The Antiques Roadshow Last Sunday.

[10ClarionSt]

Did you watch it? Stories of bravery, hardship and endurance. The programme seemed to try and present images through sepia tinted lenses. There were brave people and they deserve to be recognized. Rightly so. But there were many criminals and dishonest people too who were looting, stealing and feeding the huge black market. Lots of these were the very people who were receiving the praise. The BBC like to do it that way and ignore the facts. There was also the waste of licence payers money when Fiona Bruce was treated to a flight in a Spitfire. Just what that was about is beyond me. What was the point? The cost must have run into thousands. In 2000, our association paid over £3000 for a fairey Swordfish to fly over Plymouth Hoe, so the cost for a Spitfire these days must be at least double that, and more probably. But that's the BBC for you. Where there is a presenter doing an outdoor report, they've got to "have a go" haven't they?
It was a well-intentioned programme. I get that as we celebrate Battle of Britain Day today. But there was also an underlying reality.

[Baldric]

A seriously boring programme, always. Mrs B watches it, I go in another room and watch something else.

[bednobs]

No I agree, all ex servicemen are crooks and when that blokes son was on with his dads medals instead of making such a meal of his service record he should have told the truth "yes my dad punched them off his dead gunners shirt"

[Baldric]

BBC News, they're doing it again now, Grrrr!

[bednobs]

Never in the field of human conflict has so much (nicking) been done by so many.

[Baldric]

"All ex Servicemen are crooks"
I spent the best part of 20 years as a Royal Marine, what makes me a crook?

[pastafreak]

A Spitfire flight is £2750...Maybe it was donated.
If not, it's not a huge amount spread out amongst the viewers of AR.

[pastafreak]

Forgot...

https://flyaspitfire.com

[Cloverjo]

Hey, my dad and three of my grandparents were in the army. They were/are not crooks.

[woofgang]

blimey someone got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning

[whistonian]

I spent 22 years in th Royal Air Force so does that make me a crook ??

[fiction-factory]

Well I could see where you were going/coming from on this, bednobs

[Mamyalynne]

You've taken a strange angle on this 10C - you appear to be suggesting that folk should have brought along items that related to crimes their ancestors had acquired during the war rather than mementos of their time serving the country.

Most odd.

[bednobs]

thanks FF, it seems some people forgot to turn on their sarcasm indicators today

[iluvmargie]

9:04 Ha! A bit like you on most days!

[10ClarionSt]

Now now Mama. My criticism is of the BBC. I understand why the programme was made. It was meant as a tribute to all servicemen and civilians who were directly involved in the Battle of Britain. The BBC chose to ignore the fact that some people were making lots of money out of criminality because of German bombing raids. Civil Defence, ARP, Blackout Wardens, Fire officers as well as some police officers were involved in looting and theft. One major criminal was Billy Hill. Google him. there were lots like him. These were not ex-servicemen.

Even if the Spitfire flight only cost a tenner, what was the point of Fiona Bruce doing it? She just went on a jolly for no other reason. At licence payers expense.

[Mamyalynne]

I can't and therefore won't justify the Spitfire flight - there was one tonight on the One Show by Tim Peake.

However the Antiques Roadshow is about items from the past and this was a special, I still can't see how they could have woven criminality in and kept the tone of the show.

May well be a good subject for a programme however, I agree with you there.