BBC Coverage of Remembrance in Whitehall?
 

I have purposely not included this in the Remembrance Day sticky, as it's a bit of a whinge.

Visually as stunning and humbling as ever, but oh dear Mr Dimbleby - your father will be turning in his grave. Just the ones I clocked:

1. Called CAS "Sir David Dallon" - got it right second time.
2. Reference to the Field Hospital at Cape Bastion.
3. Calling the BLESMA boss Col Jeremy Church (he is Jerome - and an old mate).
4. Saying the RAF Regt is "the military part of the RAF." (stand by for incomers) ;)
5. Saying that the FAA "are supporting piracy operations in the Gulf."
6. Welcoming the "South Atlantic Medical (oops - Medal!) Association."
7. And the "Norman Veterans' Association"

[edited to add #7]

and that's just what my restricted expertise led me to notice.

David - can you please:

a. get a new scriptwriter
b. get a new pair of specs
c. take more water with it
d. all of the above

.... good to see Flt Lt Wales properly dressed though .......;)

What's wrong with item 4?

I'm with CM - with the exception of SH mates, I reckon he was quite correct ;)

Ahh Uhmm,

Reference Point 4, I am in agreement with teetering head on this one.

I was under the impression that the R.A.F. was part of "the military". Obviously my understanding of the word "military" is incorrect.

where I come from Jerome as a Christian name is pronounced Jeremy!

I would have said that the statement that the FAA are supporting Piracy Operations casts "Jack" in a different light.

.... you may well say that ..... I couldn't possibly comment!! ;);)

Not to mention:

1st Airborne Division who landed in Normandy on D-Day (it was the 6th AB)

Army Air Corps who landed the gliders at Pegasus Bridge (it was the Glider Pilots' Regiment - AAC formed from GPR much later)
Perhaps the BBC are using the surplus of chefs on their payrole as "experts"?

Thanks Wensleydale, you've reminded me of another one; Dimblebore spoke of the "Norman Veterans' Association" ... not too many left from 1066 these days I spose .......

I'll edit the original to add it

Sorry, Wensley D,

The Army Air Corps in 1944 comprised the Parachute Regt and Glider Pilot Regt, although it was a larger admin set up - it is strictly correct.

You will occasionally see reference to 'The Glider Pilot regt, Army Air Corps' or 'Parachute Regt .....'

However, this does not detract from the fact that Dimbleblunder is a useless presenter and should be put out to grass. There are frequently errors in what he says and those who listen to 'Any Questions' are also up in arms about them.

BTW Mrs CP thinks she knows the female pilot with medals galore, who led the RAF contingent at the Royal Albert hall last night. Is she a helio pilot (ex Army) called Penny G...... by any chance?

Its the BEEB, why would they get anything accurate and change history.

"I'm with CM - with the exception of SH mates, I reckon he was quite correct "

SH are all part of the Army anyway..... ;)

HG

Well, they should be at least!

I thought this was probably the better place to ask this question, which is not intended to start a long debate about why it should be so, but I should like to know what is considered the appropriate length of time to wear a poppy after Remembrance Sunday?

DX, pub set.

I think those who 'wear' them, and Red Noses, on their cars throughout the year are just making a statement (and not a good one).

Just a personal view.

Cpl P,

Check PMs

Melchett

For what it is worth, I wear mine until the end of Remembrance Sunday. means I can go to the supermarket tomorrow morning without the French staring at me! Seriously though, I tend to go for 1 Nov to Remembrance Sunday.

I wear my poppy from Nov 1st to the 11th or Remembrance Sunday, which ever is the later. Like Christmas decorations they seem to sprout earlier every year. I think it demeans the cause.

Back to No.4 please...

I often say I never served in the Military - I joined the RAF instead.

Thank you people, that was what I was thinking and what I tend to do. :)

If one is a stickler for the correct use of old fashioned English then calling the RAF Regiment the 'military' arm of the RAF is quite correct. The term 'military' applies only to the Army hence Military Aviation = AAC. Perhaps more telling is the Naval and Military Club in London formed in 1862. Clearly the Military are diferent to the Navy and thus also different to the RAF.:ok:

Dimbleby represents much of what is wrong with the BBC these days.

He is smug, complacent, a total lefty (leftie?) and arrogant.

I certainly cannot picture him in a Lancaster recording the progress of a bombing raid over Germany - as his Father did in WW2.

Wearing of Poppies - RAF Dress Regulations (AP1358) has it thus at para 0132b: .... but of course, if you want the military regulations, you'll have to seek elsewhere ....... :rolleyes:

PN

Have I missed your round AGAIN?

The advertising slogan "Should have gone to S***savers!" comes very much to mind, and certainly could explain several of the Dimbleballs TH accurately quotes, particularly 1, 2, 6, and 7 (and perhaps 3 as well).

Much worse than the errors in the script, so far as I am concerned, was the apparent lack of co-ordination between DD and the techies during the march-past, when DD was attempting to describe one group when the camera at the time was showing a completely different group, frequently one that had long passed the Cenotaph. Regrettably, it happens every year.

I'll gloss over the fact that DD incorrectly called "Heart of Oak", the march of the Royal Navy, "Hearts of Oak", and even the fact that I believe that, when mentioning the Fleet Air Arm Association, he explained that the FAA as the Navy's "air force".

However, the "highlight" that got me going was when, as the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers veterans marched past, DD described how those who were unfortunately captured by the Chinese in Korea (after the Battle of the Imjin River in 1951) fashioned "red and white roses out of paper" in their prison camp.:eek: He corrected himself a few seconds later (or, more likely was corrected) and explain that he meant "hackles". I should think that that one raised a few "hackles" of a different kind, given the hard-earned origin of the red and white hackle. Such nice boys the Fighting Fifth, but not flowerboys.:ok:

Jack

I always thought it was "Heart of Oak" - the stuff ships were made of.

I always thought it was "Heart of Oak" - the stuff ships were made of

Good Lord, Timelord, then you always thought correctly!

Jack

DD also described CGS as 'the general who had laid a wreath earlier', rather than being able to name him, when a camera picked him up on a balcony watching the veterans march past.

"Sorry, Wensley D,

The Army Air Corps in 1944 comprised the Parachute Regt and Glider Pilot Regt, although it was a larger admin set up - it is strictly correct.

You will occasionally see reference to 'The Glider Pilot regt, Army Air Corps' or 'Parachute Regt .....'

However, this does not detract from the fact that Dimbleblunder is a useless presenter and should be put out to grass. There are frequently errors in what he says and those who listen to 'Any Questions' are also up in arms about them.

BTW Mrs CP thinks she knows the female pilot with medals galore, who led the RAF contingent at the Royal Albert hall last night. Is she a helio pilot (ex Army) called Penny G...... by any chance?"

The commentator was purely referring the the AAC as he said this. He was explaining who the folks in sky blue berets were. The glider pilots march in a separate formation of their own, and obviously wear a different head dress.

From (poor) memory he was commenting on 656 Sqn

http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...er_offline.gif http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...ons/report.gif http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/sr...eply_small.gif

Possibly the right thread for this comment.
Just finished Sunday supper and had the usual accompaniment of the Beeb's 'Avarice Road Show';. How utterly, utterly soul-wrenching in content versus the more usual 'W'os it worth, then?' The final item summed it all up, really but the extraordinarily apt vision of the memorials to those 'Shot at Dawn' will stay with me for a very long time.

But why, oh why did the boy Stanhope (1SL) take up an initial position to the left of CDS! Even CGS and CAS were alert to his error and left him a space to allow him to recover his embarrassment.

Foldie:D

Dimbleby seems to have got a lot of flak here, and for good reason. It is not so much the inaccuracies, numerous though they are, but rather the feeling that it doesn't really matter much if he doesn't get it right anyway, it's only the Forces after all! That underlying attitude permeates a lot of BBC coverage, of Remembrance, Trooping, Lord Mayor's Show, etc, etc. My question is why should it be the Beeb anyway? Why can't Sky or ITN cover these great National Parades as lead broadcaster for a change? If you've ever cut from the Beeb Trooping (and the endless talk of "special salutes" and so on) to Sky News's coverage you can hear the Massed Bands more clearly because, a. they are not turned down and b. because they don't continually talk over them. It is only a matter of time before HM herself gets a beeb mike in her face and asked, "How does it feel like to be here today, Your Majesty?" When I watch these events, unequalled elsewhere, I want to do just that, ie watch and listen. Perhaps those who hanker for the "Dimbleby touch" could get it via subtitles. The opportunities for even more howlers would then seem endless...

I'm struggling to understand why (unless you were watching in a duty crewroom, overseas or on Iplayer) you were tucked up in front of the telly at 11.00 GMT?

Mme Artist and I attended the war memorial service in the local town (nice 11.02 flypast by Puma x2) and then retired to a hostelry where we bought drinks for and listened to veterans. Daughter #3 then drove us home in time for a leg of roast lamb at 14.30 ;)

http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...wicetheKit.jpg

Overheard at Farnborough in 1964. " Are you anything to do with aviation?"

"I don't know, I'm in the RAF"

Good evening!!

AA:
and I'm struggling to understand why you didn't hit Record on your way out to said local ceremony, like the rest of us!

Cop out answer? Any tv feature involving religion - as the Parade today arguably does - cannot be interrupted by advertisements. Neither ITN nor Sky would be willing to give up ~90minutes of their airtime without some form of revenue stream.

I wear a poppy pin badge from the start of November... And I wear a paper poppy from the first occasion that I meet a veteran with a collection tin..... From the moment every year when I donate in person, I wear a RBL paper poppy.....

Not a cop out at all, MOTN, a fair point and I suspect a correct one. It would be interesting to know though if they have ever been asked. Interrupting the Trooping for a "word from our sponsors" would be even worse than words from Dumblebum! So that leaves us with the Beeb I guess. I seem to remember that this year's Trooping offered those with Red Buttons the opportunity to press them to extinguish all commentary. Was this available today? I recorded it to watch later so wouldn't know, but hopefully if this becomes the norm it might offer a refuge for those like me allergic to the drivel that passes for commentary on such BBC Broadcasts, and in fairness to Dimbleby not only from him!
Oh and while I'm in rant mode (thanks OP!) why do they always cut away from the March Past before the Cadet Contingents go through? Some of the smartest troops on parade every year.

I believe Sky can run without adverts. I recall that Shock and Awe was broadcast continuously and without commentary. Now that was true news broadcasting.