Guy Martin's D-Day Landings honours the brave paratroopers of 75 years ago
Guy Martin's D-Day Landings honours the brave paratroopers of 75 years ago
To mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day, petrolhead Guy Martin pays his own tribute to the paratroopers who spearheaded the invasion by leaping out of a Dakota transport plane over northern France.
Before that can happen, he must help rebuild the World War Two plane, undergo scary paratrooper training and complete the course that will allow him to make the jump.
"Say D-Day to anyone, and it’s all about the beach landings,’ says the petrolhead, who’s made programmes about all things mechanical as well as attempting to break various speed records.
"Yes, that was the main part of it, but the first boys in were the paratroopers.
"They went in six hours before. They had the worst job, jumping at night, being shot at.
"They are unsung heroes."
This excellent documentary also includes moving testimony from D-Day heroes including 95-year-old Bob Stoodley, a "pathfinder" paratrooper who was blown up by a tank, captured and interrogated by the SS.
"Unfortunately, they found out I was a pathfinder," he says.
"They kept asking, 'How many units? How many more are coming? Where are you going?' It went on and on and on.
"I tried to joke once or twice – that was rather a painful experience. You don’t joke with the SS. They don’t like it."
They really don't make them like that any more!
TV Times rating: ****
