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The Somme: The First 24 Hours with Tony Robinson
0.0 / 10• 2016• 45m•G• English
Documentary
Storyline
Hosted by actor and historian Sir Tony Robinson, this one-off special tells the powerful and moving story of five men, all members of a unique volunteer army – the Sheffield City battalion – as it recounts the soldiers’ last days, leaving their homes and loved ones to go and serve alongside their friends and neighbours, completely unaware of what lay ahead of them. Central to the programme is the story of Private Frank Meakin, who recorded his unique personal testimony of the war. Frank and his friends could never have anticipated what they would experience, but 100 years on we know in detail, thanks to his diary – an account that shouldn’t have existed, because keeping one was forbidden for servicemen on active duty on the Western Front. Frank’s diary, which was smuggled back from the Front, reveals the intimate details and dramatic stories of one battalion – and one British city – in the words of one man.
Cast & Crew
Tony Robinson
Presenter
LeadSA
Simon Ashland
Private Frank Meakin
Carl Wharton
Captain William Folley
RT
Richard Thirlwall
Private Alf Casey
JD
Josef Dawes
Private Reg Glenn
JM
Jon M Coleman
Sergeant Will Streets
What People Are Saying
0.0
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Jeremy Freeston's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
3.0
“Every frame feels alive. The Somme: The First 24 Hours with Tony Robinson is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”
