overloaded with history it's probably very good then.

Yes imagine that! A program about the history of the British military and it actual contains some History, what a disgrace.🙄 The article from The Observer Review looks like something one could find in the media today. Some things never change!

[Alan Hayes]

Without hearing the programme it's difficult to ascertain whether or not the critic had a point. What I read into his comment is that it was presented in a way that didn't bring the history to life, rather than it being a complaint that the history was there.