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Their Finest Hour Trivia Quiz

Many superb TV dramas have been made in Britain about the Second World War. This quiz will test your knowledge of some of those classic series.

A multiple-choice quiz by BlueLemming. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
BlueLemming

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
371,622

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
377

Last 3 plays: Guest 51 (6/10), dreamdiva (5/10), Guest 81 (8/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. "Fortunes of War" was a 1987 BBC adaptation of Olivia Manning's novel cycle about an English lecturer in Bucharest and his new bride, who are caught up in the events of the war. Who played the young couple, Guy and Harriet Pringle? Hint

Colin Douglas and Shelagh Fraser

Felicity Kendall and Paul Eddington

Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson

Anthony Andrews and Judy Geeson

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Question 2 of 10

2. In 1988 London Weekend Television ran a six-part series, "Piece of Cake", about the first year of the war as it affected a single unit of servicemen in the British forces. Which of the forces did the men belong to? Hint

The Royal Navy

The RAF

The Royal Regiment of Artillery

The Corps of Royal Engineers

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Question 3 of 10

3. A BBC series of the 1970s depicted the experiences not of Britons but of Belgians fighting a covert war against the occupying forces by helping downed Allied airmen to evade the Nazis. What was its title? Hint

Manhunt

Enemy at the Door

Monsignor Renard

Secret Army

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Question 4 of 10

4. "Colditz", a classic BBC drama which ran for 28 episodes, told the story of Allied officers imprisoned as POWs in the notorious Castle Colditz. Who played Lt Colonel Jack Preston, the Senior British Officer? Hint

Edward Hardwicke

Jack Hedley

David McCallum

Christopher Neame

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Question 5 of 10

5. The novel "Carrie's War" has been dramatised twice by the BBC, in 1974 and in 2004. What sort of people are the main heroes, Carrie and Nick? Hint

ARP wardens

Spies

Evacuees

Naval officers

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Question 6 of 10

6. In January 1979 an extremely gripping World War II series was broadcast on ITV, concerning the activities of a military bomb disposal unit. What was the series called? Hint

Danger UXB

Wish Me Luck

The Fourth Arm

Bomb Squad

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Question 7 of 10

7. "Enemy at the Door" (ITV 1979 - 1980) depicted life in the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the Nazis - the Channel Islands. Who played the German commander, Major Richter? Hint

John Nettles

Bernard Horsfall

Alfred Burke

Simon Cadell

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Question 8 of 10

8. In 1981 the BBC first aired a series set in the Far East about a group of mostly civilian women POWs held by the Japanese. What was the title? Hint

Tenko

No Regrets

Changi

A War Diary

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Question 9 of 10

9. An unusual series started on ITV in 2002 - a detective series set during (and later, just after) World War II. Who played Detective Chief Superintendant Foyle in "Foyle's War"? Hint

John Thaw

Michael Kitchen

John Nettles

Kevin Whateley

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Question 10 of 10

10. The title of this ITV series, about an English village and the impact made on it by the construction of a USAAF base, was inspired by a famous Vera Lynn hit of the war era. What was it? Hint

The White Cliffs of Dover

We'll Meet Again

When They Sound the Last All Clear

Wish Me Luck

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 11 2024 : Guest 51: 6/10
Oct 29 2024 : dreamdiva: 5/10
Oct 27 2024 : Guest 81: 8/10
Oct 25 2024 : Guest 90: 4/10
Oct 13 2024 : ziggythepooh: 9/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

Answer: Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson

All the incorrect answers played couples in dramas about the war, but it was Branagh and Thompson who played the Pringles. The six novels on which it was based were much inspired by author Olivia Manning's real life experiences, when she and her husband were taken by surprise by the outbreak of war and had to flee from Bucharest across the Balkans and into the Middle East staying just ahead of invading Nazi forces.

Answer: The RAF

The series took the men of Hornet Squadron from the day Chamberlain declared war to the massive attack on London by the Luftwaffe one year later, a crucial moment in the Battle of Britain. To help create an authentic bond between the actors playing the airmen, they not only shared accommodation during filming but also referred to each other by their character's nicknames and held funerals for characters 'killed' during the story.

Answer: Secret Army

The three incorrect answers were all series about the experiences of people in occupied territory, but they were set in France and the Channel Islands. "Secret Army" ran for three series and inspired two more series - "Kessler", which followed the fate of one of the German commanders after the war, and "Allo Allo", a very popular comic parody.

It even gave rise to an album of music, "Au Cafe Candide", sung by Angela Richards who played the barmaid cum singer Monique.

Answer: Jack Hedley

All the other actors appeared in the series as regulars, but it was Hedley who played the SBO. The original Colditz castle still stands, but it could not be used to film the series as at the time it was in East Germany; Stirling Castle stood in for much of the filming, though some castle scenes were filmed at Calver Mill in Derbyshire and Scarborough Barracks at Osnabruck in West Germany.

5. The novel "Carrie's War" has been dramatised twice by the BBC, in 1974 and in 2004. What sort of people are the main heroes, Carrie and Nick?

Answer: Evacuees

The location filming for the London scenes in the 2004 version was actually carried out in Wales - at Victoria Place in Newport, Gwent. This street has also been used for scenes in "Doctor Who" and "House of Eliot" because it is a beautifully preserved period setting, though it was nearly demolished in 1973 to make way for modern flats.

6. In January 1979 an extremely gripping World War II series was broadcast on ITV, concerning the activities of a military bomb disposal unit. What was the series called?

Answer: Danger UXB

The series title came from the warning notices posted in the streets of Blitz-hit Britain to warn passers-by that an unexploded bomb was close by. One episode of the series, "Butterfly Winter", led to the recognition and defusing of a butterfly bomb which had been picked up and put in a child's toy cupboard by a parent who did not know what their child had found.

7. "Enemy at the Door" (ITV 1979 - 1980) depicted life in the only part of the British Isles to be occupied by the Nazis - the Channel Islands. Who played the German commander, Major Richter?

Answer: Alfred Burke

The actor John Nettles did appear in an episode of the series called "Officers of the Law", in which he played a policeman forced to work for the Germans and suffering mental torment in the process. Later Nettles became famous for playing a detective in the Channel Islands, "Bergerac"; he also wrote, produced and presented a documentary about the German occupation called "Channel Islands at War".

8. In 1981 the BBC first aired a series set in the Far East about a group of mostly civilian women POWs held by the Japanese. What was the title?

Answer: Tenko

The incorrect answers were all series dealing with events in Japanese-occupied territory, but one is an Australian series, one from Hong Kong and one from Singapore. The writer of "Tenko", Lavinia Warner, also helped create the series "Wish Me Luck", about women agents in wartime Europe. The series title is the Japanese word for "role-call".

9. An unusual series started on ITV in 2002 - a detective series set during (and later, just after) World War II. Who played Detective Chief Superintendant Foyle in "Foyle's War"?

Answer: Michael Kitchen

The series has been so popular that it was brought back after being cancelled in 2007, returning to the screen in 2008. There are even Foyle's Walk tours offered in the town of Hastings (Foyle's 'beat' in the series) for those who want to visit the locations used in the series.

10. The title of this ITV series, about an English village and the impact made on it by the construction of a USAAF base, was inspired by a famous Vera Lynn hit of the war era. What was it?

Answer: We'll Meet Again

Although the title refers to Vera Lynn's song, the series theme tune was actually a completely different song specially written for the show by a prolific UK composer, Denis King; the theme was written in the style of wartime big band music, and was played by Denis King and the Stutz Bearcats.

Source: Author BlueLemming

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor guitargoddess before going online.
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