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Burma, My Father and the Forgotten Army; The Lost Submarine of WWI: a Time Team Special – TV review Burma, My Father and the Forgotten Army; The Lost Submarine of WWI: a Time Team Special – TV review
(2 months later)
'Shiver me flippin' timbers, lads!" says a square-jawed Royal Marine called Captain Hurricane. "Now's our chance to give these Nippon noodle noshers a touch of the old commando crunch!" We're in Burma, in the second world war. "By shinto," squeals a Nippon noodle nosher. "The white pigs are too strong for us. Retreat!"'Shiver me flippin' timbers, lads!" says a square-jawed Royal Marine called Captain Hurricane. "Now's our chance to give these Nippon noodle noshers a touch of the old commando crunch!" We're in Burma, in the second world war. "By shinto," squeals a Nippon noodle nosher. "The white pigs are too strong for us. Retreat!"
But the real war in Burma wasn't quite the way it was portrayed in the Commando comics Griff Rhys Jones was brought up on. As his Welsh-born father Elwyn knew – he was there, a medic with a west African division. Yes, west African – in reality the square-jawed white pigs mostly weren't white at all. As is apparent in the photograph of Jones senior surrounded by west African soldiers that Griff remembers from childhood and holds in his hands, along with a few watercolours his father painted while out east. Elwyn didn't talk about it – the men, the war, what happened in Burma. That – talking – wasn't the way. So Griff sets out to find out what went on. Burma, My Father and the Forgotten Army (BBC2, Sunday) it's called.But the real war in Burma wasn't quite the way it was portrayed in the Commando comics Griff Rhys Jones was brought up on. As his Welsh-born father Elwyn knew – he was there, a medic with a west African division. Yes, west African – in reality the square-jawed white pigs mostly weren't white at all. As is apparent in the photograph of Jones senior surrounded by west African soldiers that Griff remembers from childhood and holds in his hands, along with a few watercolours his father painted while out east. Elwyn didn't talk about it – the men, the war, what happened in Burma. That – talking – wasn't the way. So Griff sets out to find out what went on. Burma, My Father and the Forgotten Army (BBC2, Sunday) it's called.
First stop Mum, who's still alive (Dad died in 1989). But she doesn't know an awful lot, on account of aforementioned non-communication. Next, Griff gathers together some surviving British vets of the campaign. "Harry, I haven't seen you for a long time," says Maurice. "I'm afraid I can't see you," says Harry. They're lovely, but none of them remembers Griff's father.First stop Mum, who's still alive (Dad died in 1989). But she doesn't know an awful lot, on account of aforementioned non-communication. Next, Griff gathers together some surviving British vets of the campaign. "Harry, I haven't seen you for a long time," says Maurice. "I'm afraid I can't see you," says Harry. They're lovely, but none of them remembers Griff's father.
So it's off Ghana, where the men in Elwyn's division were from. The Gold Coast, as it was when it was a colony. And here, at a gathering of vets at the high commission, Griff does better. "I know him very well," says a man called Kofi, saluting the photo, slightly embarrassingly. "He was a man who didn't tolerate rubbish, you can't argue with him," says another man, recognising the photo. "He was a little bit … harsh."So it's off Ghana, where the men in Elwyn's division were from. The Gold Coast, as it was when it was a colony. And here, at a gathering of vets at the high commission, Griff does better. "I know him very well," says a man called Kofi, saluting the photo, slightly embarrassingly. "He was a man who didn't tolerate rubbish, you can't argue with him," says another man, recognising the photo. "He was a little bit … harsh."
"Harsh, was he?" says Griff. Awkward! You're making a film about your dad and suddenly you find out he was some kind of terrible colonial tyrant. He tries to make light of it: "Well, that's slightly how I remember him too, he could be quite strict." But we don't hear anything more from this particular old soldier."Harsh, was he?" says Griff. Awkward! You're making a film about your dad and suddenly you find out he was some kind of terrible colonial tyrant. He tries to make light of it: "Well, that's slightly how I remember him too, he could be quite strict." But we don't hear anything more from this particular old soldier.
Instead, Griff finds another called Joshua who didn't know Elwyn or experience his harshness, but was in Burma with the Gold Coast Regiment at the same time. He's also fighting fit for a 90-year-old, strong enough to make the journey back to Burma, 70 years on.Instead, Griff finds another called Joshua who didn't know Elwyn or experience his harshness, but was in Burma with the Gold Coast Regiment at the same time. He's also fighting fit for a 90-year-old, strong enough to make the journey back to Burma, 70 years on.
So they do: go to Burma – the old Ghanaian soldier and the son of one of the regiment's medics. He's quite gruff, is Griff – it may the heat, or possibly the genes. But that means it's also refreshingly unsentimental: there are no Who Do You Think You Are? tears here. Actually, I could have done with if not weeping then a bit more father-and-son stuff: Griff talking about his dad and what he was like, growing up. Maybe that – the not-talking – is in the genes too.So they do: go to Burma – the old Ghanaian soldier and the son of one of the regiment's medics. He's quite gruff, is Griff – it may the heat, or possibly the genes. But that means it's also refreshingly unsentimental: there are no Who Do You Think You Are? tears here. Actually, I could have done with if not weeping then a bit more father-and-son stuff: Griff talking about his dad and what he was like, growing up. Maybe that – the not-talking – is in the genes too.
But then Griff bumps into a grumpy old fisherman on the coast, half Burmese, half European, who looks uncannily like him. A new half-brother! From a dangerous wartime liaison between a young Welsh medical officer called Elwyn and a local girl … No, sadly that doesn't happen; that would have really made the film.But then Griff bumps into a grumpy old fisherman on the coast, half Burmese, half European, who looks uncannily like him. A new half-brother! From a dangerous wartime liaison between a young Welsh medical officer called Elwyn and a local girl … No, sadly that doesn't happen; that would have really made the film.
It's still absolutely fascinating, though, about the impenetrable terrain, the appalling conditions, the terrifying enemy, the jitters, and a famous victory for the allies. And, most of all, about this forgotten west African army, fighting a war that had nothing to do with them. Then being thoroughly mistreated by the people whose war it was, the British. At least it led to independence. For Burma and for Ghana.It's still absolutely fascinating, though, about the impenetrable terrain, the appalling conditions, the terrifying enemy, the jitters, and a famous victory for the allies. And, most of all, about this forgotten west African army, fighting a war that had nothing to do with them. Then being thoroughly mistreated by the people whose war it was, the British. At least it led to independence. For Burma and for Ghana.
It was a good night for 1980s funny men doing serious historical documentaries about major global conflicts. Also fascinating was The Lost Submarine of WWI: a Time Team Special (Channel 4, Sunday) in which Tony Robinson and some of his hairy chums tell the story of early underwater battles and the vessels that fought them.It was a good night for 1980s funny men doing serious historical documentaries about major global conflicts. Also fascinating was The Lost Submarine of WWI: a Time Team Special (Channel 4, Sunday) in which Tony Robinson and some of his hairy chums tell the story of early underwater battles and the vessels that fought them.
Top fact? That because there was only one lav on early German U-boats, which after a few nights at sea on submariner rations quickly turned into the lav from Trainspotting, the officers took opium. Why? Because opium makes you constipated, apparently. Yeah, but doesn't it also make you, you know, like, on opium? "Achtung, achtung, dive, dive, dive … man, like whenever you're ready, dude … " No wonder we showed those smacked-out bratwurst noshers who really rules the wave.Top fact? That because there was only one lav on early German U-boats, which after a few nights at sea on submariner rations quickly turned into the lav from Trainspotting, the officers took opium. Why? Because opium makes you constipated, apparently. Yeah, but doesn't it also make you, you know, like, on opium? "Achtung, achtung, dive, dive, dive … man, like whenever you're ready, dude … " No wonder we showed those smacked-out bratwurst noshers who really rules the wave.
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