Dig WW2 : rediscovering the great wartime battles / Jean Hood

To accompany the series presented by Dan Snow

Includes bibliographical references and index

Military archaeology is amongst the newest academic disciplines and is also one of the fastest growing. The BBC TV series Dig WWII will be using this discipline to examine some of the most compelling stories of the Battle of the Atlantic, the Battle of Britain and the Battle for Europe to provide fresh insights and understanding into our dramatic fight for survival. There will be perilous dives onto a tank graveyard and a sunken U-boat; the recovery of a crashed Spitfire from a Northern Irish bog; and an exploration of the tunnels and bunkers on a D-Day beach. Each story has personal testimony from veterans who were there. The series is made by the same team who made Dig 1940 for BBC1, which achieved nearly 5 million viewers for its opening episode. Author Jean Hood looks into all these stories, revealing the scientific breakthroughs, such as DNA profiling that has allowed families to identify loved ones, as well as the dangers inherent in diving to 130 metres and digging in a peat bog, while providing broader discussion on the themes in the programmes within a wider framework of the war in Europe. This is not just a book about the Second World War: it allows us to engage fully in our history. Illustrated with special photography from the series, as well as archival images and artefacts