A powerful war documentary, released in 2011, marked the 10th anniversary of the war in Afghanistan. Our War was exclusively filmed by soldiers on the front line during this conflict.
It was directed by Stuart Bernard and Bruce Goodison and includes the experiences of many different soldiers including: “a close-knit group of friends from 3 Platoon, 1st Battalion Royal Anglian Regiment, who were sent to Helmand province in 2007; a young platoon from the Grenadier Guards and their terrifying struggle with landmines; and the Scots Guards, who are assigned to train the Afghan National Police but have trouble controlling the force’s reckless and dangerous fighting ways.”
The documentary’s synopsis reads: “Our War is a 2011 BBC documentary series that provides a soldier’s-eye view of the war in Afghanistan, using footage shot by British soldiers on the front lines. The series follows various platoons and regiments as they experience the realities of combat, the challenges of training Afghan forces, and the human cost of the conflict. It explores themes of bravery, camaraderie, and the lasting impact of war on those who served.”
The incredible documentary has been rated at 8.5 out of 10 on IMDb.
Rachel Ward praised the series in her review for the Times, she said: “Showing the conflict through the words and images taken by the young soldiers themselves is undoubtedly a powerful story-telling device, but the programme never felt intrusive. Rather, in balancing combat scenes with the soldiers’ later reflections it helped the viewer, in part, to understand their actions.”
An Amazon reviewer said: “With some pretty astounding and never-before-seen footage, straight through a camera lens on the helmet of the world’s finest combat troops, I would highly recommend.”
The series of documentaries consists of four full episodes. The second episode begins with the 2nd Battalion, Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment, who were tasked with protecting a vital road link into an extremely dangerous area in Helmand. While the most recent episode was released just last year, titled Our War 10 Years On, which revisits some of the soldiers who recalled events in the first part of the series. Series 2
Our War is available to stream now on BBC iPlayer.