Part of the Canada Carries On series, this short film portrays the First Division of the Canadian Active Service Force in Aldershot, England. Using an intimate letter home as a narrative device, this film reveals how the troops were received, what their living conditions were like, how they would get along with their English allies and how they spent their leisure time.
In this short film, a letter from a soldier stationed in Britain during World War II is sent home to his parents in Canada. The content of the letter is illustrated with scenes of military life - training, assault courses and recreation along with combat scenes from the Dieppe and Bruneval raids.
This documentary is a record of the role played by Spitfires in defeating the Axis during World War II. The film, which shows these planes in action during the Battle of Britain, in Italy, and on D-Day, also depicts the work of aeronautical engineers and ground crews who kept the Spitfires in the air.
This short documentary is part of the Canada Carries On series. The secret winter maneuvers of the British Army's Lovat Scouts took place in the Canadian Rockies during the winters of 1944 and 1945. In combined operations with the Canadian Army, these elite mountain commandos tested themselves and their equipment in temperatures of -50oF.
Soldiers All gives a panoramic view of the men of the British Commonwealth in training, featuring the operational training undergone by Canadian soldiers and airmen in Britain. Interesting shots of field maneuvres, of the daily activities of Canadian officials in Canada House, of Canadian bomber and fighter pilots on active service, and an amusing sequence at a camp concert party, give a realistic picture of Canadians overseas. The camera next shifts to the advanced training of officers at the Royal Military College, Kingston, and ends with the training of Australian and New Zealand airmen in Canada including their reactions to Canadian life.
This newsreel includes the following sequences: 1. Lady Patricia Ramsay Inspects PPCLI 2. Pigeon Post 3. Bringing in the Sheaves 4. Canadians Meet Norwegians in Soccer Play-Downs 5. British Mayors Visit Canadian Troops 6. Little Girls and Big Guns 7. Turn on the Heat 8. Massed Bands Open "Wings for Victory" Week
This short Second World War documentary from the World in Action series tells the story of the great Allied invasion of Northwest Europe in 1944. The film reviews the preparation, strategy and over-all campaign planning that went into this gigantic task.
This short documentary shows the gruelling training WWII-era Canadian Army officers received in order to “crush the toughest enemy on earth.” Their training is not only in physical endurance and defence; they study science, geography, first aid, weaponry, covert communications and the qualities of a good leader. A sense of camaraderie and teamwork is instilled in the men throughout their training.
This short film depicts the strength and resources of the Royal Canadian Air Force, with its 32 overseas squadrons. It includes footage that explains the Allied air strategy of hitting the German army's nerve centres and features Canadian airplanes destroying a German munitions train.
This newsreel documentary made during WWII was used to illustrate Britain's preparations for an air attack. Scenes depict destruction wrought by enemy planes, the efficiency of retaliation by the Royal Air Force and the precautions taken in Canada against possible air attack. Part of the Canada Carries On series.
The NFB’s 1st Academy-Award winning film. It presents the strategy of the Battle of Britain, showing with penetrating clarity the relationships between the various forces made up the island's defenses. Here is the Royal Air Force in its epic battle with the Luftwaffe, the Navy in its stubborn fight against the raiders of sea and sky, the coastal defenses, the mechanized cavalry, the merchant seamen and behind them all, Britain's tough, unbending civilian army.
This short documentary includes highlights of the Allied advance from Normandy to Antwerp during WWII, including the bombing of Calais, the capture of V-2 launching sites, action on Walcheren Island and the arrival of Allied ships at Antwerp.