55 years ago today – Operation Crowflight Film ABV2

On the 15th December 1960, 55 years ago today, the Australian Broadcasting Commission in Melbourne (ABV2) premiered the film “Operation Crowflight” as part of it’s People programme.

My father Terence Gallacher was the director of the film, in 2010 he wrote three articles on the making, production and reaction to the film, in the interview below he ends by saying, “I was very proud of working on that film and very proud to have been working with the people who worked with me on it, terrific team.”

Sir Mohinder Dhillon: Terry Gallacher – Loss of a friend and brother

Terry would always live in our hearts. As a person one can’t find a better friend. I lived in London for a while and Terry helped in many ways, bought me friends car, advised me in buying a house overnight.

Movietone at War: Seventy years on

15th March 1944 – On this day the Second Battle of Cassino opened.  The town of Cassino was on a mountain to the east of the Monastery which had already been flattened.  Paul Wyand and Martin Gray were determined to get to the front to get a good view of the assault.  In the car they carried their American tent colleagues plus a third who had joined them for the ride.  He was Sherman “Monty” Montrose of United Press.

As they left the main highway to take a back road, they were stopped by an American colonel.  He said that that road was under continual German observation and that they had been firing at any movement they saw on it.

Movietone at War: Alec Tozer in Burma

March 1942 – British Movieone News cameraman Alec Tozer was accompanied by George Rodger while searching for stories in Burma. George Rodger was the renowned stills photographer of Time Life based in London.   They had heard that Rangoon was about to be taken by the Japanese.   They wanted to get close enough to film something.  They had each been equipped with a Jeep.

Movietone at War: A month to remember

I thought that I might compare what some Movietone people were doing on and after D-Day in various locations.  So, this is the month of June 1944 as seen by Movietone.

Movietone at War: Eating in Italy February 1944

February 14th 1944 – cameraman Paul Wyand and soundman Martin Gray were still in the region of Cassino.  At the beginning of the month the advanced headquarters had moved up to Presenzano which was about a twenty-minute ride from the front line. Here they were based.  While on base, they would have slept in tented accommodation and eaten with the officers.  The army serviced their camera car and provided its fuel. They had to do their own sewing and ironing, if they could find an iron and an ironing board. While away from the base, they fed themselves from rations provided.  Often, they had to forage for food.

Colleagues: Gerald F. Sanger

Gerald Fountaine Sanger was a co-founder of British Movietone News.  He was Executive Editor from 1929 to 1954 and on the board of directors until his retirement in 1964.

He was born in 1898 and was educated first at a preparatory school then to Shrewsbury School, a public school, and finally to Oxford University.

Movietone at War: Movietone and the Christmas break

At the end of each year Movietone would produce a review of the year’s main stories.  This served two purposes.  The first was to provide its audiences with a reminder of the main events of the year and the second the pre-production of the issue allowed the staff to take extra leave at Christmas.

Movietone at War: The sinking of the Bismarck

Schlachtschiff Bismarck, pride of the Kriegsmarine, was a state-of-the-art warship.

Together with the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen the ship was based in Norway.  On May 21st 1941, the two warships set off for the Atlantic where they were to attack Allied merchant ships.  It was called Operation Rheinubung. The Admiralty, made aware of the Germans’ departure, alerted its squadrons at sea that Bismarck was making for the North Atlantic.

Movietone at War: Assignments for D-Day

D-Day and the invasion of Europe, the Second Front, was expected at any time.

21^st May 1944 – Gerald Sanger, Movietone’s Editor, was Orderly Officer at Battalion H.Q. of the Home Guard.  He was asked “How would you cover the Invasion if it were left to you ?“.   The question had been posed by Sir Gordon Craig, Movietone’s General Manager, and the response was to be submitted to Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF).