Walter's War
For Remembrance Sunday 2008 BBC4 broadcast this dramatized account of the life of Walter Tull; the first black officer to be commissioned into the British army during The Great War.
It followed his story from the death of his father through his career as a professional footballer and into the Army as a Kitchener Volunteer. After fighting on the Somme in 1916 Walter was commissioned and the film follows his progress through Officer training and, finally, to his death near Arras in April, 1918.
Although the story is fictional the drama is very powerful.
Historical Advice:
Taff was Military Advisor for the programme and was taken on early in the project. This enabled him to give a great deal of help with the script and the historical background. He also spent a day with the main cast training them in Great War drill and weapons handling.
Locations:
Our site in Suffolk was used for much of the reconstruction - both Farmhouse and the Trenches.
Costume and Props:
Khaki Devil provided some of the uniforms, equipment, and weaponry for the reconstructions. We also supplied many of the military props.
Specialist Extras:
We provided the cast for the, very realistic, battlefield reconstructions; many of the men featured were members of The Khaki Chums and, as usual, a very high standard was achieved.