War at Sea

The u.s. marine Corps 1 x 55 minutes

On 11th July 1798 a body of less than 1,000 men was formally established as a United States Marine Corps. Over the next 100 years, although still relatively few in number, they were frequently dispatched overseas in a key role when US interests were threatened. “The Marines” saw action in many places. Using some remarkable archive footage, this programme develops the valiant story of the US Marines through World War 2 to Korea and Vietnam.

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Great sea battles of World War Two 1 x 55 minutes

The seaways were the vital supply lines of he nations allied against the Axis powers in World War Two. Above and below the waves men struggled and died to keep the convoys running and hope alive. We tell the story of the strategies and perseverance of the battleships and submarines who had to win their lethal games of cat-and-mouse, their bravery an apt memorial for the thousands who never came home

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U-Boat War 1 x 55 minutes

Their orders were to hunt and destroy, their commanders the cream of the German Navy, their crews hand-picked. Equipped with latest technology the feared U-Boat Wolf Packs threatened Britain’s hard won supremacy of the oceans. For merchant ships they represented a constant threat of fire and destruction, for warships a challenge that had to be met and won if evil was to be defeated.

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The War at Sea 1 x 55 minutes

Even more than the land based campaigns , the war at sea during World War II between 1939 and 1945 was a global affair. This fascinating programme examines the many naval campaigns fought at sea by the British, German, American, Japanese and Italian fleets. How would the threat of the U-Boats in the Atlantic be met? What tactics would win the great carrier battles in the Pacific? Could the vital supply lines be t open? The story of the men and machines who fought to “rule the waves”.

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Aircraft Carriers of World War Two 1 x 55 minutes

In the Second World War aircraft carriers brought as new form of warfare the oceans and battlefields with their extraordinary size and fire power. Foe first time battles could be won and lost without the rival sailors ever catching sight of each other’s ships. Ironically, Germany was one of the only nations involved in this conflict not to operate carriers. It is very possible that had the German navy had such potent vessels in its armoury the war in the Atlantic and Mediterranean could have ended very differently. This programme looks at the mighty British, American and Japanese carrier fleets of the second world. How did they develop their strategies for the development of this latest weapon – a floating gun battery and airfield combined.

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Carrier Battles of World War Two 1 x 55 minutes

This programme provides an account of some of the major fleet-versus-fleet actions of World War Two, when the world?s largest navies launched their flagship aircraft carriers and their carrier borne aircraft into battle against one another. Most of these battles were fought with neither side ever coming into visual contact with each other. We look at the battles fought between the allied British and American Carriers against the Japanese Imperial Fleet, engagements such as the Coral Sea, Midway and The famous Marianas Turkey Shoot. Also included are the battles fought by the British carriers against the German Battleship Bismarck? and the lethal Japanese Kamikaze attacks against British and American carriers.

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History of the Submarine 1 x 60 minutes

For explorers, the means to go into the mysterious depths of the world beneath the waves had always remained a dream. For military strategists it held a particularly pressing fascination. The challenge for both was to make that dream a reality. This programme tells how the submariners vessel was developed, from the erratic experimentation of the early days up to the triumphant diving and surfacing of the modern submarine.

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U-Boat War

Sea Wolves, Attack America, Iron Coffins

3 x 60 minutes

At the beginning of the Second World War, the Allies could find no way to defeat the formidable power of Germany’s U-Boats. Skilful and lethal, these submarines known as the “grey wolves” were strangling vital supplies crossing the Atlantic Ocean from North America to Britain. After the blitz on America’s Eastern seaboard in early 1942, the fortunes of war see-sawed until very gradually the tide turned. The grey wolves became “iron coffins”; tiny and cramped conditions on board were as harsh as the enemies they faced. The German U-Boat service numbered 38,000 at the beginning of the conflict; only 8,000 we to return home.

This three-part series contains interviews with U-Boat commanders, crew and members of the Allied forces. Also included is rare original footage of battle scenes and images of the life endured on board the “iron coffins”.

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