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[TV] Gary Lineker - My Grandad's War.
- Thread starter AmexRuislip
- Start date
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
I watched it last night, and thought it was excellent. The veterans who spoke about it were incredible to say they're in their nineties. The munitions are still littering the hillsides. I knew Monte Cassino was a hard long fought battle, but I didn't realise how many were lost trying to cross the river.
It is well worth watching.
It is well worth watching.
Fignon's Ponytail
Well-known member
Yep, great programme. I've always been really interested in military history, but admit I've never delved into the Italian campaign very much (bar Monte Cassino) Will definitely look into it more after watching last night.
CPFC G
New member
- Dec 24, 2011
- 1,067
Watched it as my Grandad was at Monte Cassino. Lineker came across well, none of his usual smarm. The verterans were the star of the show though.
Amazing that it took his grandad 3 years to qualify as a medic, Missed half the war sat on the bench!
Amazing that it took his grandad 3 years to qualify as a medic, Missed half the war sat on the bench!
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Mellor 3 Ward 4
Well-known member
I thought it was excellent- pretty sure one of the veterans was 104!
Thunder Bolt
Silly old bat
Yes, I couldn't remember his precise age. It was the sprightly nonagenarian who beat Lineker up all those steps who impressed me.
Granny on the wing
New member
- Sep 7, 2019
- 152
From what i have read about this battle there was four different battles over a few winter months and a lot of different nations involved on the Allies side including British ,NZ Div ,Indian Div , US ,Polish Div .The Germans had some of their best Troops defending the hills [Para`s].The French Moroccan mountain troops out flanked Monte Cassino from miles away which made the Germans pull back eventually.The Poles made the final push to the top of the hill as they were fresh troops ,the other divisions of different nations took a lot of casualties and could not quite get to the peak .There was also a big battle for Cassino Town British /NZ where Tanks could not get through. The Poles lost a lot of men getting to the Monastery at the top of the mountain but the Germans had mostly retreated when they got there .What stuck me was that in some of the early battles the Americans were freezing to death on the hills as the weather was very cold and wet in the Italian winter as you would think Italy being a hot Country it would not be that bad but all the troops suffered in the bad weather not getting much cover on the rocky hills.
- Jan 3, 2012
- 16,578
It was the one who asked "Do you know how old I am?"...… to which you knew the answer was going to be 100+.
He'd flown to Italy to record it!
Two Professors
Two Mad Professors
Royal Sussex Regt took dreadful casualties at Cassino IIRC.
Lineker donated his fee for the programme to the RBL too [emoji122][emoji106]
el punal
Well-known member
I read an article recently, the contents of which I thought were quite controversial, about the morale of troops selected for the D-Day landings and beyond. It was believed that those troops who had not been in action before performed better than the battle hardened ones who fought in North Africa and other regions. The premise being if you hadn’t experienced war you would accept your fate. The experienced soldiers, on the other hand, having endured the horrors for years knew exactly what to expect and would be more hesitant in their actions. I suppose you would call that battle fatigue.
Either way nothing can take away the sheer bravery and courage of ALL concerned. We owe them everything.
portlock seagull
Why? Why us?
- Jul 28, 2003
- 17,071
Wonder what happened to the big budget saving private Ryan type film they were going to make about Monte Cassino. Rumours were very strong several years ago I’m but I guess it’s been canned. Dam busters was similarly being remade but that’s been stalled for at least ten years now as well.
Italian campaign was nothing but Somme like mud in the mountains. A murderous slog in the rain against entrenched determined troops cunningly deployed enabling platoons to hold up entire divisions. Must have been hell and seriously morale sapping warfare.
Italian campaign was nothing but Somme like mud in the mountains. A murderous slog in the rain against entrenched determined troops cunningly deployed enabling platoons to hold up entire divisions. Must have been hell and seriously morale sapping warfare.
He should not have been paid in the first place In fact he should have paid for being given the opportunity
Of filming it
Nottseagull
Well-known member
Indeed, it's a privilege just like those 'who do you think you are' genealogy documentaries.
Do we get to find out who he inherited his tabs from?
maltaseagull
Well-known member
I always thought differently from what I had read:
Repeated pinpoint artillery attacks on Allied assault troops caused their leaders to conclude the abbey was being used by the Germans as an observation post, at the very least. Fears escalated along with casualties and in spite of a lack of clear evidence, it was marked for destruction. On 15 February American bombers dropped 1,400 tons of high explosives, creating widespread damage.[The raid failed to achieve its objective, as German paratroopers then occupied the rubble and established excellent defensive positions amid the ruins.
True - but i guess it's difficult to mount bug guns in rubble - so the writing was on the wall as soon as the B52s
got going. The German crack troops may well have held out - but not for too long.