Foyles War, Season One: Disc Three, "A Lesson in Murder"

Rented from Netflix

Episode Title- A Lesson in Murder

Conscientious objectors have existed in every modern war on record, and during a time of the draft in Great Britain during World War II those who tried to avoid serving in the military had to stand before a tribunal to plead their case. If they were found to be true conscientious objectors they were permitted to decline from active service. During one such tribunal David Beale, played by Nicholas Audsley objects to the finding and is detained in police custody for disturbing the hearing.

Taking place just after the rescues from the beaches of Dunkirk where thousands died whilst others were pulled to safety by a fleet of small vessels, the feelings of the nation were running high. Needless to say David's treatment in the prison cell is less than caring, and he's treated to cold hose showers and verbal abuse by the police officers. During this time in British history the rights of prisoners were few and far between. Physical persuasion was not uncommon during questioning and men who were considered both cowards and traitors were not well treated by members of the armed forces, or the police.

When David is discovered hanging in a police cell and a brick is thrown through the window of the house belonging to Gascoigne played by Oliver Ford Davies, the man in charge of David's hearing, then Foyle, played by Michael Kitchen is called to investigate.

Like many with extra rooms and money in the countryside Gascoigne is playing host to a child from London. During this time in the war many children were sent to safety away from the city in the hopes that they would not be harmed by the bombs that were believed to be headed toward London. The investigation has barely begun when Joe, played by Gregg Prentice, the young evacuee, is killed by a hand grenade set up as a booby trap in the summer house. At first everyone assumes that Gascoigne is the target.

The plot in this episode is wrapped around the class structure that was still in place in Great Britain then, how Gascoigne is preventing his daughter from dating a man who is, in his eyes, beneath his daughters station in life. Murder, greed and bribes all mix together in this episode as a father struggles to come to terms with the death of his son, who had been sent to safety at a time when not a single bomb had been dropped on London.

Not only does this episode show how the tribunal's were handled, but how parents were often not given the choice on if their children were going to stay with them in London or not. Thousands of children were sent away to safety during the war and that has been touched upon in other movies and books including The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Peter Pan II. Not only children were removed from the danger zones but also pregnant women, school teachers, mothers with children under 5 and some disabled men and women.

This episode provides a wonderful insight into the way families were effected by the evacuation and the way the tribunal's were held, as well as the way objectors were viewed by the general public. In many ways this episode and indeed the series as a whole, is an excellent potted viewpoint of a tumultuous time in British history.