Battlefield Britain
Encyclopedia
Battlefield Britain is a 2004 BBC television documentary
series about famous battles in the history of Great Britain
. From Boudicca's destructive rebellion against the Romans to the incredible feats of The Few who saw off the Luftwaffe, these battles all had wide-reaching consequences and implications for the future of the British isles.
The series is presented by father and son team Peter and Dan Snow with Peter explaining the battleplans of the generals while Dan explores the sites to give the perspective of the common soldier, sailors and airmen.
The episodes also featured "interviews" with soldiers from both sides, re-enactments of the battles and computer generated scenes with bird eye views and blocks to show troop movement.
In Australia
, all eight episodes aired on SBS TV
in its As It Happened history timeslot each Saturday at 7:30pm from 22 January until 12 March, 2005.
After the success of this pilot a full series was commissioned, although Dan Snow has admitted that he was told which battles to discuss by the BBC, rather than being free to select engagements about which he had gained some knowledge from his undergraduate studies.
to accompany the series. Each week a guest would join the presenter Muriel Gray
for a walk in areas linked to the people and events featured in the TV show. The first episode was broadcast from Boudicca’s Way in Norfolk
with guests Dan and Peter Snow who argued constantly during the program and drew a reprimand for Peter from Gray for admitting to having carried his son up a Welsh mountain just 27 days after he was born.
stood up against the mighty Roman Empire in 60AD.
in 1066, when William the Conqueror faced King Harold
on the south coast, was one of the bloodiest and most important battles ever fought on British soil.
in 1403 and the leader of the Welsh rebellion, Owain Glyndwr
.
in 1588 was a victory against one of the great seagoing nations. The dramatic events helped seal the British reputation as a seafaring people.
in 1645 saw Oliver Cromwell
's New Model Army
win the decisive battle of the English Civil War
, effectively bringing an end to the absolute power of the monarchy.
in 1690 - the effects of which are still having consequences in everyday life in Ireland today.
in 1746 was the last pitched battle on British soil and brought an end to Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion, securing the crown of Britain for the House of Hanover
.
and the RAF
's struggle to prevent a Nazi invasion in the darkest days of World War II when Britain stood alone.
Television documentary
Documentary television is a genre of television programming that broadcasts documentaries.* Documentary television series, a television series which is made up of documentary episodes....
series about famous battles in the history of Great Britain
History of the British Isles
The history of the British Isles has witnessed intermittent periods of competition and cooperation between the people that occupy the various parts of Great Britain, Ireland, and the smaller adjacent islands, which together make up the British Isles, as well as with France, Germany, the Low...
. From Boudicca's destructive rebellion against the Romans to the incredible feats of The Few who saw off the Luftwaffe, these battles all had wide-reaching consequences and implications for the future of the British isles.
The series is presented by father and son team Peter and Dan Snow with Peter explaining the battleplans of the generals while Dan explores the sites to give the perspective of the common soldier, sailors and airmen.
The episodes also featured "interviews" with soldiers from both sides, re-enactments of the battles and computer generated scenes with bird eye views and blocks to show troop movement.
In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, all eight episodes aired on SBS TV
SBS TV
SBS One is a national public television channel in Australia. Launched on 24 October 1980, it is the responsibility of SBS's television division, and is available nationally...
in its As It Happened history timeslot each Saturday at 7:30pm from 22 January until 12 March, 2005.
Production
Dan Snow has stated that he had never intended to work with his father. This however had changed when someone at the BBC saw a video-diary about the 2000 Oxford and Cambridge boat race that Dan had recorded. Peter Snow was then telephoned and asked if he wanted to do a history series with his son. Peter originally rejected the proposal claiming that it was a ridiculous idea. Dan was able to talk him round and a pilot was filmed. Dan has stated that he didn’t find the work easy.After the success of this pilot a full series was commissioned, although Dan Snow has admitted that he was told which battles to discuss by the BBC, rather than being free to select engagements about which he had gained some knowledge from his undergraduate studies.
Media information
A companion radio show Battlefield Ramblings was broadcast weekly on BBC Radio 4BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
to accompany the series. Each week a guest would join the presenter Muriel Gray
Muriel Gray
Muriel Gray is a Scottish journalist and broadcaster.-Personal life:Gray is of partly Jewish ancestry...
for a walk in areas linked to the people and events featured in the TV show. The first episode was broadcast from Boudicca’s Way in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
with guests Dan and Peter Snow who argued constantly during the program and drew a reprimand for Peter from Gray for admitting to having carried his son up a Welsh mountain just 27 days after he was born.
DVD release
- Battlefield Britain: The Complete Series (3-disc box-set), Region 1 (NTSC) and Region 2 (PAL), BBC WorldwideBBC WorldwideBBC Worldwide Limited is the wholly owned commercial subsidiary of the British Broadcasting Corporation, formed out of a restructuring of its predecessor BBC Enterprises in 1995. In the year to 31 March 2010 it made a profit of £145m on a turnover of £1.074bn. The company had made a profit of £106m...
, 23 October 2006
Online game
A popular online game Battlefield Academy was created by Solaris Media (now Playniac) to accompany the series. The game features four historical scenarios based on episodes from the series and was produced with Dan Snow, Matthew Bennett from Sandhurst and the BBC History team.Episode 1: Boudicca's Rebellion Against The Romans
Find out what really happened when BoudiccaBoudica
Boudica , also known as Boadicea and known in Welsh as "Buddug" was queen of the British Iceni tribe who led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman Empire....
stood up against the mighty Roman Empire in 60AD.
Episode 2: Medieval Warfare At The Battle of Hastings
Heralding the beginning of the Norman Conquest, the Battle of HastingsBattle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
in 1066, when William the Conqueror faced King Harold
Harold Godwinson
Harold Godwinson was the last Anglo-Saxon King of England.It could be argued that Edgar the Atheling, who was proclaimed as king by the witan but never crowned, was really the last Anglo-Saxon king...
on the south coast, was one of the bloodiest and most important battles ever fought on British soil.
Episode 3: Owain Glyn Dwr And The Battle For Wales
A look at the Battle for WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in 1403 and the leader of the Welsh rebellion, Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndwr
Owain Glyndŵr , or Owain Glyn Dŵr, anglicised by William Shakespeare as Owen Glendower , was a Welsh ruler and the last native Welshman to hold the title Prince of Wales...
.
Episode 4: The Spanish Armada
Britain’s defeat of the Spanish ArmadaSpanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
in 1588 was a victory against one of the great seagoing nations. The dramatic events helped seal the British reputation as a seafaring people.
Episode 5: Routing The Royals: The Battle of Naseby
The Battle of NasebyBattle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
in 1645 saw Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
win the decisive battle of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, effectively bringing an end to the absolute power of the monarchy.
Episode 6: A Clash Of Kings: The Battle Of The Boyne
The story of the Battle of the BoyneBattle of the Boyne
The Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
in 1690 - the effects of which are still having consequences in everyday life in Ireland today.
Episode 7: Culloden: The Jacobites' Last Stand
The Battle of CullodenBattle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
in 1746 was the last pitched battle on British soil and brought an end to Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion, securing the crown of Britain for the House of Hanover
House of Hanover
The House of Hanover is a deposed German royal dynasty which has ruled the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , the Kingdom of Hanover, the Kingdom of Great Britain, the Kingdom of Ireland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
.
Episode 8: Their Finest Hour, The Battle Of Britain
The final installment looks to the skies for the Battle of BritainBattle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
and the RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
's struggle to prevent a Nazi invasion in the darkest days of World War II when Britain stood alone.