One year after the Battle of Arnhem, Brian Desmond Hurst, arguably Northern Ireland’s greatest film director returned to Arnhem in the Summer of 1945 to tell the story of the battle on film. Like his mentor, John Ford, Hurst had helped portray the Second World War on film throughout the dark years of the war. His documentaries for the Ministry of Information guided the UK and his films entertained the public. Hurst is better known for his big box office successes like the Christmas classic Scrooge, Tom Brown’s Schooldays and Malta Story but his Arnhem film Theirs is the Glory was his favourite film. Hurst defied the Rank organisations convention and would not use any actors- only veterans of the battle back on their battlefield.

He made possibly the most authentic UK war film ever made which was the biggest grossing UK war film for a decade after its release on 17 September 1946. In this documentary the Arnhem veterans discuss their role in the film and the battle - and Hurst himself is both seen and heard again. The release of this documentary by Northern Ireland Screen in conjunction with the Hurst Estate marks the 80th anniversary of the Premiere of Theirs is the Glory and the 40th anniversary of Hurst’s death.

Narrated by Allan Esler Smith

Edited by Adam Jones Lloyd

Produced and Directed by Allan Esler Smith and Adam Jones Lloyd

With Thanks to: Jon Baker, Ben Hill and the Airbourne Assault Museum; ITV Global; the Brian Desmond Hurst Estate; David Truesdale; 21st Independent Parachute Company Club and the Fred Weatherly Collection; Bob Hilton; Anrhem 1944 Feloowship and Niall Cherry; The 1939-45 Living History Society; the 21st Inependent Parachute Company Re-enactment Club; The Victor Wark Collection; the Michael Tattersall Collection; the Michael Killanin Collection and Redmond Morris; the Gelders Archive; Glaston Village Society and Susan Lee, Stephen McLaughlin and Charlie Mason; Leo Genn, Los Angeles Times.