Down the Line: a Secret Army podcast

When the brothers of a Brussels-based monastery elect to harbour an evader, Kessler arrives on the scene and his usual tactics are in no way dulled as he confronts these 'men of God' on one of their holiest days: Good Friday.

This month, AJ and Andy are delighted to be joined by Alex Wilcock as together they muse upon the many theological themes, meanings and metaphors in John Brason's script. They also consider chosen family and chosen names, whether Lisa is a calming influence, and, as ever, the value of Curtis to Lifeline.

Elsewhere there is advice from AJ on egg painting, memories of slideshow nights from Andy, and a wonderfully relevant Kate Bush-related fact from Alex. 

Please do get in touch with your thoughts on this and future episodes. Tweets and voice-notes are most welcome! You can email us on [email protected] or on Twitter @secretarmypod

Thank you so much for listening!

AJ & Andy 

Next Time: Suspicions

AJ and Andy interview Henrietta 'Hetty' Baynes who played Yvonne in three different episodes of Secret Army. Hetty recalls working on the Candide studio set, rehearsing in Acton and the joy of working with the series regulars. She also reflects on what motivated Yvonne and the character's possible journey after the war. Hetty also recounts highlights from her varied TV career including Bergerac, Running Scared and Jonathan Creek and how she met and fell in love with film director Ken Russell while making The Secret Life of Arnold Bax.

If you enjoyed this episode please consider contributing to one of Hetty's nominated charities:

NSPCC, www.nspcc.org.uk, 0207 825 2505

Beat, beateatingdisorders.org.uk, 0160 375 3308

Mind, mind.org.uk, 0208 215 2243

Next Time: Good Friday

AJ and Andy explore James Andrew Hall's second contribution to Secret Army: Bait, a clever tale centring around a woman, Catherine Bidout, living in Brussels who has not been interned despite being British. She is part of a trap prepared by Kessler, and Brandt is in danger of falling right into it. When Lifeline are also summoned to help, both the future of the evasion line and the Luftwaffe Major are at stake. 

As well as the pair's enjoyment of the inclusion of so many older female characters, AJ is a great fan of the final denouement which sees Brandt resolute while under pressure from Kessler, while Andy enjoys the Major's moral decision to save Bidout rather than pursue Lifeline. 

Elsewhere... there is deep love for the return of the wonderful Yvonne played by Henrietta Baynes; the character of Curtis continues to be a source of frustration; and the scene in which Albert requires Monique to work on the Nazi flag comes under the microscope. 

Also, Andy has clearly thought far too much about the route of Hitler's birthday parade, while AJ has actually just been to Brussels and shares their experiences of visiting the Candide today!

We also hear from Ryan, Alex Wilcock and Andrew Orton. Andrew's video on Secret Army can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWqBfiwzy5A Thank you to them and everyone else who is joining us on this journey. Tweets and voice-notes are most welcome! You can email us on [email protected] or on Twitter @secretarmypod

You can find out more about the current pop-up gallery in the Brussels' building used as the Candide here: https://www.316.be/meet-ups 

Anyway, we're both off to the haberdashery for a good gossip. Until next time...

AJ & Andy

Next Time: Interview with Henrietta Baynes (in 2 weeks time)

This month AJ & Andy appraise Michael Chapman's sole contribution to Secret Army: Hymn to Freedom, which explores the political and personal motivations of the Quisling-like Van Reijn as he attempts to leave Occupied Belgium behind. 

Andy has issues with Chapman's storytelling style, while AJ has cause to sing a refrain of 'Interchangeable Men'. Elsewhere, a draughts trope irritates Andy, AJ considers how differently they might react to Lisa if a man talked to them like Curtis does, and both of them are thrilled to learn about a filming location used in the episode. 

We are joined, as ever, by Ryan, and also by Alex Wilcock whose reading of the episode brings lots of new ideas to light. At the end of the episode we are joined by Sophia Bennett (@sophiabennett on Twitter) who reflects on how Secret Army has affected both her reading and her writing. You can find out about her books here: http://sophiabennett.com/books/ 

Also you might want to check out Flemish and Wallooon POWs in the Second World War by Jean-Michel Veranneman (as mentioned by AJ): https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Belgium-in-the-Second-World-War-Paperback/p/20249

As ever, thank you for listening and please do share links and promote the podcast wherever you can.

You can tweet us at @secretarmypod or email us/drop us a voice-note at [email protected]

Next Time: Bait

This month AJ and Andy review one of the most celebrated episodes of the first series in which Lifeline is threatened when Monique gets too close to an SS officer impersonating an evader. As well as exploring the welcome character development for both Monique and Albert, and the bravura performance by Angela Richards in particular, the pair also discuss Clifford Rose's portrayal of the ruthless Kessler. 

They reserve special attention for the episode's sublime 'No Compartments' speech which is discussed in depth towards the end of the episode. Why Angela didn't receive a Best Actress BAFTA is anyone's guess. 

Elsewhere Andy takes a deep dive into the locations featured in the episode, while AJ explains the surprising reason why Clive Arrindell, who plays Stoller here, is such a familiar face in Spain. 

Recounting of the unspeakable activities of the original SS Totenkopf Division (of which Stoller was a part) incorporates discussion of the massacres at Le Paradis and Chasselay. You can find more information on these incidents here: Le Paradis: http://www.leparadismassacre.com/ Chasselay: (https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/chasselay-massacre-june-1940) 

As usual we close by hearing what fans of the series think of the episode, before Sarah tells us what the series meant to her first time around. 

Next Time: Hymn to Freedom

AJ interviews actor and writer Christopher Douglas who played downed South African airman Noel Uys in the Series 1 episode Identity in Doubt. Christopher is now best known for playing Ed Reardon in radio's Ed Reardon's week but was happy to cast his mind back to 1977, his co-stars, director Vik Ritelis, and his time in the mud! 

If you enjoyed this episode please donate to Christopher's chosen charity: Blood Cancer UK: https://bloodcancer.org.uk/ You can also donate by phone on: 0808 1695155

Next TIme: A Question of Loyalty

When a lock keeper is killed and Jacques is injured, Natalie's fate looks uncertain as she is taken hostage by an impetuous evader whose identity is in doubt...

AJ and Andy critique 'the one with the mud' and find a lot more to discuss and explore than this episode's memorable denouement. There is high praise for Juliet Hammond-Hill's performance as Natalie as the character takes centre-stage for the first time, and appreciation of the sequence in which Monique is attacked as a collaborator in the Candide, a troubling rehearsal of events later in the series. 

The episode's protagonist, young South African airmen Noel Uys, played by Christopher Douglas, also comes under the spotlight. In a special episode, in two week's time, you will be able to hear AJ's exclusive interview with Christopher to find out what he remembers about his time on Secret Army.

As well as focusing on Viktors Ritelis's direction and Raymond London's design, the episode's distinctive soundscape is discussed. And thanks to one of our wonderful listeners we can also reveal the episode's principal windmill and mudflats locations, so you too can lose your shoes and roll around waist-deep in mud should the fancy take you. 

Thank you for your continued support of Down the Line and don't forget that we'd love to hear your thoughts on each episode either on Twitter (@secretarmypod) or email ([email protected]), or as a voice-note, also by email (ee will be recording our episode about 'Bait' next if you want to contribute).

Edmund Pegge's excellent autobiography, referenced in this episode, is called Forever Horatio and is available on Amazon.

Next Time (20 April): Interview with Christopher Douglas (Noel Uys)

In today's mid-month bonus edition AJ interviews Bridget Bree who has lived in Belgium since 2017. Bridget is currently renting 28 Grand Place, the location used as the exterior of the Candide in the second and third series of Secret Army. Bridget and the '316 community' (https://www.316.be) are renting the building as a space for an art exhibition until the summer. Bridget is a fan of the series so is very keen for people to take this rare opportunity (it has been closed for some time) to visit the Candide and have a look around inside. Join AJ as they find out more about Bridget's work and how the interior compares to the Restaurant Candide we know and love from the series. 

Next Time: Identity in Doubt

There is trouble in Paris and Lisa is about to get in very deep water in nearby Senlis. But when her uncle Gaston finds himself interrogated by Kessler himself it is set to be a dark day for Lifeline. 

As they review Too Near Home, AJ and Andy discuss its writer, master of suspense and spy storytelling - Robert Barr, the reliably distinctive direction of Viktors Ritelis and, thanks to the appearance of Souad Faress as Maria, the hidden history of the people of colour who played key roles as airmen and resistance workers during the war. 

They also find themselves critiquing plot contrivances at the Pontoise Prison and Lifeline communication failures, and due to Jeffrey Holland's presence even singing the theme to 'Oh Dr Beeching'! 

Get your handkerchiefs at the ready because it's time for the once seen, never forgotten, Too Near Home. 

We also hear from Jem Fell (@jemfellpoetry) who remembers the power of Secret Army's title sequence. 

Next Time: A special mid-month episode relating to the Candide. 

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The books that AJ mentions in the episode are:

- Under Fire: Black Britain in Wartime 1939-45 by Stephen Bourne

- The Story of Britain's Black Airmen by K. N. Chimbiri

You may also want to check out:

- Spy Princess: the Life of Noor Inayat Khan by Shrabani Basu

This month AJ and Andy review one of their favourite episodes from the first series: Guilt. Naturally, they love the more active role it affords Angela Richards' Monique as she follows Curtis into France to determine if he is a double agent. 

Guilt is of course a continuation of the story begun in Lost Sheep, dealing with the aftermath of the betrayal of Flt. Lt. Peter Romsey and the death of resistance agent Victor. And like the preceding episode, Lost Sheep, it is masterfully penned by N J Crisp and directed by Paul Annett.

Monique aside, AJ and Andy also discuss: 'shelf-cam'; Curtis's high-risk strategy in the narrative (and how it fits with his white male heteronormative fantasy); whether he and Monique should have murdered Dorothy Neville as well as Hugh; and what this episode says about women both in front of and behind the camera.

All this and Ryan enjoys three different 'mission hats'!

Next Time: Too Near Home