1h

In 1936 the brilliant designer R.J. Mitchell gave Britain her most famous fighter of World War II. Raymond Baxter recalls the battle for supremacy between the Spitfire and the German Me 109 - with contributions from Air Vice-Marshal 'Johnnie' Johnson, Group Captain Douglas Bader, Wing Commander R. Stanford-Tuck and Test Pilot Jeffrey Quill. The battle was fought, too, by workers who developed t... Read more

1h

A special 60th anniversary programme in which Leo McKern walks the fields of Picardy and retells the story of this heroic and tragic battle. With the letters, diaries, and memories of men who took part. 1 July 1916 - the first day of the Battle of the Somme -was the worst day in British military history. In less than 24 hours 60,000 British soldiers became casualties; and nearly 20,000 of them... Read more

1h

The Search for Life in Outer Space How would we on planet Earth respond to a message from an intelligent civilisation elsewhere in the galaxy, perhaps a million years more advanced than we are? James Burke and Professor Carl Sagan report from Viking Mission Control in Pasadena as the decision to land is made, and present a documentary assessing the chances of making contact with extra-terrestria... Read more

1h

Can you marry your first cousin? Whom did the God of Love, love? Is that famous Lover John Barrymore or Rudolph Valentino? Who are the Romantic Runaways of 1953? Grab a pencil and see if you know more about Love than the studio teams. Ladies: Marjorie Proops, Daily Mirror columnist; Elizabeth Jane Howard, novelist; Gemma Craven, actress Gentlemen: Kingsley Amis, author; Bryan Forbes, film produc... Read more

1h

First transmitted in 1976, to celebrate the Poet Laureate's 70th birthday, Sir John Betjeman recalls in vivid detail the agonies and the delights of growing up, set against the background of his Highgate and Chelsea homes, holidays in Cornwall, boarding school and Oxford. The commentary is taken entirely from Betjeman's autobiographical poem, Summoned By Bells, first published in 1960.

1h

Herbie and June Harris and their children waited all year to go on holiday. But quite unexpectedly, Herbie lost his job, and Stephen, their eldest, left school and couldn't find work. Despite their misfortunes, the Harris family were determined to go through with the holiday, rather than disappoint the boys and the other families going with them. Herbie and June tell their own story of the sum... Read more

1h

Part of the BBC's 50th Anniversary celebrations, this documentary chronicles the history of BBC television.

1h

My Children, My Children: S01E02 Sea in the Blood. Thalassaemia, meaning ' sea in the blood ', is the name given to a once mysterious disease which was found in Mediterranean countries. More recently it was shown to be one of the most common genetic diseases in the world. Today, as a result of the application of the most advanced methods of biology, more is known about this form of anaemia than... Read more

1h

John Arlott reflects on a cricket season that was set alight by Tony Greig's provocative ' We'll make them grovel.' 
 England's cricketers wilted under the scorching sun as they faced the barrage of the West Indian fast bowlers and the ferocious batting that quickly blasted England's hopes to the far corners of our parched cricket grounds.