Small time criminal Jimmy O'Connor was arrested for the murder of 'Donk' Ambridge and narrowly escaped the noose.
Fast-forward 25 years and Jimmy is living a wonderful life on the Greek island of Mykonos. Now a sought after TV scriptwriter, he rubs shoulders with The Rolling Stones and Jackie Onassis and entertains the great and the good with his wife Nemone Lethbridge, one of the UK's first female barristers who defended the Kray twins.
Yet the shadow of his conviction looms large over them both. His son, Ragnar O'Connor, along with his brother Milo and their 93-year-old mother are intent upon trying one last time to finally get to the truth.
Small time criminal Jimmy O'Connor was arrested for the murder of 'Donk' Ambridge and narrowly escaped the noose.
Fast-forward 25 years and Jimmy is living a wonderful life on the Greek island of Mykonos. Now a sought after TV scriptwriter, he rubs shoulders with The Rolling Stones and Jackie Onassis and entertains the great and the good with his wife Nemone Lethbridge, one of the UK's first female barristers who defended the Kray twins.
Yet the shadow of his conviction looms large over them both. His son, Ragnar O'Connor, along with his brother Milo and their 93-year-old mother are intent upon trying one last time to finally get to the truth.
Precariously positioned on the side of two Apache attack helicopters Dave, Chris, Colin and Gary are flying straight into danger.
Apaches are absolutely not supposed to land in the conflict zone, and as the helicopters take off, more helicopters provide crucial "top cover".
We meet Charlotte Madison, a woman with a unique place in UK military history.
A heavy bomber is tasked with creating a massive diversionary explosion for the crews of Ugly 50 and Ugly 51 - and the pilots and their passengers fly back to the Taliban stronghold under cover of a thick dust storm.
Charlotte Madison spoke to the BBC in 2010.
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces.
Produced by Kev Core
For Apache helicopter pilots Tom O'Malley and Ed Macy - the mission has changed.
Their new objective is to prevent the stricken Lance Corporal Mathew Ford from becoming a prisoner of The Taliban. So they take the fight to them.
But Tom is growing increasingly frustrated. With fuel and ammunition limited - how long can they sustain their airborne protection of the fallen marine?
He devises a new plan. Only ever conceived as a last-dtich emergency escape plan for downed pilots, Tom wants to land, pick up four volunteers from HQ, and fly them into the battlezone on the side of their helicopters. They will rush to Mathew, secure him to the helicopter - and they will fly him out.
The volunteers have been chosen. Royal Marines Chris, Gary and Colin and Royal Engineer Dave are now tasked with what their commander Rob Magowan calls - the most dangerous mission these men would ever embark upon.
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces.
Produced by Kev Core
Overwhelmed by enemy fire, Zulu Company have marshalled their casualties from the "killing ground" and staged a hurried withdrawal.
Last to leave, Company Sergeant Major Shep Shepherd describes desperate efforts to account for their missing man.
Senior Marine, Lance Corporal Mathew Ford cannot be found.
Back at base - the decision is instant. A "no-brainer".
"We're going back to get him."
A small, mobile group of volunteers is assembled for the "dirty dash" - a race back to the scene of the battle in the Viking vehicles. Captain Chris Witts gives an insight into the nature of decision-making under pressure.
But it's a plan that the enemy may see coming. An alternative option comes from a pilot high above them.
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces.
Produced by Kev Core.
The Royal Marines Commandos have launched their ground assault on Jugroom Fort.
A jagged, v-shaped hole has been blasted into its side, and fresh from a nerve-wracking river crossing, the men of Zulu Company surge from their Viking vehicles to take up positions and press home their assault.
This will be the location for "the break-in", the moment of any attack on an enemy encampment when the defences are breached.
5 Troop are the tip of the spear. Commanded by Al Weldon, Rifleman Marine Mike Cleary is "point man" - leading the way.
Speaking for the first time about their experiences, Al and Mike describe the moment the eerie quiet of a seemingly deserted stronghold is shattered.
Overwhelmed by enemy fire, Zulu Company regroup and attempt to marshal their casualties from the "killing ground".
Last to leave, Company Sergeant Major Shep Shepherd describes last-ditch efforts to account for their missing man.
Senior Marine, Lance Corporal Mathew Ford cannot be found. And as the enemy fire continues around them difficult decisions are made to ensure the safety of the rest of the company.
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces.
Produced by Kev Core
The story of Jugroom Fort takes a step back in time to the eve of battle.
January 2007. The battle-hardened Royal Marines of Zulu Company assemble ahead of a massive air bombardment of the target, a notorious Taliban stronghold. Their orders include the possibility of crossing the Helmand River and attacking on foot. At 5am - that order is given. They're going in.
Captain Chris Witts commands the amphibious Viking vehicles. As the treacherous crossing is made, the marines ready themselves.
As they launch their attack, they discover that despite a night of heavy bomging - Jugroom Fort is far from deserted.
Lance Corporal Glyn Sadler and Company Sergeant Major Shep Shepherd describe the switch from eerie silence - to an intense firefight.
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces. Many are speaking for the first time.
Produced by Kev Core
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces. Many are speaking for the first time.
A Royal Marines raid on a Taliban stronghold has been met with fierce resistance - leaving Lance Corporal Mathew Ford missing behind enemy lines.
Commander of the Information Exploitation Battlegroup Lieutenant Colonel Rob Magowan is presented with a live drone feed revealing the location of the Royal Marine. And he's warm. But a ground rescue attempt heading straight back into the hornets' nest presents formidable danger.
Attack helicopter pilot Tom O'Malley has a plan - to fly in at speed with four armed volunteers on the sides of two Apaches. They will quickly grab Mathew and deliver him to safety from under the noses of the Taliban. But fuel is low and the clock is ticking.
They need an answer now.
And Lieutenant Colonel Rob Magowan says: "Do it."
But who will go? Former Royal Engineer Captain Dave Rigg and serving Royal Marine Captain Chris Fraser-Perry take up the story.
Produced by Kev Core
Afghanistan, January 2007.
It's a piece of military daring that went down in history: Three Royal Marines and a Royal Engineer hold on to the side of Apache attack helicopters, heading into battle to recover a fallen comrade.
Those involved in a gripping, almost unbelievable day, tell their story, many speaking for the first time.
It begins with British forces, tasked with bringing security to Helmand Province in the South of Afghanistan.
But Lieutenant Colonel Rob Magowan commanding the IX Battlegroup has a problem.
Jugroom Fort.
The Taliban command and control centre is a crucial route for enemy fighters making their way in from Pakistan. They train there. They rearm there. Jugroom Fort is the launchpad for attacks on British troops.
But a bold plan to occupy the ancient stronghold with the battle-hardened Royal Marines of Zulu Company is about to meet intense resistance.
And amid a gruelling firefight, a man is left behind.
The Fort is told solely by current and former members of the Armed Forces.
Produced by Kev Core
For the first time, commanders, soldiers and pilots who served in Afghanistan tell their story of the gruelling assault on Jugroom Fort - and an astonishing rescue mission.
As people back home partied in the streets, celebrating victory in Europe in May 1945, war wasn’t over for the many thousands of soldiers and civilians on the Asian front. For those in Japanese prison camps, or fighting in distant jungles, it wasn’t always over on the day Japan announced its unconditional surrender on August 15th.
Episode 3 of The Second Map traces the complex remembrance of the war on the Asian Front in Britain, India, and Japan, 80 years after it ended. We hear of the trauma of those who lived as prisoners and how they coped with life once back in Britain. And we learn how the horrors of war returned to veterans in their nightmares, and speak to descendants across Britain who are making new discoveries today about what their family members did in the war on the Asian Front.
Creator, Writer and Presenter: Kavita Puri Series Producer: Ellie House Script Editor: Ant Adeane Sound Designer: James Beard Series Editor: Matt Willis Production Coordinators: Sabine Scherek, Maria Ogundele Commissioners for Radio 4 and The World Service: Dan Clarke, Jon Zilkha
Original music: Felix Taylor Archive Curator: Tariq Hussain Voice actor: Bhasker Patel
With thanks to Dr Diya Gupta, Dr Vikki Hawkins, Dr Peter Johnston, Professor Rana Mitter and Tejpal Singh Ralmill.
In Episode 2 of The Second Map, the war against Japan enters a new phase. Some of the most significant battles of the Second World War were fought on the Asian front - including by the 14th Army, which was known as ‘The Forgotten Army’, even at the time. It was formed after a string of defeats to Japan and was made up of nearly a million men, the majority from India and across the British empire. Their main aim: to win Burma back. Assisting them was a remarkable British woman from North London who became known as “The Jungle Queen,” and the tribal group she was living with. Their intervention would be critical. And we hear rare voices from Japanese forces, as the war shifts against them.
Creator, Writer and Presenter: Kavita Puri Series Producer: Ellie House Script Editor: Ant Adeane Sound Designer: James Beard Series Editor: Matt Willis Production Coordinators: Sabine Scherek, Maria Ogundele Commissioners for Radio 4 and The World Service: Dan Clarke, Jon Zilkha
Original music: Felix Taylor Archive Curator: Tariq Hussain Voice actor: Dai Tabuchi Translators: Hannah Kilcoyne, Sumire Hori
With thanks to Dr Diya Gupta, Dr Vikki Hawkins, Dr Peter Johnston, Professor Rana Mitter and Tejpal Singh Ralmill.
We all know the heroic story of Britain fighting the Nazis in World War Two. But what’s less well-known in popular memory is the war on the Asian front, against Japan. Yet it touched many families across Britain. Their descendants are still uncovering stories today.
On the same day as Japan’s attack on the US Naval bases at Pearl Harbor there were simultaneous strikes on British territories in South East Asia.
Episode 1 of The Second Map charts the humiliating defeats that the British suffered by Japanese forces as they rapidly took key colonies in South East Asia. We hear from eyewitnesses who were in Singapore when it fell, and were then later captured and held prisoner. We hear from a 104-year-old veteran, who desperately wanted independence for India, but decided to fight alongside the British against Japan. And we explore why this part of the war is not as well known as the one against the Nazis.
This is the other story of the Second World War.
Creator, Writer and Presenter: Kavita Puri Series Producer: Ellie House Script Editor: Ant Adeane Sound designer: James Beard Series Editor: Matt Willis Production Coordinators: Sabine Scherek, Maria Ogundele Commissioners for Radio 4 and The World Service: Dan Clarke, Jon Zilkha
Original music: Felix Taylor Archive Curator: Tariq Hussain Voice actor: Dai Tabuchi Translators: Hannah Kilcoyne, Sumire Hori
With thanks to Dr Diya Gupta, Dr Vikki Hawkins, Dr Peter Johnston, Professor Rana Mitter and Tejpal Singh Ralmill.
Includes archive material from ‘Singapore 1942: End of Empire’ (2012), Electric Pictures.
We may know about Pearl Harbor and how the war against Japan ended with the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But in popular memory, what happened in between is less well-known. Marking the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we hear of how defeat turned to victory, from epic battles in jungles, to one that played out on a tennis court and saved the British Empire, through remarkable testimonies from British, Indian, and Japanese soldiers who were there, as well as former prisoners of war and civilian internees. Plus we speak to descendants across Britain who are uncovering a family member's story of heroism, imprisonment, and survival.
In this final episode: Joe meets the people in Berlin battling to open the first ever public memorial for a forgotten massacre
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne (based on his book Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance) Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
In Munich, Joe traces a very different side to his family history, events that were left out of his great-grandfather’s memoir.
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
After the war, Joe's great-grandfather attempts to build a new life in the United States where his mental health begins to deteriorate.
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
A letter from Joe’s great-grandfather, leads him to the east of Turkey and the story of a massacre, kept silent for many years
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley With thanks to Jaclynn Ashly and David McDowall Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
Joe follows in his great-grandfather's footsteps to Turkey where he was employed, it seems, making gas masks.
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
Joe's research into his great-grandfather's work takes him to Ammendorf, south of Berlin - one of the key sites of Nazi Germany's chemical weapons production.
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
Dangers lurk beneath the soil, in the town where Joe's great-grandfather worked.
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
Drawn to a family legend about his German-Jewish family’s dramatic escape from Nazi Germany in 1936, the writer Joe Dunthorne accidentally discovers a far more disturbing history.
A conversation with his granny, who spent her childhood brushing her teeth with the radioactive toothpaste her father Siegfried manufactured, leads Joe to finally read his great-grandfather's nearly 2000-page long unpublished memoir. Hidden on page 1692 he finds an unsettling confession.
Written and presented by Joe Dunthorne, (based on his book Children of Radium: A Buried Inheritance) Produced by Eleanor McDowall Music by Jeremy Warmsley Mixing engineer, Mike Woolley Story consultant, Sarah Geis Executive producer, Alan Hall A Falling Tree production for BBC Radio 4
