MY CRAZY MEDIA LIFE
PROGRAMME 1: MY BROTHER, THE BOY WHO WENT TO WAR
PROGRAMME OUTLINE
00:00 – 01:44
A short introduction to three young soldiers from those closest to them.
01:45 – 03:23
Pollok, Glasgow. We learn that Gordon Gentle was killed in action at the age of 19. His sister, Maxine, tells the story.
03:24 – 03:33
We are given a glimpse of a soldier preparing for war.
03:34 – 06:08
Cambridgeshire – the home of Kelan Turrington who was killed in action at the age of 18. His friend, Jodie Ricketts, is back in the classroom where they sat together. She recalls happy moments and explains why he wanted to join the army.
06:09 – 06:16
We see fierce fighting in Baghdad.
06:17 – 08:53
Solihull – the home of Thomas Keys who joined up at the age of 17 and was killed in action at the age of 20. His story is told by his younger brother, Richard, who looked up to Thomas so much that he followed him into the army.
08:54 – 09:03
We see soldiers entering Iraq.
09:04 – 10:28
In Pollok again, there is a high unemployment rate and nothing for young people to do. Gordon wanted to be an engineer and was tempted by the promises made by the recruiting officer. All the family was proud the day his unit passed out. He felt he had made something of himself. He didn't know where Iraq was when he was told he was going there.
10:29 – 12:52
Back in Cambridgeshire, Jodie reads a letter Kelan sent her from the Kuwaiti desert 20 days into the fighting. He wrote about the things he was missing but, by the time she had received it, he was dead.
12:53 – 14:59
Maxine talks about the day her brother went to Iraq. She didn't get the chance to see him to say goodbye. Gordon had been in Iraq for four weeks when he was killed while patrolling the streets.
15:00 – 16:06
We learn that Richard's brother died in an attack on a police station two weeks before he was due to return home. Richard did not know how to react when he was told the news in his barracks. It was the first tragedy in his life.
16:07 – 18:51
Maxine tried in vain to meet the Prime Minister, Tony Blair, so she wrote him a letter instead. Her letter started a campaign to bring soldiers home. Her mum, Rose, is the spokeswoman and now is more active than her daughter, attending every demo and rally.
18:52 – 19:57
Jodie keeps in touch with Kelan's parents, which helps them all a lot. Jodie says she is proud of the British forces, who are there because they want to improve the situation for the people of Iraq.
19:58 – 21:16
We learn that Richard's parents want him to leave the army before he is sent to Iraq or Afghanistan. He feels it is affecting his army career. His colleagues have been writing their wills. He says how he misses his brother.
21:17 – 23:47
Maxine thinks of her brother every day. She visits his grave where talking to him helps her to cope. We see some of Gordon's possessions, and Maxine says the memories are priceless and will last forever.
The programme ends with a list of the youngest soldiers to have lost their lives in Iraq so far.
