Squaddies on the Frontline sets out to explain what life was like for the British troops who were deployed during the Northern Ireland conflict, it is a tale told through the eyes of ordinary men and women who fought on the streets of Northern Ireland in ‘Operation Banner’. An operation which spanned nearly 40 years, from 1969 to 2007.
Throughout this time a total of over a quarter of a million soldiers served on the streets of Northern Ireland, making it the longest operation ever for the British Army. Over 700 soldiers lost their lives and more than 6,000 were injured, a further 305 deaths attributed to them.
As an Irishman myself I felt that this film portrayed the conflict quite fairly, not taking sides but simply allowing the soldiers who fought there to tell their side of the story, many of whom spoke without much bias and could sympathise with the Irish who hated their uniform.
Questions are raised with regards to the hammer like tactics which were used as we are taken into the heart of ‘Operation Banner’ and the day-to-day realities of life and work here as a soldier through some of the toughest years of ‘the Troubles’.