Historical destruction -

[observer]

Hollywood's never been one to allow historical facts to get in the way of poetic licence - CH5 are doing a series on correcting the myths sown by specific films - tonight it was Braveheart. William Wallace was the younger son of a minor Scottish Noble, basically descended to common criminality, which eventually involved the murder of an English Sherriff. He assembled his gang of followers together with a band led by Andrew Murry, who led "the Scottish Army" at the battle of Sterling Bridge. Unlike the film (no woed then - that was the Picts), they allowed a third of the English Army to cross Sterling Bridge, and then siezed the opportunity to attack them and drive them into the river. Unfortunately Murry was killed in the battle, otherwise he would have assumed the title of "Guardian" and de facto ruler of Scotland, rather than Wallace. Wallace faced Edward I at the battle of Falkirk and got hammered. The Scottish Nobles made peace and submitted to Edward; but not Wallace; whom Edward required the unconditional surrender from, which basically meant a death sentence. So naturally, Wallace went into hiding until eventually caught by the English and (the part of the film that was correct) butchered as a traitor at Smithfield, London. The love affair with the French Princess, was pure invention, as she was too young and still in France at the time. No doubt these films can be entertaining but feeding uniformed minds with myth, isn't doing much for their historical perspective and we can't rely on our education system to counter it.

[Adam]

All too true, Observer. But of course, Hollywood conveniently forget the facts when doing historical dramas because the "uninformed" minds won't flock to see films based on what would be seen as the boring truth. We (the public) get the films we deserve, just as we get the newspapers we deserve, the music we deserve and the junk food we deserve. Most of us are so "uninformed" we don't even know it!

[algy]

Documentary on the other day regarding the historical inaccuracies involved in the making of "Saving Private Ryan", cut all the errors out and you wouldn't be left with much film to watch, too many to list here even if I could remember them, one that sticks in my mind is the type of landing craft used, I believe the those in the film were American design and made from wood whereas in the actual landing they were British, made from steel and lightly armoured.

[observer]

Actually Alg, watching some of the veterans retell their experiences, plus historical footage (normally CH12), reality tends to be much more interesting than the fiction. Some surprising events too; EG, Gen Patton sent a 300man armoured column 40 miles behind the German lines, to rescue his son in law from a POW camp. Turned out to be a failiure though, his son in law got wounded and couldn't escape; and the Krauts recaptured most of those that tried to escape; some didn't even bother trying to escape, but returned to their cells to peacefully await the inevitable outcome of the war. btw: there were five brothers sunk on the same ship at a battle in the Philipenes - so much for saving one son.

[Peter T]

My Father never talked about the war until someone persuaded him to write a book about it.

Besides finding numerous copies, I have also found the original draft plus tapes of when he had several interviews on the local radio.

 

One of my favourite stories from the book was when they embarked on a train journey in the middle of the night, and no info was available as to where they were going. All top secret stuff. However when they stopped at a station one of the soldiers came to my father and told him that he knew where they were going. "My Father said how do you know? And the reply was, I asked the engine driver."

[Cleopatra]

 

One of my favourite stories from the book was when they embarked on a train journey in the middle of the night, and no info was available as to where they were going. All top secret stuff. However when they stopped at a station one of the soldiers came to my father and told him that he knew where they were going. "My Father said how do you know? And the reply was, I asked the engine driver."

 

 

That soldier should have been promoted!