Canadian Army Newsreel, No. 1, 1942
Channel: Agassiz Labs
Date: 21/04/2024

Canadian Army Newsreel, No. 1, 1942. The Canadian Army Newsreels were ten-minute films, made up of a number of different stories and produced by the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit. Dubbed with the phrase, "of the troops, by the troops and for the troops," these newsreels were distributed within the Canadian Army.

Contents of the film:

1. Defence Minister Visits Troops: Colonel James Layton Ralston, Lieutenant-General Kenneth Stuart, and C.D. Howe arrive by bomber in England and are greeted by High Commissioner Vincent Massey; Ralston watches the 2nd Unit parade; Ralston chats with soldiers, watches an artillery course demonstration, pays a visit to a hospital and to the Scotland Forestry Corps, watches the 1st Division 3rd Brigade, inspects the West Nova Scotias, watches the 9th Highland Brigade give a demonstration, and pays a visit to the 5th Division 85th Cape Breton Highlanders and to the newly arrived 4th Division.

2. Canadian Signallers Prove Skill at Arms: The 1st Canadian Signal Corps and the British 12th Corps put their job skills to the test in a competition that includes putting up signal poles and riding dispatch on motorcycles over rough terrain.

3. When Non Combatants Fight: 3rd Division special training exercises for supply, transport, petrol and ammunition companies and for medics and other non-combatant soldiers, who practice a beach landing and climb a cliff.

4. Army Hands Over New Airport: The Royal Canadian Air Force gets a new airport from the Royal Canadian Engineers; the airfield is shown under construction; Air Chief Marshal Courtney, Air Marshal Edwards, Chief Engineer Major-General Hertzberg, and Lieutenant-General McNaughton review the troops, Air Marshal Edwards gives a speech, and the first Mustangs land.

5. Here Come the Guards: The Coldstream Guards welcome the Governor General's Foot Guards in Aldershot, England; Brigadiers Burns and Failand and Lieutenant-Colonel Richt greet the troops at the train station; the Foot Guards parade out of the station; the Canadian Grenadier Guards arrive by train.

6. Dieppe Heroes Honoured: Canadians and others who fought at Dieppe receive honours at Buckingham Palace and are seen leaving the grounds; recipients include soldiers from the rank of Major-General down to Private.

IDC: 32959, 1942, Library and Archives Canada, Canadian Army Film Unit. Crown material over 50 years - copyright expired. Canadian Army Film Unit, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canadian_Army_Newsreel,_No._01_(1942).webm