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Tommies

10 April 1917

Duration: 45 minutes

First broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 FMLatest broadcast: on BBC Radio 4 LW

In the tunnels underneath Vimy Ridge, the Canadian Corps are re-writing the rules of war, in this story by Avin Shah.

Mickey Bliss has taken a shine to the can-do Canadians. Particularly since yesterday, when they made a momentous advance here on the Western Front, together with British forces. But when Mickey meets a young Canadian journalist, here to write up the story for his home paper - can they agree on what really happened?

Meticulously based on unit war diaries and eye-witness accounts, each episode of TOMMIES traces one real day at war, exactly 100 years ago.

And through it all, we'll follow the fortunes of Mickey Bliss and his fellow signallers, from the Lahore Division of the British Indian Army. They are the cogs in an immense machine, one which connects situations across the whole theatre of the war, over four long years.

Series created by Jonathan Ruffle
Producers: David Hunter, Jonquil Panting, Jonathan Ruffle
Director: Jonquil Panting. Show less

Contributors

Captain Mickey Bliss:
Lee Ross
Commentator:
Indira Varma
Lieutenant Gagnon:
Philip Desmeules
Sergeant Dixon:
Daniel Weyman
Private Townsend:
Tom Forrister
Oberleutnant Gruder:
Simon Bubb
Corporal MacMillan:
David Sturzaker
Producer:
David Hunter
Writer:
Avin Shah

Brand

Tommies

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