Excellent WWI doco

[Smithy]

I was just wading through my bookmarks and happened upon this rather good link again. This is a really superb doco from the 80s talking with a number of RFC/RNAS/RAF veterans and for that reason alone it is special. We're all used to filmed interviews with WWII airmen but filmed interviews with WWI fellows are just that little bit less common.

 

Of particular interest is RE.8 pilot Mervyn Johns' (who as a matter of fact became a fairly successful actor after the war) account of a crash he had. It is without doubt the funniest, driest, most deadpan, and utterly hilarious description of an aerial misfortune I have ever heard from any period. If you only watch one bit watch Mervyn from 10:59, supremely funny.

 

Gwilym Lewis calling MvR a bullshitter at 20:30 rates a mention too!

 

Anyway I hope you enjoy...

 

 

[tomcervo]

Yes, a vhs transfer but excellent. Who knew that Bob Cratchit was once Biggles?

And the first speaker is Freddie West.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freddie_West

Edited February 25, 2018 by tomcervo
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[Smithy]

It was great to see that interview with Freddie, I don't think I've ever seen a filmed interview with him before actually. You can understand why he received the VC, an incredibly brave and tough fellow.

 

All in all that little film has some wonderful interviews and is actually quite an important historical film now seeing as these men are no longer with us. Nice to see Sir Donald Hardman interviewed as well.

 

It says this doco is from 1987 but I strongly suspect the interviews were actually filmed in the mid to late 70s. Hardman passed away in 1982 and the size of the collar on Mervyn's shirt is looking fairly 70s as well!

 

Sad to think that of those in this film the last one, Gwilym passed away over 21 years ago.