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 Âé¶¹Éç 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 2015 14:15Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4
- Fri 14 Apr 2017 14:15Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4
- Saturday 08:15Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Saturday 13:15Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Saturday 19:15Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
- Sunday 03:15Âé¶¹Éç Radio 4 Extra
Featured in...
Love letters
A glimpse into that most intimate of corresponsdences - straight from the heart.


