broxmouth
January 25, 2006 at 11:56 am

Lost TV RAF WWII drama

Thank you for your excellent site – which I discovered today.
I am trying to unearth the details of a ‘lost’ BBC TV drama from the 1970s – which I think was part of ‘Play for Today’ – though I could be wrong. I thought it was called ‘The Brylcreem Boys’ – but all I could find under that name was a quite different RAF drama/ film from 1998.

I wondered if you might recall this play – or if you could advise about anyone else who might recall it?

This was a TV play about a World War II bomber crew – broadcast sometime in the 1980s. The protagonist was an RAF ground crew who had committed some offence in 1942 and as a punishment he was made to mount guard all night on an East Anglian airfield in the depths of winter. It was bitter cold and standing in his frozen sentry box he got frostbite as a result – a ‘mild’ case – and was sent to recuperate in the only nearby hospital – which was a small ‘cottage hospital’ used for aircrew who had mentally cracked under the strain of bombing Berlin.

He is deeply offended to be put in with a ward of ‘nutters’. who were all manic, catatonic or wildly deranged. But he was forced to stay as this was the only available facility. He deeply resents being lumped in with the ‘Lack of Moral Fibre’ cases but his complaints are ignored: “There’s a war on!”.

On his first night in the ward, a full moon is rising and he is astonished to see the catatonic bomber pilot, who has never moved or spoken, rise from his bed and position his chair in the centre of the ward – in the moonlight. For the first time this pilot speaks . . .”Its a bombers moon chaps – time to go” . The other ‘mad’ crew members, one by one rise from their beds like ghosts and position their chairs along the ward centre – recreating a Lancaster bomber in outline. Much against his will, the frostbite victim is dragged into their nightmare and literally forced to take the navigators position in their imaginary bomber.

He plays along in a mixture of fear and tittering at their obvious insanity. But as the pilot goes through the crew checks and says ‘Start outer port engine’ – the nightmare starts to become a reality. All of the sounds and sights of a real bomber come to life and he finds himself transported to a bomber over central Berlin, shaken by flak explosions and thousands of bomb concussions – in a terrifying recreation of this crew’s last mission. They are repeatedly hit by flak – which starts fires in two engines. Finally they are raked by the cannon shells of an invisible night fighter and the plane is reduced to a bloody slaughterhouse. The mid-upper-gunner is disembowelled and dies in agony. Other crew members are seriously wounded and they all endure a horrific journey home lasting five hours as the pilot nurses the stricken bomber home on two engines.

Just as dawn breaks the protagonist comes to his senses back in the ward, on his chair with the weeping, traumatised crew around him. He helps the sister carry them all back to their beds, where they resume their normal catatonia or madness. He finally understands what they have been through and what ‘lack of moral fibre actually means’.

It was an extremely powerful and moving drama which has haunted me ever since. My recollection is that it was called ‘The Brylcreem Boys’ – or perhaps ‘A Bomber Moon’, but searching for both of these titles has failed to produce a ‘hit’ – apart from a more modern film and Mike Harding’s famous poem of the same name (Bombers Moon).

If this rings any bells I would be very grateful for any information.

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By: David Kavanagh - 9th February 2023 at 11:05

Thanks Geoff & Perio, looks like it was Purple Twilight. I’ll ask the person who originally asked.

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By: 1batfastard - 4th February 2023 at 17:59

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By: David Kavanagh - 31st January 2023 at 16:29

Alas, it’s not the Brylcreem Boys either. The person who’s asking categorically says it not that either. It was an actual Lancaster that they flew. Looks like it will remain a mystery.

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By: 1batfastard - 30th January 2023 at 14:02

Hi All,

A very belated HAPPY NEW YEAR for 2023!! to all forumites.

Right then the play I think you are referring to is this below!!

Take you pick of playing options but Youtube seems to be on the nail:- https://www.google.com/search?q=The+Brylcreem+Boys+BBC+2+PLAY&rlz=1C1CH…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Rf9Qxoh4KU

I even found a long since dead thread:- https://www.key.aero/forum/historic-aviation/81949-the-brylcreem-boys-p…

EDIT:- Wow!! Very strong and emotional drama with a very young Timothy Spall, you have to give all the actors credit they all play they’re characters with such feeling and realism. The play really drags you into the story being portrayed, it will give a new perspective of what it was like to be part of a bomber crew to those who actually watch it.

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By: David Kavanagh - 29th January 2023 at 20:32

“By: 25deg south – 8th May 2007 at 19:02 – Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00

Does anybody remember a TV play in the 60’s about a Lancaster Bomber crew reunion in which they gather around a long table with a missing place to remember the one who never came back?
After a few beers they reassemble their crew positions along the table and drunkenly decide to reenact their last mission.
As the play progresses the situation goes from game to reality as the crew take casualties and the aircraft is finally lost.
At the last scene it is only the ” Missing man ” who is now sitting alone on the table with seven vacant sittings and with a wife imploring him not to put himself through this every year as it upsets him so.

Nothing is original, it seems
Then there was the one in which the old crew get to fly a real Lancaster which their richest member had bought………”

zombie threat resurrection. Been a while since I last posted on this forum. Can’t remember how to directly reply to a threat, so I’ve had to copy and paste. I’ve been ask, last paragraph above, what was the name of the TV programme about an old crew who get to fly a Lancaster their richest member could buy?
If 25 deg South is still here, does he or anyone else know? Thanks very much.

David

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By: skeeler - 17th March 2017 at 16:59

Yes, Having watched it, it is. The ‘mission’ sequence is very compelling.

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By: mhuxt - 30th January 2009 at 15:39

That sentry, surely that’s the same fellow as plays the father in “Shameless”?

Thirty years later and still playing the same ne’er do well!

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By: Arabella-Cox - 30th January 2009 at 14:46

Apologies for resurrecting this old thread but guess what has turned up on Youtube?

Reading the old messages herewith may help new readers get a feel for this BBC drama before watching it.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=s-O1JDIo2IY&feature=related

🙂

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By: mattocf - 8th October 2007 at 18:34

The Brylcreem Boys

I now have the play (originally transmitted on the BBC in the Echos of War series) on a DVD, although the first 20 minutes has a little tracking problem but still watchable. It is just as powerful today. I am not sure about the copyright rules but if someone can advise me, I could lend it for the script to be checked if this is possible.

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By: rhavers - 9th August 2007 at 17:09

As in “This is the BBC News and this is Alvar Lidell reading it.”? Cool.

Did you know that it was German threats to spoofing the BBC broadcasts (with ‘black propoganda’ that got the BBC newsreaders (previously annonymous) to add their names to their intros?

On 13 July 1940 Frank Phillips became the first reader to identify himself on air. But concern persisted that all newsreaders sounded the same. Regardless of whether or not they announced their name it was felt that it would not be too hard for the Germans to imitate them. When Wilfred Pickles came along he at least sounded marginally different.

Frank Phillips’ other claim to fame was that he might well be the only announcer to read the news in just his pajama top! One morning after sleeping in late at the makeshift facilities in Broadcasting House Frank went in to read the news having been sleeping pajama bottomless – he thought it a trifle too warm to wear them. He only noticed his mistake when he sat down on the rather cold chair. Apparently the Production people kept sending in the youngest girl on the news team with additional piece of news for Frank to read out.

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By: Jenny G - 9th August 2007 at 16:34

PRODUCTION: THE BRYLCREEM BOYS

I’m very happy to announce that Peter Durrant’s play (full format version) has been chosen for 2008. Showing in Prompt Theatre (the studio) and part of a double bill in August at South London Theatre Co, 2a Norwood High Street, London SE27 9NS. Usually runs in the 3rd week of August. As director I will let you all know exact dates when our all details are up on the web and I do hope some of you may come and see it. I’ll clear one of the flat roofs for landing of light aircraft and helicopters, of course!

In the meantime, I understand Peter has been approached for his one act version of the play to be submitted for another festival around March next year. Suddenly it’s all happening. Many thanks to all who have kept this thread alive and offered suggestions and encouragement.

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