Original version

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One

BBC One Northern Ireland

Our World War

BBC Three

BBC Three HD

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One London

London

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

BBC One Wales

Wales

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

To allow the historical schedules to be captured and assist in analytics and associating audience data with rights stakeholders

BBC History Channel

Theo Barklem-Biggs

Dominic Thorburn

Jefferson Hall

Calum Callaghan

Brian Ferguson

Sion Daniel Young

Daniel Kendrick

Frankie Wilson

Julian Michael Deuster

Stephen Leask

Bruce Goodison

Susan Horth

Joe Barton

Our World War: Episode 1: The First Day

Drama: Historical

Drama: War & Disaster

The First Day

Episode 1

Episode 1: The First Day

BBC Three - Our World War, The First Day

August 1914: Britain's professional soldiers come up against an overwhelming German army.

Drama revealing real experiences of British soldiers in the First World War. In August 1914, the Royal Fusiliers reach the town of Mons in Belgium.

Inspired by the Bafta-winning series Our War, which tracked the first-hand experiences of British troops on the front line in Afghanistan, this series immerses viewers in the real stories of British troops serving on the front line during World War I.

August 1914, two weeks after the First World War was declared. 80,000 British troops have arrived in southern Belgium, but they have yet to engage the enemy. Amongst these professional soldiers are the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, some of the best-trained gunners in the British Army. 

Lieutenant Maurice Dease and his friend, Australian Lieutenant Fred Steele, command two companies of riflemen and machine gunners who find themselves camping overnight at Nimy Bridge, the northernmost point of the Mons-Conde Canal. The canal, surrounding the town of Mons, supports 18 bridges stretched along 20 miles of water - but everyone, including Private Sid Godley and his mate Private William Holbrook, expects to be crossing those bridges in the morning. Overnight, however, intelligence reports the Germans may be closer than the British think, and the Royal Engineers, including Lance Corporal Charles Jarvis and his sapper, Private Neary, are ordered to start preparing the bridges for demolition. 

What happens next, on Sunday 23 August, tests the soldiers' skill, courage and ingenuity to the absolute limit, leading to the first Victoria Crosses of the First World War. Not everyone will make it through the First Day.

A multi-platform service for 16-34s, featuring comedy, entertainment and factual content.

The BBC’s multi-platform service for 16 to 34s, innovating with breakthrough comedy, stand-out entertainment, brave documentary and intellectual factual content.

Tense combat drama series revealing experiences of British soldiers in World War One.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Our World War

Episode 1: The First Day

Contributors

Genres

Series

BBC One Northern Ireland

About BBC One