My Dear Bessie
A wartime love story in letters between a soldier and a Morse code interpreter. Stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Louise Brealey.
A love story in letters played out against the backdrop of the Second World War.
Starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Louise Brealey.
A small blue box opened in 2008 revealed a wartime world of love, longing and frustration.
On September 5th 1943, Chris Barker, a signalman stationed North Africa near Tobruk decided to write to former work colleague, Bessie Moore.
She is a Morse code interpreter at the Foreign Office in London.
The unexpected warmth of Bessie's reply changed their lives forever.
Chris Barker …….. Benedict Cumberbatch
Bessie Moore …….. Louise Brealey
Compiled by Simon Garfield and adapted for radio by Sara Davies.
Producer: Gemma Jenkins
First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in April 2015.
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"You have smashed my perimeter defences"
Benedict Cumberbatch plays the part of Chris Barker, a soldier in Libya.
Clip
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"I have been busting to send you a smashing reply!"
Duration: 01:34
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Chris | Benedict Cumberbatch |
| Bessie | Louise Brealey |
| Irena | Jane Slavin |
| Producer | Gemma Jenkins |
| Adaptor | Sara Davies |
Broadcasts
Mon 20 Apr 201514:15BBC Radio 4- Fri 14 Apr 201714:15BBC Radio 4
- Sat 14 Feb 202608:15BBC Radio 4 Extra
- Sat 14 Feb 202613:15BBC Radio 4 Extra
- Sat 14 Feb 202619:15BBC Radio 4 Extra
- Sun 15 Feb 202603:15BBC Radio 4 Extra
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