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28 October 1914

The first Indian Army soldiers arrive on the battlefields of France, and the infantry of the 9th Bhopal Regiment find themselves on the front line.

by Michael Chaplin.

Series created by Jonathan Ruffle.

Meticulously based on unit war diaries and eye-witness accounts, each episode of TOMMIES traces one real day at war, exactly 100 years ago.

Through it all, we'll follow the fortunes of Mickey Bliss and his fellow signallers, from the Lahore Division of the British Indian Army. They are the cogs in an immense machine, one which connects situations across the whole theatre of the war, over four long years.

Indira Varma, Danny Rahim and Nicholas Farrell star in this story, as the first Indian Army soldiers arrive on the battlefields of France, and the under-equipped infantry of the 9th Bhopal Regiment find themselves on the front line at the first battle of Neuve Chapelle.

Producers: David Hunter, Jonquil Panting, Jonathan Ruffle
Director: Nandita Ghose.

45 minutes

Last on

Sat 23 Jun 201821:00

Credits

RoleContributor
Mickey BlissLee Ross
Ahmadullah KhanDanny Rahim
Pavan JodhaRudi Dharmalingam
Lt Colonel DobbieNicholas Farrell
CommentatorIndira Varma
Hector MonkhouseClive Hayward
Sowar Alam SherSagar Radia
Havildar MishraJassa Ahluwalia
Captain WilsonSam Valentine
Captain JamiesonMark Edel-Hunt
Sir John FrenchDavid Cann
ProducerDavid Hunter
ProducerJonquil Panting
ProducerJonathan Ruffle
DirectorNandita Ghose
WriterMichael Chaplin

Broadcasts

  • Tue 28 Oct 201414:15
  • Wed 22 Apr 201511:15
  • Wed 22 Apr 201521:15
  • Sat 23 Jun 201821:00

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BBC Online Courses

Study key WW1 themes: Aviation; Heroism; Trauma; A New World Order

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