I have been interested in the Great War of 1914-1918 for a very long time. I think it was reading about war poets like Wilfred Owen that have always led me to read or watch anything to do with the war that they said would be over by Christmas.
Last night I flicked through the British Films on Netflix and found The War Below. I remember that I had read a short story by Alan Sillitoe (I think🤔?) many moons ago about some Nottinghamshire miners digging tunnels under no man's land and laying explosives under the occupied German trenches.
The miners in the film come from Yorkshire. It's been made for only 500000 Pounds.
It's a good film with some very good acting. It champions ordinary people like the miners who sweat and toiled and risked their lives for King and for Country. They listen to the hyperbole that their efforts will make a difference and end the war.
The film highlights social class. Thankfully not something I notice here in Ireland. Yes I have met ignorant people and people in work places that seem to think they are superior and they will walk past me without even acknowledging me. But that's life isn't it? I would talk to a scarecrow if it spoke to me.
It's a good film and shows how brave these men were. Here's a trailer for your perusal:
I think I will watch that one Dave. Thanks for the heads up. It reminds me of a very good novel I once read by Sebastian Faulks - "Birdsong". If you haven't read it already, I suspect you would enjoy that book.
ReplyDelete"Birdsong" is excellent YP. You will like the miners and their wives because they are from Yorkshire. I won't spoil the film for you. Please let me know what you think of the film.
DeleteI find it incredibly moving to think how innocently many of those men placed their lives at risk for King and Country. My grandad joined up as soon as he was old enough, thankfully right at the end otherwise I doubt I would be here today. He was prime, working class cannon fodder.
ReplyDeleteEvery village and town in the home countries lost men in the Great War JayCee. My great uncle went to the Somme and incredibly survived. Not that he ever talked about the horror. I would like to visit the battlefields in France and Belguim one day.
ReplyDeleteWe visited Ypres and Tyne Cot a few years ago. Incredibly sad, particularly the Last Post ceremony at Ypres Menin Gate each evening.
DeleteI would imagine you would feel incredibly sad JayCee. I have voted the Soviet Military Cemetery in Warsaw. There are over 20000 Soviet soldiers buried there and they died fighting Nazi Germany. There are photos of the soldiers on a lot of the grave stones. It's incredibly poignant and so many of the soldiers were so young.
ReplyDeleteSorry I should have put visited not voted.. I won't blame autocorrect today.
ReplyDeleteWonder if it was part filmed in Suffolk where someone has made a replica of the trenches that are used in films and documentaries
ReplyDeleteI think that was Stanley's War Sue. I thought I recognized the tram museum at Crich in Derbyshire in the film.
ReplyDeleteNever having lived through war on that scale I've struggled to understand why volunteers would line up - in NZ and Aus, the other side of the world. My great grandfather was seriously disabled in the Great War yet signed papers that enabled his under-age son to march (sail in fact) off the the next one. Jack never saw his 17th birthday. I know 17 year olds. Would I send them into a war? Hell no. Would they even genuinely understand what they were supposed to be fighting for/against?
ReplyDeleteThanks for that Tigger. So many brave souls gave up their lives during the Great War.
ReplyDeleteMy dad joined up for the great war,He was under aged, but inspired by the propagander. He never forgave the government for it.
ReplyDeleteHe wasnt wounded physically, but neve recovered from the experience. He was in the Kings Royal Rifles and a crack shot.
Kathy
Thanks Kathy. Your dad was a very brave man.
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