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Henry explains what to do if your trench is taken and you are taken prisoner. He tells us that it is often not clear that an enemy is surrendering so surrendering prisoners might be killed. The thing to do is to hold up a photograph of family or sweetheart. He talks of rumours of false surrenders. He tells us that many German prisoners spoke good English and that often they had friendly conversations. He points out that attitudes towards the Germans changed. When it was quiet, they did feel too bad towards the Germans. On the other hand, after an attack by canister bombs, Henry’s unit caught a German patrol and wiped it out. By contrast, he says that British troops were very sad about the death of one young German on one occasion.   This clip is one of fourteen clips in which actor John Gregor recreates a Great War soldier called Henry Fairhurst of the Barnsley Pals. Here he talks about being taken prisoner and attitudes towards the enemy in general. In all of these clips of Henry Fairhurst it is important to be aware that the actor is reconstructing a character from the past. He is using original source material and other research to create what he thinks is a plausible reconstruction of the thoughts and views of a private in the Barnsley Pals. When watching each clip it is important that viewers consider whether they feel the information given is accurate, but much more importantly whether they feel the tone and emphasis the actor gives to particular issues is in line with their own reading of the evidence from the time.
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Video Length: 241
Date Found: April 13, 2008
Date Produced:
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UK National Archives |
February 17, 2010
Short film describing the role of one of William I’s Domesday commissioners.
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UK National Archives |
February 08, 2010
A documentary re-creation of the 1951 Festival of Britain South Bank Exhibition
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UK National Archives |
December 16, 2008
This is an impressive display of US military might. Landing craft take marines to the beach who then storm ashore. Since the 19th century France had ruled Vietnam. During the Second World War Japan had taken over Vietnam. At the end of the war the French wanted to rule Vietnam but Ho Chi Minh, ...
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UK National Archives |
September 29, 2008
Henry explains how important letters were. The post is good on the whole. He explains that soldiers like descriptions of ordinary daily life. He also explains that long letters can also be used as toilet paper! He also points out that soldiers often get bad news. He then explains censorship and ...
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UK National Archives |
July 25, 2008
This clip shows trainee Tommies digging trenches, probably in England in 1915. The clip closes with instruction on rifles and a machine gun. The film shows troops training before being sent to the western front in 1915. They are all volunteers, persuaded to join up by Lord Kitchener's ...
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