Baldrick62
08-28-2012, 12:17
Just watched the 2nd of a 3-part series on Northern Ireland's involvement in WWII, hosted by Dan Snow.
So far, there have been 3 Spitfire digs (Mk.I in Donegal, Mk.XII in Normandy and an unsuccessful search at Derry Airport - ex-RAF Eglington). The Irish Army refurbed one of the .303 Brownings from the Derry wreck and managed to get it to fire after 70 years in a peat bog!
In part 1 there was a dive on the U-155, which was scuttled after the war, but probably the most visually-spectacular piece so far was a dive on the wreck of the SS Empire Heritage in part 2, sunk off Mallin Head in 1944, and the Sherman tanks scattered around the sea floor.
There's also been some Army input, with a dig in the Liri Valley in Italy where the North Irish Horse was in action, and tracing a Northern Irish soldier killed at Arnhem.
Throughout, there are interviews and vignettes drawing on the recollections of servicemen and families involved, either in or from Northern Ireland.
Overall, a pretty good effort from the boy Snow; I'll certainly be watching again tomorrow night for the final episode.
So far, there have been 3 Spitfire digs (Mk.I in Donegal, Mk.XII in Normandy and an unsuccessful search at Derry Airport - ex-RAF Eglington). The Irish Army refurbed one of the .303 Brownings from the Derry wreck and managed to get it to fire after 70 years in a peat bog!
In part 1 there was a dive on the U-155, which was scuttled after the war, but probably the most visually-spectacular piece so far was a dive on the wreck of the SS Empire Heritage in part 2, sunk off Mallin Head in 1944, and the Sherman tanks scattered around the sea floor.
There's also been some Army input, with a dig in the Liri Valley in Italy where the North Irish Horse was in action, and tracing a Northern Irish soldier killed at Arnhem.
Throughout, there are interviews and vignettes drawing on the recollections of servicemen and families involved, either in or from Northern Ireland.
Overall, a pretty good effort from the boy Snow; I'll certainly be watching again tomorrow night for the final episode.