Mayday: 1. On the Ledge

“The story sounds like a purely English murder.” The rumour mill starts over who or what killed James Le Mesurier.

When he fell to his death in Turkey in 2019 James Le Mesurier left behind a tangle of truths and lies. Mayday tells the extraordinary real story of the man who organised the White Helmets – rescuers who film themselves pulling survivors from bombed out buildings in rebel-held areas of Syria – and investigates claims that, far from being heroes, they are part of a very elaborate hoax. James Le Mesurier – his detractors say – was a British secret agent, pulling the strings. So when his body was found by worshippers on their way to morning prayers, there were a lot questions.

Produced, written and presented by: Chloe Hadjimatheou Editor: Emma Rippon Researcher: Tom Wright Mixed by: Neil Churchill Arabic translation and additional research: Vanessa Bowles, Abdul Kader Habak Turkish researcher: Nevin Sungur Narrative Consultant: John Yorke Original music: Nick Mundy and Bu Kolthoum Production Coordinator - Gemma Ashman

REFERENCES:

Wedding video provided by Emma Le Mesurier

Report of the death of James Le Mesurier - BBC Outside Source , 11 November 2019

“Investigation into death of White Helmets co-founder” - CBC News: The National, 11 November 2019, from “New York Al Jazeera” footage

“James Le Mesurier: Brit who helped found White Helmets discovered dead in Istanbul” - ITV News, 11 November 2019

“Mysterious death of White Helmets co-founder spotlights toxic propaganda” – PBS NewsHour

“Brandpunt - Witte helmen” (Focal point - Season 1 - White helmets) - KRO-NCRV, 08 Nov 2016. Reporter Piet De Blaauw

“Смерть Джеймса ле Мезюрье: он слишком много знал - Россия 24” (The death of James le Mesurier: he knew too much) - Russia 24 Russia 24, 17 Nov 2019

“تركيا - مؤسس "الخوذ البيضاء" الإرهابية مقتولاً في اسطنبول “(Turkey - founder of the terrorist "White Helmets" was killed in Istanbul) Syrian Channel – News, 11 November 2019

“Assad on deaths of Epstein, White Helmets' founder, bin Laden & al-Baghdadi” RT News, 16 Nov 2019

“Eski İngiliz istihbarat subayı neden öldü? Uzman isim yorumladı” (Why did the former British intelligence officer die? Expert name commented) - CNN Türk

“White Helmets Co-founder Dies: Interview with Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, Le Mesurier’s friend” - TRT World Now, 12 Nov 2019

“Hamish de Bretton-Gordon: James Le Mesurier A 'Special Kind Of Person'” 12 November 2019 - forces.net

“Mysterious death of White Helmets co-founder spotlights toxic propaganda” - PBS NewsHour, 24 Dec 2019