Thursday, March 10, 2016

Video: Canadians Train for Invasion Day

Allied Troops at Scottish and English Invasion Training Centres

Troops coming ashore from a landing craft under a smoke screen during
Combined Operations training at Inveraray, Scotland, 9 October 1941.
Photo credit - World War 2 Today

Introduction: One can find a wealth of excellent quality documentaries (approx. 10 min. length, free for the viewing) at Histomil Historica (along with very good quality photographs) that were produced as Canadian Army Newsreels by the Canadian Army Film Unit at Merton Park Studios (South Wimbledon, London).

Though the film unit's chief subject is the Canadian Army, other branches of the Canadian Armed Forces are seen participating in various aspects of World War II. I will provide links to just a few of the films produced at Merton Park, ones which draw some attention to Canadians in Combined Operations and their work on landing crafts of various kinds in different parts of the war theatre.

This film shows a short (rare) and informative clip of Canadians on landing crafts at Inveraray, Scotland, and more.


Link to No. 17 - Canadians Train for Invasion Day

Synopsis, in part:

Canadians Train for Invasion Day - Allied troops at Scottish and English Invasion training centres practice beach landings.

Cross-Channel Exercise - Soldiers board train and arrive at an English port for exercises; landing craft and ships move across the English Channel towards the French coast.

Italy - New huge tank landing ships at beach landing; War correspondents radio engineers Alex MacDonald and Paul Johnston of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; cutting a record; Getting through enemy demolitions on the roads; 8th Army troops and mule train in the mountains; German wreckage by the roads, moving through villages; happy Italian crowds.

LCM (Landing Craft, Mechanized) at Inveraray, Scotland
Photo - A 12062. Part of ADMIRALTY OFFICIAL COLLECTION

Canadians in RCNVR who volunteered for Combined Operations learned
how to drive and handle landing craft at Inveraray. Photo Credit - IWM

Happy hunting! More Canadian Army Newsreels at Histomil Historica.

As well, on this site please link to Video: Allied Troops Land in Sicily

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