The Trench - Documentary
A major 3 part 3 hour documentary series for BBC 2 portraying life in a front line trench during the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme through the experiences of a group of volunteers from Hull.
Historical Advice:
Military Adviser: Taff Gillingham
The Producer, Dick Colthurst, was very keen to ensure that every detail was correct. Taff was involved very early on as the Military Adviser and assisted with the extensive planning of the project. This included setting up a week-long training programme at Catterick in Yorkshire, which he ran with some of his colleagues from The Khaki Chums and eventually taking the volunteers to France and living with them as their Platoon Sergeant.
Uniforms and Equipment:
In order to create the whole experience it was necessary to equip each of the volunteers with every item of clothing and equipment that a soldier of 1916 would have had. As a great deal does not exist at all, let alone in large quantities, much had to made from scratch. In the end all uniforms, equipment and 'trench stores' were sourced in a very short space of time and were correct in every detail - from 'Tin Hats' to Toothbrushes!
Specialist Extras:
We also provided 25 men of The Khaki Chums all dressed as soldiers of October 1916. Every man was correctly turned out. All had the right haircuts and were well drilled in the ways of the soldier of the period. These men were either attached to the volunteers as NCOs for training and also during their time in the trench or were "support troops" who provided carrying parties, stretcher bearers, etc. Everyone lived in the trench system together (50 of us in all) under as realistic conditions as possible.
Associated Exhibition:
The Imperial War Museum at Lambeth staged an exhibition simply entitled 'The Trench Exhibition', which ran alongside the series. We provided numerous items for the display as well as providing items for the 'Handling Collection'.