"The Lost Commando Raid" BBC1 14th December 19:30

This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 03/12/2018 23:30:25

Some readers may be aware that I have been researching the 'Operation Abercrombie' Hardelot raid by 4 Commando and a section of attached Canadians for a number of years. My particular connection to the raid is not through family, in fact I have no commando relatives, but because I am a member of a group of volunteers who look after an old Napoleonic fort in Dover and discovered way back in 2011 half a dozen sets of graffiti that I traced back to the raid.

The CVA was of great help in putting me in contact with relatives and even two men who served on the raid, though sadly neither are still with us. (I have to mention Nick here - cheers Nick!). I spent the next couple of years researching war diaries, operational reports, taking trips to the IWM and even trawling through community Facebook pages in Canada to try and track down relatives of the graffiti artists. This culminated in a book I wrote called 'Dover's Forgotten Commando Raid' to raise money for our Society just over two years ago.

In the middle of summer of this year I was amazed to suddenly receive an email from a BBC producer to state that he had proposed turning the book into a documentary! The programme was green-lit and at the end of July the BBC came to Dover for several days filming. This included in some of the old tunnels, interviewing at home, at the library and elsewhere. About a dozen families were tracked down and an amazing day was then held at the fort in which everyone was gathered to be interviewed about their fathers, grandfathers and uncles and all were given a very special presentation.

'The Lost Commando Raid' telling the story of 'Operation Abercrombie' will be televised on BBC1 South East at 7.30 on Friday 14th December, and then available to watch on BBC iPlayer for a month. It will also be available on Sky Channel 963 and Freesat 959.

I hope you enjoy it.

Well done Phil.

Best wishes.

Bill

Excellent news, Phil.
Looking forward to seeing this.

Nick

Just a quick reminder thst this is on tomorrow night on BBC1 at 19.30 in the South East region. If you live elsewhere you will be able to catch it on iPlayer, Sky 963 and Freesat 959. I hope you enjoy it and find it interesting.

Having enjoyed your book Phil, I watched this this afternoon and can heartily recommend it to everyone. Well done to all involved
Regards
Paul

Thanks Phil for a wonderful programme.

Thanks also for keeping the No 4 Commando name alive and the men who served and died for our freedom.

Bill

Great documentary Phil.
Good to see historian and author James Owen was involved too.
Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Nick

Congratulations Phil

Great piece of work and a good programme.

Best regards

John M