© ATOM 2014 A STUDY GUIDE BY ROGER STITSON
http://www.metromagazine.com.au
ISBN: 978-1-74295-401-1 http://www.theeducationshop.com.au General introductory note This study guide contains a range of class (L-R) WILLIAM UPJOHN ‘THE BUILDER’, JOHN CONCANNON ‘THE BOFFIN’, activities relevant to each specific episode. ANTHONY MILLER ‘THE BOMBARDIER’ - PHOTO BY GEOFFREY ELLIS. The activities on each episode are in self- contained sections throughout the study Pty Ltd Valour Images © For unless otherwise stated. Photographs by Stefan Postles guide. As some topics are relevant to all the episodes, there is an introductory section on primary and secondary source material and, later in the study guide, a Series Synopsis section devoted to a general overview of the entire series. There is also a dedicated he Boffin, the Builder and the Bombardier is Media Studies section of activities a fun and fast-paced series of eight ten-min- relevant to the construction, purposes and Tute episodes, in which three mates decon- outcomes of the series. struct history by reconstructing the devices that Episode synopses at the beginning of each made it. Each episode sees our characters uncover section are taken from the series press kit. the secrets of the past by immersing themselves in it – dressing up, with often comedic results – and blowing up ... sometimes just for the fun of it. But beneath the good humour is a well-researched documentary with experimental archaeology – the replication of objects and methods of the past, to Curriculum links • Draw up a list of examples of primary and sec- better interpret and understand them – at its core. ondary sources. Thisstudy guide is The audience will get a laugh and, at program’s If you have already viewed the episodes in mainly aimed at middle • end, an insight into history they may not have had this series, comment on the type and range of and upper-secondary before. school levels, with primary and secondary historical sources which relevance to English, are either referred to or shown on screen in the History (including eight episodes. Introduction to the series World War I - • Discuss the advantages and disadvantages Gallipoli, the medieval of using and relying on primary and second- Primary and secondary sources era, the American ary sources in the study of history. Comment, Civil War, and the for example, on the use of personal diaries, Carry out the following activities, which may pro- Napoleonic Wars) newspaper reports and letters to the editor, vide useful background when viewing and discuss- and History Method, photographs, military maps, and published ing each episode in the series. Note that episode Science (including biographies and autobiographies in book form. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 four, ‘The Mad Minute’, also examines the concept Physics), Maths, • Note that the Australian War Memorial contains of primary and secondary sources. and Media Studies. a collection of World War I diaries. These are a Teachers may also find valuable source of primary records (see ‘AWM the series relevant to • Define and explain the difference between primary sources – samples of WWI diaries’ in aspects of Problem a primary historical source and a secondary website references for this section). Specific Solving, and Personal historical source. (See ‘Primary and secondary diary entries may be found in the website refer- and Interpersonal sources’ and ‘Historical method’ in the ‘General Development ences for episode one. background’ section of website references.) (Teamwork). 2 of battlefield resourcefulness, the boys take the completed weapon to the firing range and ... man- age to deliver consistent accuracy at 100 yards. But, if the periscope rifle is a precision sniper’s in- strument, they should be able to hit targets at three times that range. Here it seems Dr Bean’s historic claims of the system’s range have been exagger- ated, with the boys failing to hit anything.
As they pack up to head home, the morale boost- ing benefits of embellishing the weapon’s effec- tiveness are considered. However, they realise the truest measure of Beech’s periscope rifle is not in how many it killed but how many it saved in allow- ing its operators to keep their heads down.
ANTHONY MILLER Themes and issues
• At the beginning of the first episode the nar- Episode 1 rator says, ‘The way we look at history often depends on who we are and what we’re inter- ‘HIT WITHOUT BEING HIT’ ested in’. Discuss in class the relevance and the importance of this statement in defining and Synopsis understanding the very concept of the study of History. The periscope rifle: that iconic piece of Australian To develop and expand upon your discussion ingenuity manufactured on the beaches of Gallipoli of where we, as individuals, stand on various itself. Hailed as the ultimate tool in the sniper’s ar- historical questions, you should try to refer to senal, it provided a way to hit without being hit. But various examples of where historical interpreta- could a .303 and some jerry-rigged mirrors pilfered tions of a particular issue or event may differ. from the navy’s wardrooms really have been the You might begin with some relatively ‘simple’ edge in the Anzac’s campaign? divergences of historical opinion towards a sports event; look, for example, at the English With the Turks holding the high ground at Gallipoli, and Australian interpretations of the ‘Bodyline’ firing over the top of the trench meant exposure test cricket series of 1932–1933. Can you find and almost certain death for the Anzacs. One man, any differences in interpretation as to whether William Charles Bullock Beech, came up with a solution.
But, as Will (the builder) gets on with WILLIAM UPJOHN building the reconstruction, John reveals the provenance of the design is far from certain—not to mention the accounts of its accuracy. It seems that the academic and the warrior are saying two different things, with the official Anzac historian, Dr Charles Bean, deeming the periscope rifle to be an accurate and deadly weapon, and legendary sniper Jesse Wallingford claiming they were SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 rubbish.
Will completes the build and the boys find there’s just one problem – it doesn’t fire. Turns out they’ve overlooked a crucial aspect of the weapon system: how do you pull a trig- ger when you can’t reach the gun? As the ar- chives turn up the answer in a stunning piece 3 White’s assertions about the periscope rifle’s effectiveness. • Comment on the validity of the team’s method- ology in testing Bean’s and White’s assertions. • Explain the team’s findings as to whether Bean’s or White’s views about the periscope rifle were correct. • Towards the end of the episode the team judges the usefulness of the periscope rifle at Gallipoli in a very surprising way. Explain the team’s final historical judgement about the periscope rifle and the soldiers who used it. • Plan and write a short story in which the image of a periscope rifle is an important aspect of the narrative. Your story does not necessarily have to be set at Gallipoli in 1915. It might, for exam- ple, be a story set in a different era, in which a man, a woman or a child is looking at a photo JOHN CONCANNON of a soldier using a periscope rifle, or reading a diary extract about it.
‘bodyline’ was within the laws and the ‘spirit’ of Episode 2 the game of cricket? If so, why are these issues viewed differently? Are they presented purely ‘UP, UP AND A WAY’ from the viewpoint of national allegiance? You might extend these types of questions into Synopsis more complex areas, such as an examination of the ways in which the British colonisation of The Chinese flying fire lance. Appearing on the Australia have been interpreted over the past battlefield in the thirteenth century, this poisoned- two centuries. Another general example is tipped missile was powered by a propellant known whether British and Australian historians have only to the Chinese as an elixir of immortality. But differed over the way in which they’ve interpret- was this the world’s first weaponised rocket? And ed the role of the British military commanders was it really capable of flying 450 metres? during the Gallipoli campaign of 1915. • Before we look at the divergent historical inter- As John explains to Will and Tony, China in 1250 pretations of the effectiveness of the periscope was the most technologically advanced culture the rifle at Gallipoli, answer the following questions world had ever seen — inventing items ranging from episode one: from the compass to toilet paper — all underpinned o Who invented the periscope rifle? by a belief system that encompassed theology, o Why was it invented? alchemy, philosophy and science, known as ‘Dao’ o What were the essential features and design or ‘the way’. But was the fire lance another of their of the periscope rifle? many successes? Or was it as erratic and unreli- o How much was the inventor paid, after the able as the critical (and often jealous) European war, for inventing the periscope rifle? accounts recorded? • Describe the differences in interpretation of the effectiveness of the periscope rifle, between of- The boys determine the components of the rocket ficial war historian Charles Bean, and the Anzac from a patchy archaeological record, allowing Will chief of staff, Brudenell White? Discuss why to put together a modern replica of a bipod and you think each had a different viewpoint. (For downpipe, affixed with the twentieth-century ver- more background, and some primary source sion of hide binding – gaffer tape. material, see website references for episode
one.) All that remains is to affix the launcher to a SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 • Discuss whether John, the boffin, is drawing his ‘Chinese battle platform’ – that is, another Chinese awareness of Bean’s and White’s views from invention still in widespread use today: the primary or secondary historical sources, and wheelbarrow. what this might mean in terms of the reliability of the information. With John and Tony decked out as Chinese war- • Discuss in class and then write a com- riors and Will as their coolie, the boys face off mentary on how a historian today might, as against a cardboard cut-out ‘hostile horde’ on the accurately as possible, test the validity of firing range. They go over the launch procedure 4 (light the fuse and run like hell) and put their rock- ets to the test, blasting their fire lances across the field and delivering hits on their targets.
Collecting the burnt remains of the lances at the end of the day, the boys consider their findings. With the ability to deliver multiple launches from mobile deployments the flying fire lance is not only the world’s first weaponised rocket, but also the world’s first rocket system – another worthy inclu- sion in the long list of ground-breaking Chinese inventions.
Themes and issues
• Near the beginning of this episode, the narrator says, ‘History is not always about deeds, but changes in human thinking and the ways we perceive our world’. ANTHONY MILLER WITH ROCKET OUT THE FRONT OF THE BBB HEADQUARTERS SHED As a general concept of the understanding of history, discuss in class some examples of when, where and why this statement is cor- rect. Consider past, present and possible future attitudes to such issues as women’s suffrage, its efficiency that he, Will the builder and Tony the death penalty for certain crimes, same-sex the bombardier set out to test. Why do you marriage and climate change. What other fac- think the first test is carried out first rather than tors may be brought to bear on the ‘accepted second? wisdom’, or widely prevailing attitudes towards • During the episode we see the team discussing these and other, issues? various measurements required to make a sim- • Following from the previous discussion, com- ple and plain rocket work correctly. What are ment on the relevance of the narrator’s state- the issues relating to relative size and dimen- ment about history to the topics pursued in this sion (and possibly weight and mass) they have episode. to consider in ensuring that the rocket they • We are told that it was the Chinese who invent- build will actually work? ed the flying fire lance, thereby being the first in • Comment on the results of the tests carried out the world to invent rocketry. (You may wish to by the team. How do those results compare to define the meaning of the word, ‘rocket’.) From the historical accounts that John has previously this episode and elsewhere, draw up a list of discussed during the episode? other inventions the Chinese are said to have • Explain why the team rates the Chinese battle invented many centuries ago, and present this platform of multiple rocket spears highly as a in illustrated form on poster paper. battlefield weapon. What are the features of its • Describe, with your own illustration, how the success? Comment, for example, on the ele- ancient Chinese flying fire lance worked. ment of surprise. When do you think it is most • The ‘black powder’ that propelled the poisoned likely to have been successful, and least likely lance into the air later came to be known in to be successful, when confronting a military the west as gunpowder. Describe the three enemy? ingredients that make up this black powder. • Plan and write a short fiction story – or a poem, (See ‘Gunpowder’ in website references for this such as a ballad – in which the image of a episode.) Chinese flying fire lance, or an entire platform of • Carry out further research if necessary, then them, features as a relevant part of the narra- write a short account of why the three ingre- tive. Your story or poem may be set in ancient dients making up this explosive black powder China, or even in a modern-day museum. were associated with the ancient Chinese Dao
philosophy of the ‘three worms’ of human SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 health and wellbeing. (See ‘Dao and Three Worms’ in website references for this episode. Note also that Dao may also be known as, or associated with, Tao.) • Explain the problem that John, the boffin, has with the historical accounts of the Chinese fly- ing fire lance and its efficiency on the ancient battlefield. Describe the two linked aspects of 5 Episode 3 ‘THE LAST DROP’
Synopsis
Invented by Private William Scurry, the Scurry rifle is one of those Anzac objects of which the idea is celebrated but the tactical efficacy remains dubi- ous. Also known as the drip, delay or pop-off rifle, the device has become synonymous with Anzac in- genuity, but could it have singlehandedly facilitated the most famous military manoeuvre of its day? EP 3 - THE TEAM CALLING IN BIG MAMA - PHOTO BY GEOFFREY ELLIS As John points out, the most difficult military manoeuvre is a retreat in the face of a determined enemy. And in the case of Gallipoli, when the deci- sion was finally reached to evacuate, estimates Out on the firing range, the Scurry rifles are set up were for a 50 per cent casualty rate. If the Anzacs and the boys ‘retreat’ to the safety of some deck- were going to get out alive, they needed to fool the chairs and beach umbrellas to watch the action. As battle-hardened Turks into thinking their trenches John explains, the evacuation was an unprecedent- were still occupied while they scurried out the back ed success; far from a 50 per cent loss of life, just door. one man was wounded and he lived, along with the others, to tell the tale. And indeed their recreated So while Will does the rebuild, Tony tries to figure Scurry rifles do work, firing independently with the out how much water, and what sort of flow rate is appropriate delay. needed to fill a receptacle and pull a trigger with a thirty-minute delay (the time for a frontline soldier The final verdict: the Scurry rifle was a great idea to reach the evacuation point on the beach). and would have helped in the evacuation, but there simply weren’t enough of them in documented use Meanwhile John’s research turns up surprisingly to have accounted for the successful retreat. The vague details about the use of the Scurry rifle, but difference came in the tactical genius of the silent quite detailed information on something called the stunt – conditioning the enemy to inaction while ‘silent stunt’. This exercise saw Anzac troops stop- withdrawing. In other words, it wasn’t the drips but ping all activity in a trench to arouse the suspicion the silence in between. of the Turks. When the Turks moved to investigate the Anzacs let them have it. Of course it didn’t Themes and issues take long for the Turks to stop falling for it; without realising that’s exactly what they were doing. • First, we are told at the beginning of the epi- sode that ‘the most dangerous military ma- noeuvre is retreat in the face of a determined enemy’. Explain why retreat is the most danger- WILLIAM UPJOHN ous of military manoeuvres. • From the episode and from further research, how many Anzac troops had to be evacuated from Gallipoli, and why was it necessary for the evacuation to take place? • Explain the principle of William Scurry’s delay rifle. Include illustrations to show the mecha- nisms required to make a rifle fire a bullet in delayed time. (See ‘Scurry rifle’ in website refer-
ences for this episode.) SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 • Why was the Scurry rifle invented? That is, what was the Scurry rifle’s purpose, specifically to be used by Anzac troops at Gallipoli in 1915? Why was it necessary for a delay of approxi- mately thirty-five minutes between the moment the timing mechanism was activated, and the time the trigger was pulled to fire a bullet? 6 • Explain the historical problem that John has with all the existing primary and secondary records concerning the Scurry rifle. • John, Will and Tony carry out an experiment in their workshop to find out what is required for the trigger of their .303 rifle to be ‘automati- cally’ activated without human intervention, after thirty-three minutes. What do they have to take into account, and what are their statisti- cal findings? Are you able to use these figures to recalculate for other time lengths – perhaps roughly fifteen or sixty minutes? • Before being evacuated, the Anzacs played a ‘stunt’ on the Turkish soldiers, a trick that EP 4 - THE TEAM IN NOPOLEONIC ERA DRESS eventually saved many Anzac lives. Explain the stunt the Anzacs played, and its purpose. What famous 1807 artillery charge of Friedland, the boys was the role the Scurry rifle ultimately played want to know whether the French were seeking in this stunt? If it’s likely that towards the end glory with their charge, or bang for their buck. of the evacuation there was only one Scurry rifle in place roughly every kilometre along the And, after setting up their replica Russian targets frontline trenches, comment on the success or and very authentic cannon, the boys take it to the otherwise of this entire manoeuvre. (For more firing range – in full Napoleonic cannoneer garb of information about the evacuation, see ‘Gallipoli course, complete with shako headwear. evacuation’ in website references for this episode.) While the cardboard cut-out Russian troops sway • Following from the previous discussion, explain nervously in their ranks, Will makes the last-minute what Tony means, near the end of the episode, suggestion to his ‘French’ comrades that they not when he refers to the ‘silent ruse’. use the term ‘Fire at Will’. Duly ignoring the request • We are told during the episode that, ‘A silent Tony opens fire with the cannon – obliterating the stunt would be observed on most nights in Russian troops. some part of the line. The Turks stopped falling for it, all without realising that was exactly what The boys relish in the destruction, but as they they were doing.’ Discuss in class the pos- move to survey the carnage, a distant horseman sibilities for writing a short fiction short story charges from across the range. John notes this is in which a similar trick, with a similar, ironic just what occurred at Friedland; the French artil- purpose, is played. Plan and write the story. lery took out the centre of the Russian forces but It does not have to be about Gallipoli nor the Russians retaliated from the flanks with their warfare in general. You may decide on the cavalry. genre, narrative style, setting and characters. It may be a drama, a love story or a comedy. It came down to a race: could the French reload For example, you may apply the plot principle and reposition
to a story where one character, group or team EP 4 - THE TEAM ON THE RANGE (L-R) manoeuvres an opponent into behaving in a WILLIAM UPJOHN AND JOHN CONCANNON perfectly logical way, only to take advantage of that logical behaviour later, in order to exploit a weakness.
Episode 4 SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 ‘SHAKO, RATTLE AND ROLL’
Synopsis
It may have been the most powerful weapon on the battlefield but, as Napoleon himself found out, the cannon was vulnerable to cavalry. In recreating the 7 their weapons in time to stop the rapidly-closing Russian horsemen?
And so it is now. As the horseman closes in John and Tony reach the gun and start to reload but Will breaks ranks and continues running. Unfortunately he doesn’t make it far and the horseman draws upon him, sword drawn ...
As the fog of war clears, John explains that unlike Will’s fate, the French historically held firm at their guns and managed to deter the Russian charge. EP 4 - ANTHONY MILLER But it wasn’t the superiority of their firepower ON THE RANGE that brought glory on the day, it was the strategic decision to let the Cossacks draw near where they background research and write a short his- could maximise the effects the weapons they had torical account of their importance to Russian available. It wasn’t the dash, it was the bang for the military history. (See ‘Cossacks’ in website buck. references for this episode.) • Although the cannon fire upon the enemy Themes and issues infantry is successful, why is this scene fol- lowed by a re-enactment scene of Will being • In the other episodes of this series, the team chased by a ‘Cossack’ on horseback? What is builds and tests replicas of implements used in this scene intended to demonstrate about the historical events. However, as John the bof- dangers of being an artillery soldier? What, in fin says at the beginning of this episode, ‘This fact, were the instructions given to Napoleon’s isn’t about a build, boys. This is about a tactic.’ artillery soldiers in 1807 as to how to react to a Describe the military tactic that John refers to, Cossack charge after the cannons were fired, a tactic involving the deployment of cannons and why? by French soldier General Senarmont against • Carry out further research into the 1807 Battle Russia’s army at Friedland in 1807. Due to this of Friedland, then write a short account of the tactic, explain why even the least powerful can- French and Russian casualties, comment- nons at Senarmont’s disposal were effective. ing on the death toll, and the overall effect of (See ‘Senarmont’s tactics’ in website references Senarmont’s artillery tactics on the Russians. for this episode.) • Discuss the findings that the team arrive at near • Throughout the entire series, the term ‘the fog the episode’s conclusion, as to the historical of war’ is repeated. Explain why this phrase importance of Senarmont’s battle tactics. was literally true during the Napoleonic Wars, • Imagine you are a surviving Russian infantry and in particular the Franco-Russian battle at officer or a Cossack after the battle at Friedland Friedland. in 1807. Write a letter home to your family. • Comment on the effectiveness of the result when the team, acting as an artillery unit, sets up a three-pound cannon to fire a shot at a distance of 120 yards upon a close-massed Episode 5 ‘enemy’ target of infantry. • Before proceeding further, if you do not know ‘UP, UP AND UH-OH!’ who or what Cossacks are, carry out some Synopsis EP 4 - THE TEAM ON THE RANGE WITH TARGETS IN BACKGROUND During WWI, the appetite for new weaponry to fight this ‘modern’ style of trench warfare was insatiable. One man, Claude Pemberton Leach, approached the army with a fanciful solution borrowed from the past. But was Leach’s trench catapult more of a
menace to the enemy or the Anzacs? SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014
While Tony is quick to point out that Leach’s device is more a giant slingshot than a catapult, either way it’s a big boy’s toy. John reveals the criticisms lev- elled at the catapult from its day: it was amateurish and unscientific. But there are also reports praising the device’s accuracy and efficiency. So the chal- lenge is set: if Leach’s catapult can lob a bomb into 8 an enemy trench at 120 yards it’s not a joke – it’s a weapon.
Will gets on with the build while John reveals the original catapult’s components were manufactured by a British department store before being sent in a flat-packs to the front (instructions included).
Despite claims of being able to fire a golf ball accurately over 200 yards, Tony notes that the Anzacs weren’t in fact lobbing golf balls at the Turks – it was cricket balls. Or cricket ball bombs to be precise: a fuse-lit, cast iron sphere packing a two-foot blast radius. And, with just five seconds of fuse time, the bombardiers of WWI would have needed very cool heads indeed.
With their target trench set up, the uni- formed boys take to the firing range with THE TEAM IN THE TRENCHES - PHOTO BY Will’s reconstructed catapult and put it to GEOFFREY ELLIS the test. Historically the bombs could be delivered in all different directions (some- times barely clearing the home trench), the rubber cables could snap dropping bombs right at the op- would interpret this other evidence as a primary erators’ feet, or the rubbers could stretch making or secondary source. successive targeting extremely difficult. But, after • John refers to the trench catapult’s ‘effective a few shots, it was possible to deliver accurate range’ of firing a missile as ‘120 yards’. In this ordnance to 120 yards. context what does he mean by an ‘effective’ range as distinct from a ‘maximum’ range? And this is exactly what the boys achieve – proving • Explain how the team can set out to prove or Leach’s catapult was, despite its critics, a func- disprove the trench catapult’s viability as a tional weapon. weapon in trench warfare. • The trench catapult used natural rubber as the Themes and issues means of flinging a small bomb over some dis- tance. Explain the advantages of natural rubber • First, explain why the British army found it nec- over vulcanised rubber, and today’s alterna- essary to develop alternative methods of firing tives, synthetics and polymers? What were the at the enemy, when the initial ‘war of move- disadvantages – and even the dangers and ment’ early in World War I soon turned into risks – of natural rubber? trench warfare. Why were some proposals not • In their testing of the trench catapult, the considered pursuing in the short term, despite team – for obvious reasons of safety and self- their potential? preservation – cannot experiment with firing • Explain the device that Claude Pemberton live grenades or bombs, yet they still require an Leach developed that might be effective in explosive detonation to prove that the catapult times of trench warfare. Include an illustration will (or will not) work. Describe and explain the to accompany your explanation. As it needed ‘work-around’ they devise, out on the testing to be developed quickly, which two qualities field, to overcome this problem. were necessary? What were the initial claims • Comment on the result of the team’s finding as to what the device could actually do? (See about the effectiveness of the trench catapult. ‘Leach trench catapult’ in website references From the episode, draw up a list of the pros for this episode.) and cons, the advantages and disadvantages,
• Comment on the problem that John the of the catapult as used in action during trench SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 boffin has with the claims that the trench warfare. catapult was not ‘scientific’, but ‘amateur- • After it was developed in early 1915, the Leach ish’. In other words, what does he mean trench catapult was not used for very long dur- by ‘anecdotal’ evidence, and is it a reliable ing World War I. From the episode and further historical source? What other evidence about research, write a short commentary on when the trench catapult’s effectiveness does he this device was replaced. What was it initially have, and why might it be more reliable as replaced by, and what eventually replaced a historical source? Explain whether you both of them during World War I? Comment 9 on the modifications, changes and successive improvements in this weaponry. (See ‘Leach trench catapult’ in website references for this episode, and follow the links provided on the webpage.) • Imagine you are a newspaper war correspond- ent. Plan and write a news report in 250–300 words about your observations watching troops attempting to use the Leach trench catapult in action. Take into consideration what you think you would be allowed to write and publish, and what you think might be censored. Episode 6 ‘DANCIN’ TO DIXIE’
Synopsis
Christian Spencer’s repeating rifle. One Yankee general claimed that each of these weapons was worth three southern muskets. And the legendary Colonel Custer wrote to the Spencer Company requesting they give him ‘1,500 Spencer Rifles and I’ll take on 2,500 men.’ But was it really the gun that won the US civil war?
John’s history lesson informs us that in 1861 the US was at war against itself, fighting with largely JOHN CONCANNON the same tactics and weapons from Napoleon’s day fifty years earlier. Men lined up in ranks and Leaving the range, the boys reflect on their find- faced off at distances well less than 100 metres. ings. It wasn’t just the rate of fire that the south- erner’s couldn’t keep up with, it was the mass As Tony demonstrates, Spencer’s innovation manufacturing technology that equipped so many increased rates of fire by ten times. Instead of Yankee troops with Spencers. Ironically, when muzzleloading a musket and getting off about three Custer was killed at the battle of Little Bighorn, it rounds a minute, soldiers for the Northern Union was the ubiquitous Spencer rifle that the Indians could use the Spencer rifle’s lever action and get were armed with. off about thirty. But the only way to really know if this technology made a difference is to train up a Themes and issues couple of Confederate soldiers and put them up against the Spencer … • This episode concentrates on aspects of the history of the American Civil War of 1861–1865. Going by an authentic Volunteer’s Handbook Before going any further you may wish to from the day, Tony puts his ‘recruits’ through their research, discuss and write a short account paces, teaching them basic marching and the of the reasons and causes behind the war, rather complicated nine-stage process of loading a the result of the war and the extent to which it musket. may affect the American nation even today. On poster paper, include your own coloured illus- On the firing range, the freshly trained, musket- trations of a typical Union and Confederate sol- bearing Confederates (John and Will) face off dier in uniform, and add drawings of the flags against a lone northerner (Tony) with his Spencer they fought under and battle casualty statistics. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 Rifle. The timer starts and the target shooting You may also want to draw a map of wartime begins. While John and Will’s initial rounds demon- America showing which states were Union and strate the power of musket balls, it is soon evident which were Confederate. (See ‘American Civil that they cannot keep up with Tony’s rate of fire. War’ in website references for this episode.) And, at the end of a minute, the targets tell the tale; • We are told early in this episode that the despite having twice as many men, the superior American Civil War ‘was fought largely with the northern technology won the day by a country mile. tactics and weapons from Napoleon’s day, fifty years earlier’. From the episode and further 10 repeating rifles. (See ‘Load in nine times’ in website references for this episode.) • After carrying out their field experiment, in which they fire two different types of rifles at barrels for one minute, John, Will and Tony survey the results. Consider the differences between George Custer’s ratio of the effec- tiveness of Spencer rifles to muzzle-loading muskets, and the ratio that the team later suggests. Why does the team dispute both Custer’s opinion, and the opinion of another Union officer quoted in the episode, who claimed one Spencer rifle was worth three muskets? • Describe the wider historical conclusions the team reaches, that extend further than the simple advantages of one kind of rifle over another. • Explain whether you think the way the team ANTHONY MILLER conducted their test was valid or not as a means of arriving at a historically acceptable result. • Imagine you are a newspaper war correspond- research if necessary, comment on the tactics ent from a southern state during the American and weaponry used in the American Civil War. Civil War. Because of your reading audience • Describe the rifle invented by Christian back home, you are viewing the war from the Spencer that altered the way in which the Confederate viewpoint. Write a news report American Civil War was fought on the battle- in which you describe your observations of ground. Why did the invention of this weapon battles in which Union soldiers are armed with favour the northern, or Union side, rather than the new invention of the Spencer repeating the southern, or Confederate side? Why didn’t rifle, which you have never seen before. In your both sides have access to large quantities of report reflect upon the implications of your the rifle in question? Include an illustration of observations. the weapon, with additional labels and notes explaining how it operated. • John refers to a ‘famous northern Yankee by the name of George Armstrong Custer’, who Episode 7 was a cavalryman during the Civil War. Explain his views about the Spencer rifle. Work out the ‘THE MAD MINUTE’ arithmetic ratio of one northern soldier with a Spencer rifle to the number of enemy soldiers Synopsis without such a weapon, that Custer believed would be a great advantage. The mad minute was a rapid-fire technique devel- • George Custer is one of the most famous men oped by the British that allowed a soldier to place in American history. Research, then write a a minimum of fifteen rounds on a target in sixty short biography of his life and death, ensuring seconds. It was claimed that by utilising these you explain what he is most well known for, superior musketry skills, the British were able to and whether there is any historical controversy lay such heavy fire that the Germans thought they surrounding this. (See ‘General George Custer’ were facing machine guns. But was it a success of in website references for this episode.) British training, or a failure of German tactics? • Define the problem that John the boffin has with the historical accounts of the Spencer As John’s history lesson reveals, the mad minute repeating rifle’s worth as a battlefield weapon came about after the Boer War – an encounter in
during the American Civil War. Comment on which the British riflemen were simply outshot. SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 how the team members set out to demonstrate Switching to the .303 rifle, a weapon with a higher for themselves the rifle’s worth as an effective rate of fire than any other at the time, the Brits set weapon. about reinventing their musketry training regime. • We are told that Confederate soldiers loaded their firearms on the battlefield to a strict drill But the Germans in World War I had a habit of they had practised called ‘Load in nine times’. marching across the country in big, close groups Describe this drill, commenting on its effec- en masse – making themselves easy targets as tiveness against Union soldiers with Spencer Tony points out. 11 EP 7 - MUSIC HALL SEQUENCE (L-R) MILLER, CONCANNON EP 7 - MUSIC HALL SEQUENCE WILLIAM UPJOHN Hitting the firing range with a set of .303s and a timer, the boffin, the builder and bombardier aim to find out whether the Germans set themselves up for defeat or whether the British really had the • View the scene where Tony sets out to break superior skills. Snoxall’s so-called record. Describe the results of Tony’s attempt. Comment on whether there What they find is a catastrophic combination of were any extenuating circumstances to ex- both. While you don’t have to be a dead-eye-dick plain Tony’s results, or whether those results to have an effect, having good shots and good simply constituted a failure. In other words, weapons has an even more devastating effect. is it reasonable to compare Tony’s efforts to Snoxhall’s? But Will’s question of whether there was a mad • Examine the Wikipedia web page on the ‘mad minute record sends John racing back to the books minute’, then discuss its references to the to find the mythical figure of Snoxhall who, it was Snoxall record of thrity-eight fired rounds, from said, fired a staggering thirty-eight accurate shots the viewpoint of primary historical sources and in a minute. verifiable truth. How does the information on the Wikipedia site compare to John’s comments, Tony sets out to beat him – determined to discover during the episode, about Snoxall’s record? whether Snoxhall’s legend is hit or myth. (See ‘Mad minute’ in website references for this episode.) Themes and issues • Comment on why you think Jesse Wallingford’s record of firing thirty-seven rounds in sixty • From your viewing of this episode, and from seconds – mentioned by John at the end of the further research if necessary, define the mean- episode – is more likely to be an accurate histori- ing of the ‘mad minute’. Where and when was cal fact than Snoxall’s thirty-eight rounds. What the mad minute first developed, and what were general historical conclusions does Tony draw the historical military circumstances that led to from Wallingford’s record, particularly in compari- its development? son with his own efforts during the mad minute? • Discuss in class and define the problem John the boffin has with the British army’s claim that their superior skills and success with firing the EP 7 - MUSIC HALL SEQUENCE. UPJOHN. Lee-Enfield .303 rifle, early in World War I, led the Germans to believe the British were using machine guns. • Explain the test that John, Will and Tony carry out in order to prove or disprove the British claim that their success with the Enfield rifle against the Germans was entirely due to British superior training with the rifle. What conclu- sions do the team arrive at, and why? • After the team carries out its test, John then
informs us that the record number of rounds SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 fired from an Enfield .303 rifle during sixty sec- onds (the mad minute) was thrity-eight, by an army instructor called Sergeant Snoxall. Explain why John gets very ‘twitchy’ about accepting the historical truth of this claim. Comment on the historical source of the claim. What is the importance of John’s complaint that he cannot find Snoxall’s name ‘on any census’? • View the ‘music hall’ sequence from the epi- sode, in which the three members of the team perform a short stage act. What do you think is the purpose of this little interlude? Why do you think it was presented in this fashion? Is it merely a distraction or is it somehow relevant to the topic and the setting under discussion? You may wish to carry out some extra research on this interesting side issue: see ‘Music hall’ in website references for this section. • Following from the previous activity and your viewing of the episode’s music hall act, in pairs or individually, plan and devise your own music hall song – a song that narrates a very short story. Try to draw your ideas for the song from any aspect of the episode’s content. The style of the song should be in bright, humorous mode, as depicted in the episode, designed to entertain an audience.
WILLIAM UPJOHN Episode 8 - PHOTO BY GEOFFREY ELLIS Themes and issues ‘THE ENJUN’ • First, what does the French word, ‘Trebuchet’, Synopsis mean in English, and why do you think the medieval siege engine, as discussed during this To some it was ‘the furious one’, to others the episode, was given that name? What was the ‘daughter of the earthquake’. We know it as the trebuchet’s purpose as a siege machine? trebuchet catapult. And while its myth has stood the • Following from the previous question, discuss test of time, can the same be said for its design? the aptness of the various titles given to the trebuchet during this episode: the ‘furious one’, Used widely from the twelfth to the sixteenth cen- the ‘whirlwind’, the ‘daughter of the earth- tury, John’s historical perspective reveals that the quake’, the ‘bad neighbour’. trebuchet was considered the most powerful of all • John the boffin tells us during the episode that the medieval siege engines – the name itself com- the trebuchet operates by ‘taking the potential ing from the French for ‘tumble’ or ‘fall over’. energy of the counterpoise and transferring it into the kinetic energy of your missile’. From But, the medieval period is often looked upon as a the episode, what does he mean by ‘coun- time of ignorance – the ‘dark ages’ – and, com- terpoise’? Which part of the trebuchet is the pared to the ancient Greek and Roman catapults, counterpoise, and why? What is the function of the medieval trebuchet was seen as too simple; a the trebuchet counterpoise? poor imitation. • Following from the previous discussion, explain what John means by ‘potential energy’ and So, if the boys can build one and hurl a weight at ‘kinetic energy’. In what way is the potential a target, they’ll find out whether these medieval energy stored in the trebuchet converted into blokes knew what they were doing. kinetic energy, and what is the result when this kinetic energy is released? (See ‘Potential and After coming to grips with the physics, the boys kinetic energy’ in website references for this take their scaled-down build to the field and put it episode.) to the test – against a miniature castle. • Big Mama tells us, and the three team mem- bers, that any machine built with hinges and
Laying siege to the target they hurl anything at hand axels – such as a trebuchet – cannot function at SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 and demonstrate the devastating functionality of the its maximum potential. Can you explain why? design principles. They may not have had a name • Explain from the episode the importance and for gravity but the medieval engineers knew enough the relevance of the mathematical ratio of ‘1:5.5’ about it as a constant force to utilise it in an ex- (i.e. one to five point five). How is this figure- ap tremely efficient way – even by today’s standards. plied to the construction of the operating parts of a trebuchet? Discuss in class, perhaps with While Tony wants Will to build a bigger one, that illustrations, the possible results of a trebuchet if will have to wait until next time … designed to a lesser or a greater ratio (say, 1:3, or 13 1:8). Explain whether the trebuchet would func- tion effectively, or not at all. • Define the problem John has with the reputa- tion historically given to the European medieval era, and hence to the medieval trebuchet, when it is compared to ancient Greek and Roman catapults. • Discuss the test the team conducts to ascertain the medieval-era trebuchet’s efficiency of de- sign and function as a war machine. Comment on the team’s findings.
• From the episode and further research, you JOHN CONCANNON may wish to illustrate the function and design of successive Greek and Roman catapults, plus an early version of a trebuchet, and the modified thirteenth century trebuchet, in order Media studies to demonstrate which of these machines was superior and the most effective. Carry out the following activities. Note that some • Discuss the possibilities, then plan and write questions for discussion relating to the series as a a short fiction story – or an epic ballad in means of combining scripted comedy with histori- verse – that takes place during a medieval-era cal enquiry are in the previous section of this study siege, titled, ‘The Daughter of the Earthquake’. guide. Deciding on your narrative format and style, you may draw from the examples of real-life, • If you conduct an internet search combining the historical sieges mentioned during the episode. title of the series with ‘Mythbusters’ you will find Include illustrations as desired, perhaps in the that many reviewers and commentators have style of medieval art. drawn parallels between the two programs. If you have not previously seen an episode of Mythbusters, view one or two, then discuss Summing up the series the similarities and differences in approach, style, content and even genre with The Boffin, • The series synopsis of this study guide, and the Builder and the Bombardier. Discuss other the press kit for The Boffin, the Builder and the history-based TV programs you know of that take Bombardier, both state that the documentary a similar approach to true-life history topics. has ‘experimental archaeology at its core’. • The same introductory sequence is seen at Discuss what you think is meant by ‘experimen- the beginning of all eight episodes. Analyse tal archaeology’, drawing from examples in any and discuss the purpose, content and style of of the episodes. this sequence, explaining what you think it is • What have you learnt from this series about the suggesting to us about the rest of the con- meaning and purpose of historical method, the tent. For example, how might you come to the ways in which the study of history should be conclusion that the introduction is meant to be carried out, and what it means to be a histo- mock-serious? Does it evoke other genres of rian? Offer some examples of your observa- cinematic and television narrative? tions and views from the series. (See ‘Historical • Comment on the way in which the closing cred- method’ in website references.) its are presented in each episode. What do you • Comment on whether the deliberate use of think is the purpose of this? humour and comedy in a history-based TV series • The widely varying styles of accompanying of short episodes is a distraction or an advantage background music throughout each episode of – or something inbetween – in weighing up the the series plays a significant role in our appre- series. One aspect to consider may be whether ciation of the program. Do you agree? Discuss, the series opts for audience entertainment over drawing from examples from the series. an educational learning experience. Another may • In pairs, plan, write, record and edit a thirty or be to discuss the exaggerated fictionalised roles sixty-second promotional radio advertisement
the three central participants play throughout for the series. Consider how you will use the SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 each episode. Also consider whether the series element of sound, in terms of music, sound has trivialised and over-simplified its material, or effects, characters’ dialogue and voice-over whether it has offered you positive insights and narration. Ensure you select an approach and rewards. Have you, for example, been tempted style designed to attract a particular audience. to find out more about these historical subjects • Write a review in 250-300 words of the series, and issues as a result of your viewing? or of one of the episodes, for the weekly TV liftout section of a newspaper. 14 References and further The BB&B series: Dao and Three Worms: resources white-sir-cyril-brudenell-1032>, SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 AWM primary sources – samples of WWI accessed 16 September 2013. Gamages department store: diaries: American Civil War: Hythe School of Musketry: Greek and Roman catapults: This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2014) ISBN: 978-1-74295-401-1 [email protected] For information on SCREEN EDUCATION magazine, or to download other study guides for assessment, visit Join ATOM’s email broadcast list for invitations to SCREEN EDUCATION © ATOM 2014 free screenings, conferences, seminars, etc. Sign up now at