
Burma, My Father and the Forgotten Army
Griff Rhys Jones travels to Ghana and the jungles of Burma to learn about the army of West Africans his father served alongside during the Second World War.
Apart from a few fragmentary stories, Griff Rhys Jones's father never talked about his war. Yet as a medical officer to a West African division, he travelled 15,000 miles from Wales to Ghana and the jungles of Burma. He and his men were part of an army of a million raised in Africa and Asia to fight the Japanese. To understand their story, Griff travels first to Ghana and then, accompanied by 90-year-old veteran Joshua, he goes to the jungles of Burma. It is known as the forgotten war, but Griff discovers how it transformed these West Africans from children of the British Empire into masters of their own destiny.
Last on
Clip
![]()
Griff Rhys Jones meeting Ghanaian veterans
Duration: 01:18
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | Griff Rhys Jones |
| Producer | Ruairi Fallon |
| Director | Ruairi Fallon |
| Executive Producer | Elizabeth Hartford |
Broadcasts
- Sun 7 Jul 201321:20BBC Two except Scotland
- Tue 9 Jul 201300:00BBC Two except Northern Ireland
- Tue 9 Jul 201300:30BBC Two Northern Ireland
- Tue 30 Jul 201300:20
- Sun 17 May 201521:00
- Sun 16 Aug 201519:00
- Sat 10 Oct 201520:00
- Wed 27 Jul 201623:00
- Mon 1 Aug 201601:50
- Fri 19 Aug 201603:00
- Tue 16 May 201720:00
- Mon 22 May 201701:00
- Mon 23 Jun 202520:00
Featured in...
![]()
Remembering World War II
Commemorating the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day.


