My Grandparents' War

Actress Keira Knightley unearths a deeply moving story of resilience and love concerning her grandparents, Mac and Jan MacDonald. Mac was a sonar operator with the Royal Navy and Keira discovers how he and the crew of HMS Wolverine rescued hundreds of Irish Guards from a sinking ship in under 20 minutes. She also reveals how millions of women, including her grandmother Jan, volunteered to bolster Britain's war effort. Keira tries to comprehend how both her grandparents coped with the news that their younger brothers were reported missing in action.

The singer explores her grandparents' war stories, which span the Second World War, the Mau Mau insurgency in Kenya, and the fight for independence in Zambia. Emeli reveals how the politics of empire divided countries and communities, and how the racism it generated still exists today. Emeli uncovers that her grandparents on her mum's side, Bob and Betty Wood, fought to uphold the British Empire. Meanwhile, her grandfather on her dad's side, Saka Sandé, was caught up in the struggle to overthrow it. With grandparents split across the fault lines, Emeli's film delivers an emotional insight into the human cost of the end of empire.

The actor delves into the Second World War stories of his grandparents, Reggie and Doreen Heslewood. Doreen volunteered for the Entertainment National Service Association and risked her life travelling into warzones to lift the morale of British troops. She was separated from Reggie for years, as he fought the Japanese in the jungles of Burma and India. Toby learns from his family that Reggie came home suffering PTSD, while his grandmother never spoke about the war. Toby is determined to unearth the long-term impact war had on his family and uncovers family secrets that have been buried for decades.