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February 09, 2004

Revisionist history

I find myself constantly annoyed by the tendency in certain "modern" circles of the "Cool Britannia" ilk, to rewrite bits of history in as insulting and snide a manner as possible. The latest target of this "realistic" approach to history has focussed on the Dunkirk evacuation, as portrayed by the BBC "dramatisation" entitled, imaginatively, "Dunkirk".

The makers of this latest piece of expensive drivel have used the money from the taxpayer (in the form of our Licence fee!) to make a film, purporting to be based on the "realities" of the period, which is nothing less than insulting to those who were there and who endured the traumatic event itself. Now, according to the BBC's script writers and researchers, it is to be shown in its "true" light. The owners, operators and crews of the Little Ships are to be depicted as self seeking glory hunters and profiteers - not the public spirited and brave individuals they really were.

Gone is the "myth" - BBC speak - of the selfless bravery and self sacrifice we have heretofore believed, now we are to be shown the "reality".

As I said, I find it sickening that these clowns, none of whom would have the guts to do what the men at Dunkirk did, can get away with this perversion of history and still claim that they are seeking the truth! They wouldn't recognise the truth if it hit them right between the eyes! How would they have dealt with having to approach a beach that shelved so slowly that the bigger craft were forced to lie a mile or more offshore? Some of those big ship skippers threw all caution to the winds and came in so close their ships were aground, immobilised and sitting targets for the Luftwaffe, while they hauled men aboard on lines and scrambling nets. Then they faced the task of dragging themselves off the sand using anchors laboriously laid out astern.

When it became too dangerous to do this any longer it was the smaller vessels - manned by Boy Scouts, Sea Cadets, Firemen, and weekend yachtsmen, trawlermen and cocklers who went into the beach and brought off boatload after boatload, shuttling back and forth until they were sunk, out of fuel or forced by mounting damage to abandon the boat or take her back to Ramsgate, Margate or Dover any way they could.

Yes, there are some myths about. Yes, the event took on a folklore that has possibly elevated some aspects to the detriment of others. But look at the facts.

The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was extricated from the beaches, and not just them, but elements of the French Army came away as well. There were others as well, some Poles, some Belgians and a handful of others. Hitlers triumph in the French Blitzkrieg has to be seen against the fact that this enclave was held with little more than the Lee-Enfiled 0.303 rifles of the troops and a handful of field guns, for long enough to evacuate all but the Rear Guard.

So perhaps there were some who went seeking self glorification, perhaps there were some who took part hoping for personal gain. But is this a reason to trash the very real achievement of the rest? Is this a good enough reason to cast doubt on the entire events veracity?

Or perhaps, this is just another pay-off for our Illustrious Leaders having forced the BBC Governors to grovel like the spineless bunch of toadies they are.

Having had the pleasure of meeting a number of the men who did take part in the Miracle of Dunkirk, I know whose version of events I believe and I am angry that a public corporation has the damned effrontery to call into question their achievement. Unfortunately, the vast majority of the population cannot tell the difference between fact and fiction, and this film will, no doubt, be seen by many who view it as fact.

I do not intend to watch it. My blood pressure is high enough as it is!

Posted by The Gray Monk at February 9, 2004 03:08 PM

Comments

Is there no comparable method available today that would scuttle the BBC in some dank, dark, waters, with a sign specifying that NOTHING is to be brought back to the light of day!!

Posted by: MommaBear at February 9, 2004 11:47 PM

If only, all our media are now in the hands of the left leaning revisionists who think anything that wasn't about personal liberation, hand outs to the "masses", etc., must by definition, be middle class propaganda, and therefore needs to be rewritten to portray the "truth".

Posted by: The Gray Monk at February 10, 2004 12:24 AM

I had no idea they'd made such a hash of it - I'm sorry I drew your attention to it in the first place. It is about time we started a revolution!

Posted by: Val at February 11, 2004 12:34 PM