“This was just one baby out of thousands and thousands of other babies.” How James got involved in a war.

When he fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 James Le Mesurier left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou
Editor: Emma Rippon
Researcher: Tom Wright
Mixed by: Neil Churchill
Arabic translation and additional research: Vanessa Bowles, Abdul Kader Habak
Turkish researcher: Nevin Sungur
Narrative Consultant: John Yorke
Original music: Nick Mundy and Bu Kolthoum
Production Coordinator - Gemma Ashman

REFERENCES

PM, BBC Radio 4, 13 November 2014

“’Find her for me! Her name is Aya!’, Her mother. SCD in Damascus were able to rescue Aya” - The Syria Civil Defence - The White Helmets, 20 Feb 2017

“First explicit pictures of massive barrel bomb dropped on rebel zones in Syria” - euronews (in English) Credit: DaryaRevlution, 31 Jan 2014

“Baby in the rubble: Syria’s White Helmets” - UN Humanitarian, 22 Oct 2015

“Direct targeting to the white helmets teams” - Syria Civil Defence - The White Helmets, 19 December 2019

“Rescuer weeps after saving Syrian baby” – CNN, 30 Sep 2016

PM, BBC Radio 4, 13 November 2014

Storyville - Last Men in Aleppo - BBC collaboration with the Aleppo Media Centre, 27 Nov 2017 Show less