Just watched episode 2 on youtube. Fantastic stuff. I think Mr Kemp will end up with one of those TV award thingies for this. He has kahunnas thats for sure (as i might add does the guy behind the camera)

Totally agree with you Tigs. I've never seen such 'live' action on TV, including the filmed stuff from Vietnam. Respect to RK and crew, and of course to the long suffering guys who were his hosts. They may have felt him to be a pain at times, under those conditions any passengers are liabilities, but they hid their feelings pretty well, and how else can 'disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' see what is being done in his name? If he doesn't agree with it he must surely respect the PBI who have to face such a determined foe whether they wish to or not. Pity it is not going out on a terrestrial channel. Every one who sends in a Tax Return should get a copy in exchange!

I found the documentary to be excellent and extremely down to earth. It showed it how it is, and it delivers the emotion brilliantly.

I find the televised commentary more revealing than the scripted stuff between shots. He's a bit stale when overdubbing as compared to when he does his stuff to camera. That's adrenaline for you! It's noteworthy that he went out there with his father's old regiment; like a pad-brat's version of 'who do you think you are'.

On the issue of educating the public. Perhaps a first, faltering step might be to run repeats of the BFBS Reports slots immediately following the national news?

I think some have been a little harsh towards Lou; he does have a point that today's society does tend to respond to any element of human crisis with a mass outburst of grieving/hysteria and the like.

However, what Lou possibly fails to realise (and has already been mentioned at least once) is that REMFs like myself are invariably invovled in the repatriation ceremonies. The effect this often has on servicemen, given our camaraderie, is that we relate the event to our own lives and families as well as imagine the grief of the deceased's family. I would argue that our unique understanding of the hardship of an OOA, coupled with the inherent risks, prompts tears on the part of many servicemen.

I will freely admit only vaguely knowing one person to die on operations but I will always have a manly tear in my eye on remembrance day as I reflect on those who have lost their lives. However, my tears are usually for those left behind as I can only try to imagine what my wife would feel if my name was added to the every-growing list.

Slightly more on topic, I have seen the first 2 episodes and found that my knowledge has definately increased. Well done to Mr Kemp.

Sat down and watched the first 2 episodes with the missus, and we both agreed the crew did a great job of bringing the reality of Helmland to Joe Public.

I think the fact that he was with his dads old regiment gave him some resonance with the young lads, and they trusted him.

P.S. As an ex truckie Glorified bus driver, and current overpaid civvie glorified bus driver, I hope Lou S doesnt work for my outfit, as he seems a complete tool.

NikNak just reminded me why I havent posted on Pprune for 2 years
:ugh:

Regards to all who know me in Wilts.

P.P.S Come on in, the water's lovely:ok:

Bet you've peed in it tho.....

:)

"Bet you've peed in it tho....."

Only if his bag has split...........bet he still drinks like a girl as well :E

Think they (finally) arrived during his time out there and were themselves a bit of an embuggerance to begin with too, but I, like your friend, am entitled to my view. :p
Never really liked RK due in no small part to the utter waste of tv airtime called "Eastenders". His trip East has changed my view though. Fair play to the bloke for putting his money where his gob is and getting his size 9s on the ground.:ok:

Oh and NikNak.........fcuk off........tw@t.

What an interesting thread, with the usual incisive posters, Tigs etc, you all know who you are.

Then there's NikNak, who presumes to post on a topic he clearly knows nothing at all about and therefore cannot possibly understand the mutual sense of pride and selflessness that exist in the military; all arms. He doesn't understand the enormously high standards and the determination not to let anyone down, and to carry on doing it despite lack-lustre support of the politicians who sent you to do their bidding. You nevertheless accept that because it's what you do, and you're far more of a professional than people such as he could ever be. That very selflessness, pride, mutual respect, are not easily understood concepts to people who have never experienced them, and will never experience them.

That's his loss.

In defence of my TV industry colleagues, all I can say is that shooting fly-on-the-wall documentaries is inevitably subject to the broader terms of Heisenberg's uncertainty principle - you can't observe something without affecting it. Most crews, especially in these sorts of circumstances, will be extremely aware that they are fundamentally an embuggerance and will bend over backwards to minimise it as much as they can.

Obviously I've no idea what specific issues anyone may have had with the team on this one but there is inevitably a certain amount of inconvenience involved - if you want it seen, you just have to put up with it.

No, your friend is bullsh!tting. I left theatre just before the RIP, and there was still no sign of the Junglies.
I can't see how RK could be an embuggerance to a RN crew with their non-existant helicopter.

Hi Phil

MGD

just had to comment after reading so many fine words and sentiments.
It is a fair time since I was in harms way, and the general public didn't care to much then either.
Well done Mr kemp for being there and listening.
Nik Nak...... We are special because we choose to keep you safe.
I have been both, serviceman and civilian. I now refer to myself as a retired serviceman, I will never be a civilian!!! To55er.

Phil R - Spot on. In an earlier fracas we always knew that seeing Kate Adie was a sure sign that the doodah was about to hit the fan. What we didn't have was the empirical evidence or the control sample to prove that she was actually the cause...

As to emotion, it was Donne who wrote "no man is an island: every man's death diminishes me". I can assue you that the wider "family" of defence including "REMFs"* civil serpents and contractors from the defence industry dwell a pause at the news of the loss of a British Serviceman or woman.

Anyone who doesn't is frankly not fit the breathe the free air that is bought at such high a cost.

Full marks to alcon.

UK Armed forces: ordinary people doing extraordinary things against exceptional odds.

(*- "REMF" is like "N*gg*r": the simple use of the word indicates a mindlessness which is probably beyond cure. For a proper understanding of the relationship between front line and support, cf F1. Lewis Hamilton impresses the socks off me not by driving quickly, or being successful at a young age, but by acknowledging that his sport is a team effort. A bit like warfare...)

Edited for rubbish typign

I met Mr Kemp a couple of weekends ago. Was standing outside a restaurant having a fag & he scrounged a light,so we got chatting. I was certainly a bit minging & think he may have been too. Just like to say he was a thoroughly likeable, normal bloke & I had no hesitation in thanking him for bringing a viewpoint of what's going on over there into our living rooms. Hopefully this will make people far more aware & therefore thankful for what everyone in Afghanistan (& therefore by default Iraq) is going through. I'd also like to take my hat off to him for actually doing the job. His training & preparation, both physical & mental,was minimal by the standards of the people he was with. He was out there by choice so what he did must have taken a fair amount of cojones.
Maybe we should bring back Pathe news!

Just watched the latest episode, and hats off to Ross Kemp.

Really moving series. :D:D:D:D

Yep. They should stick every MP in front of a TV and force them to watch this.

IMHO they should stick every MP in front of the camera out there, a la Mr Kemp, and then they might be a little more reluctant to vote through NuLabour's wars and a little bit more ready to properly provide the wherewithal to fight them. Nice bon-mot in West Wing the other day; "The Republicans would like to have a big army but not send it anywhere, the Democrats want an army as small as possible but to send it everywhere!" On that basis I suspect the next General Election will offer the choice of ending up with a government that is Democrat or .... Democrat!
Bravo RK, another impressive piece. I suspect the toughest part was the scene with the dead soldier's mum, Taliban and Sandy Places not withstanding!

Just watched the latest episode and thought it was excellent. Certainly making me pay attention on IRT at the moment! :ooh:

Having read the Sky blurb for the next episode, I suspect it is going to blow the previous episodes out of the water.

Well Done Mr Kemp, a bloody top effort to bring the war home.:D

Browne & Brown can't massage this one away; everyone I know is watching it & Sky are, quite rightly, ramming it down the throats of their viewers during commercial breaks all week.

Yes, the boy done good!