Ray’s History Radio & TV Picks. No.2016/39. 12 Nov 2016

Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance
BBC One: Sat 12 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.40
Huw Edwards presents and Michael Ball, Laura Mvula and Alexander Armstrong are among the stars performing at the annual concert to mark victims of conflict. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b082sb8f

The Ballad of the Great War – 1916
BBC Radio 2: Sat 12 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. Episode 3 of 5
In words and music we hear stories of trench warfare, tunnellers working under enemy lines, pals regiments and that fatal summer offensive on the Somme. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b081mm10

Last Heroes of the Somme
Channel 4: Sun 13 Nov 2016. 19.00 – 20.00
Cameras follow the families of seven soldiers who fought on the final day of the Somme as they visit the battlefield. http://www.channel4.com/programmes/last-heroes-of-the-somme

Jeremy Deller: We’re Here Because We’re Here.
BBC 4: Sun 13 Nov 2016. 20.00 – 21.00
Turner Prize-winning artist Jeremy Deller discusses his event commemorating the Somme when hundreds of volunteers dressed as First World War troops. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083bk7n

The Pity of War: The Loves and Lives of the War Poets
ITV: Sun 13 Nov 2016, 23.05 – 00.00
John Hurt stars in a fact-based drama telling the story of Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfed Owen & Robert Graves. http://www.radiotimes.com/tv-programme/e/ffwp9z/the-pity-of-war-the-loves-and-lives-of-the-war-poets

Operation Gold Rush with Dan Snow
BBC Two: Sun 13 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 3 / 3: Digging for Gold
In the final episode of the living history series, Dan Snow and his team slog across the Canadian wilderness on the way to Dawson City in the Yukon Territory. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083gtp6

The Film Programme: Napoleon and I
BBC Radio 4: Sun 13 Nov 2016, 23.00 – 23.30
Historian Kevin Brownlow tells Francine Stock about his 50 year quest to restore Abel Gance’s silent masterpiece Napoleon to its six hour glory. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b081tdpf

Voices of the First World War
BBC Radio 4: Mon 14 to Fri 18 Nov 2016, 13.45 – 14.00. Omnibus edition Fri 18 Nov 21.00 – 22.00.
Exploring 1914–18 through the recollections of those who were there, Dan Snow introduces five weekday shows focusing largely on the battle of the Somme. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03t7p9l

Timeshift: Penny Blacks and Twopenny Blues – How Britain Got Stuck On Stamps
BBC Four: Mon 14 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.00
Andrew Martin takes a look at the history of stamps; such as the Penny Black and the Blue Mauritius, plus profiles of famous philatelists such as George V. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b082v57b

World War I at Home: The Equine Army
BBC 4: Tue 15 Nov 2016, 19.30 – 20.00
Saul David follows the story of hundreds of thousands of cavalry horses and mules prepared in the West Country for the frontline. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b045gjql

Medieval Dead
Yesterday: Tue 15 Nov 2016, 19.00 – 20.00
The archaeological team examine sculls from the site of a 1499 battle. http://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/shows/medieval-dead/

The Anglo-Irish Century
BBC Radio 4: Tues 15 Nov 2016, 21.30 – 22.00. 4 / 4 It’s Good to Talk.
Diarmaid Ferriter concludes his story of a century of Anglo Irish History. (Repeat of April 2016 broadcast)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079rfwz

Black and British: A Forgotten History
BBC2: Wed 16 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 2 / 4: First Encounters. (Repeated Thu 17 Nov 23.15 – 00.15)
David Olusoga turns his attention to the story of how thousands of Africans were transported into slavery by the British. Plus, the black sailors who served at Trafalgar. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b083bv43

In Our Time: Justinian’s Legal Code
BBC Radio 4: Thu 17 Nov 2016, 9.00 – 9.45.
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the legal code of Justinian I, Byzantine emperor in the sixth century AD. These were rediscovered during the Middle Ages, and were thus influential in the development of laws in many European nations and beyond. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b082j2q2

Close to the Enemy
BBC2: Thu 17 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 2 / 7. (Repeated Fri 18 Nov 23.15 – 00.15)
Stephen Poliakoff’s drama is set in the aftermath of 1939–45. Callum Ferguson is not doing so well in his efforts to persuade engineer Dieter Koehler to work for the British. Plus, Victor Ferguson struggles to cope with the psychological trauma of his wartime experiences. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b082sx5b

Secrets of Great British Castles
Channel 5: Fri 18 Nov 2016, 20.00 – 21.00. 3 / 6.
Dan Jones explores the history of York Castle. http://www.channel5.com/show/secrets-of-great-british-castles

Britain’s Greatest Bridges
Channel 5: Fri 18 Nov 2016, 21.00 – 22.00. 5 / 6
Engineer Rob Bell recounts the history of the Tyne & Wear Bridge
http://www.channel5.com/show/britains-greatest-bridges

Tommies: 18 November 1916
BBC Radio 4: Fri 18 Nov 2016, 13.45 – 14.00. 2 / 4.
It is the last day of the Battle of the Somme and Signals Captain Mickey Bliss is back very close to where he started 141 days ago in this story by Jonathan Ruffle. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b082kdp4

Sources: Radio Times / History Extra