WW1's Forgotten Heroes

Secret History 1 x 60' - Channel 4 (2014)

Paralympic presenter and former Royal Marine Arthur Williams goes on an emotional journey to explore the experiences and resilience of nearly two million wounded British soldiers who returned home from the First World War with life-changing injuries and disabilities. As amputees, paraplegics, and disfigured servicemen returned from the western front in unprecedented numbers, Arthur discovers the individuals who inspired change.

In the course of his journey Arthur draws himself closer to the experience of those wounded and disabled men by confronting the hard challenges he faced while learning to live with his own disability. In order to reconnect his experience with that of those soldiers a century ago, Arthur returns to the military rehabilitation centre at Headley Court for the first time since his accident and confronts his mum about the dark and difficult months of his early rehabilitation.

As he uncovers the experience of individual soldiers, Arthur also discovers the remarkable and inspirational story of how these men’s remarkable physical sacrifice revolutionised medicine, technology and the nation’s attitude towards disability.