Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command

Last updated
Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command
Death by Moonlight.jpg
Screen shot of title frame
Directed by Brian McKenna
Written by
Produced by
  • Arnie Gelbart
  • André Lamy
  • Adam Symansky
  • Darce Fardy
Starring
  • Graham Campbell
  • Gilbert Turp
  • Nicholas Shields
  • Janne Mortil
  • Hamish McEwan
Narrated byTerence McKenna
Cinematography
  • Neville Ottey
  • Andrew Binnington
Edited by Susan Shanks
Music byChris Crilly
Production
companies
Distributed by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation / CBC Television
Release date
  • 1991 (1991)
Running time
104 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguageEnglish

Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command is an episode of the 1992 Canadian The Valour and the Horror television documentary miniseries, and was a co-production between the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Galafilm Inc. The series investigated three significant Canadian military engagements from the Second World War with Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command dealing with the experiences of Canadian pilots in the RAF Bomber Command. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

During the Second World War, between 1942 and 1945, over 50,000 Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) personnel served overseas in the RAF Bomber Command with No. 6 Group RCAF. The air crews flew heavy bombers, including the Avro Lancaster and Handley Page Halifax bombers on night raids over enemy territory in Europe. The odds against survival were high, with one in three airmen killed in aerial combat.

Under command of Air Chief Marshal Arthur Harris, the air war changed from one of strategic bombing of military targets such as the dam buster attacks on German dams, to the "area bombing" of German cities. The poor results that had been received in the night bombing campaign was cited as the reason for the shift in tactics. Harris was tasked with implementing Prime Minister Winston Churchill's policy and supported the development of tactics and technology to perform the task more effectively. In order to drop more bombs, the bombers were stripped, taking out heavy armour plates, making them lighter but offering less protection to the air crews.

Canadian airmen were not fully aware of the damage and destruction that was being caused by area bombing with incendiary bombs although the bombing of Hamburg created a firestorm that destroyed the city and caused over 50,000 casualties, many of whom were civilians. The physical and mental strain on surviving air crews was also devastating, with some dismissed as "lacking moral fibre" while others had to live with their guilt, or their wounds. To some, the returning air crew were an embarrassment, while the men and women themselves rarely talked about their war experiences.

Cast

Production

The Valour and the Horror series was written by Terence McKenna and his brother, Brian, an award-winning journalist and founding producer of The Fifth Estate who was also the series director. In Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command, of the second program in the series, the feature-length documentary focuses on the Canadian pilots who served in the Bomber Command during the Second World War. Using a docudrama approach, a combination of first-person interviews, re-enactments, stock footage and photographs, was used to depict the war from the perspective of the RCAF airmen and airwomen. [2]

Veterans Doug Harvey and Ken Brown, former RCAF pilots toured the abandoned British airfields such as RAF Tholthorpe where they were stationed in the Second World War. After meeting a number of German civilians who had lived through the Hamburg raid, they were visibly moved by the accounts of the destruction of the city. The veterans also joined a reunion of German night fighter pilots, meeting the very men who tried to kill them. [2]

Reception

Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command first aired on January 19, 1992. Canadian veterans' groups and some prominent historians immediately claimed the episode inaccurately depicted the role of the Bomber Command. Historian Jack Granatstein, in his book, Who Killed Canadian History? also severely criticized The Valour and the Horror. [3] Although accepting that night bombing had initially been ineffective, ultimately leading to a campaign against German cities, the critics noted the more than 600,000 German civilians, mostly old men, women and children were collateral damage, not part of a deliberate campaign. [2]

The Valour and the Horror series became the subject of an inquiry by the Senate of Canada, with the sub-committee that reviewed the veteran's claims, concluding, "... that the criticisms levelled at 'The Valour and the Horror' are, for the most part, legitimate. Simply put, although the filmmakers have a right to their point of view, they have failed to present that point of view with any degree of accuracy or fairness." [4]

In response, the producers claimed that bomber crews, flying at night, were, for the most part, unaware of their true mission because the high-level directives remained top secret throughout the war. Prominent authors Pierre Berton and Margaret Atwood, along with social activist Shirley Douglas, and PEN, the Writer's Union, the Guild, the Producer's Association, and many others defended the series. The subsequent CBC Ombudsman's report dismissed many of the veteran's criticism as they were not adequately supported by documentary evidence. [5]

A group of air force veterans formed the Bomber Harris Trust, suing the CBC and the filmmakers for slander. Their $500 million class action suit was dismissed by Ontario justice Mr. Robert Montgomery, with the Ontario Court of Appeal subsequently ruling that the veterans did not have standing for a class action suit. The Bomber Command veterans appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada, but were dismissed at every level. [6]

Military historians David Bercuson and S. F. Wise later published The Valour and the Horror Revisited, a book examining the historical accuracy of the series. They considered the central themes of Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command are that RAF Bomber Command, "deliberately hid the truth" about RAF bomber crew survival rates, concealed plans about deliberately annihilating civilians, and betrayed the trust of Canadian military airmen. [7]

In 1993, the series was broadcast by Channel Four in Great Britain. The Queen Mother, honorary Colonel of Bomber Command, tried to stop the broadcast, but was unsuccessful.[ citation needed ] As in Canada, the films stirred a fierce historical debate.[ citation needed ]

Honours

The films in The Valour and the Horror series received three Gemini Awards in 1993, the highest honour for Canadian film and television. The awards were:

For the first and only time in history, the French versions of the films also received similar honours at the Prix Gemaux with awards for Best Documentary and Best Direction. [7]

Related Research Articles

The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1914, with the formation of the Canadian Aviation Corps (CAC) that was attached to the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War. It consisted of one aircraft that was never called into service. In 1918, a wing of two Canadian squadrons called the Canadian Air Force (CAF) was formed in England and attached to the Royal Air Force, but it also would never see wartime service. Postwar, an air militia also known as the Canadian Air Force was formed in Canada in 1920. In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) when it was granted the royal title by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Bomber Command</span> Former command of the Royal Air Force

RAF Bomber Command controlled the Royal Air Force's bomber forces from 1936 to 1968. Along with the United States Army Air Forces, it played the central role in the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II. From 1942 onward, the British bombing campaign against Germany became less restrictive and increasingly targeted industrial sites and the civilian manpower base essential for German war production. In total 364,514 operational sorties were flown, 1,030,500 tons of bombs were dropped and 8,325 aircraft lost in action. Bomber Command crews also suffered a high casualty rate: 55,573 were killed out of a total of 125,000 aircrew, a 44.4% death rate. A further 8,403 men were wounded in action, and 9,838 became prisoners of war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Digby</span> Royal Air Force station in Lincolnshire, England

Royal Air Force Digby otherwise known as RAF Digby is a Royal Air Force station located near Scopwick and 11.6 mi (18.7 km) south east of Lincoln, in Lincolnshire, England. The station is home to the tri-service Joint Service Signals Organisation, part of the Joint Forces Intelligence Group of Joint Forces Command. Other units include the RAF Aerial Erector School, No. 54 Signals Unit and No. 591 Signals Unit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Handley Page Halifax</span> Royal Air Force four-engine heavy bomber of WWII

The Handley Page Halifax is a British Royal Air Force (RAF) four-engined heavy bomber of the Second World War. It was developed by Handley Page to the same specification as the contemporary twin-engine Avro Manchester.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Mynarski</span> Canadian Victoria Cross recipient (1916–1944)

Andrew Charles Mynarski, VC was a Canadian airman and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Mynarski was 27 years old and flew with No. 419 "Moose" Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War when he died attempting to help rescue a trapped crew member. His Victoria Cross, which was awarded in 1946, was the last Victoria Cross received by any Canadian serviceman in the Second World War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 6 Group RCAF</span> Royal Canadian Air Force military unit active during Second World War

No. 6 Group RCAF was a group of Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) heavy bomber squadrons in Europe during the Second World War, between 1942 and 1945. The group operated out of airfields in Yorkshire, England.

<i>The Valour and the Horror</i> Canadian TV series or program

The Valour and the Horror is a Canadian television documentary miniseries, which aired on CBC Television in 1992. The series investigated three significant Canadian battles from the Second World War and was a co-production between the CBC, the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) and Galafilm Inc. The films were also broadcast by Radio-Canada, the French network of the CBC. The series was written by Brian McKenna, an award-winning journalist and founding producer of The Fifth Estate and his brother, Terence McKenna, and was directed by Brian McKenna.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Article XV squadrons</span> World War II air force squadrons

Article XV squadrons were Australian, Canadian, and New Zealand air force squadrons formed from graduates of the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (1939) during World War II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No. 428 Squadron RCAF</span> Military unit

No. 428 Squadron RCAF, also known as 428 Bomber Squadron, and 428 Ghost Squadron, was first a night bomber squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force engaged in strategic bombing during World War II, based in Yorkshire. At the end of the war the squadron moved to Nova Scotia before being disbanded in September 1945. In 1954 the squadron was reformed as 428 All-Weather (Fighter) Squadron, before being again disbanded in 1961.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">426 Transport Training Squadron</span> Military unit

426 Transport Training Squadron is a unit of the Canadian Forces under Royal Canadian Air Force, located at CFB Trenton in Trenton, Ontario. It originated as a squadron in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) that fought during the Second World War as a bomber squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Bomber Command Memorial</span> Memorial in Green Park, London

The Royal Air Force Bomber Command Memorial is a memorial in Green Park, London, commemorating the crews of RAF Bomber Command who embarked on missions during the Second World War. The memorial, on the south side of Piccadilly, facing Hyde Park Corner, was built to mark the sacrifice of 55,573 aircrew from Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Poland, Czechoslovakia and other allied countries, as well as civilians of all nations killed during raids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RCAF Station Jarvis</span> Former Royal Canadian Air Force station

Royal Canadian Air Force Station Jarvis was a Second World War British Commonwealth Air Training Plan (BCATP) station located near Jarvis, Ontario. The station was home to No. 1 Bombing and Gunnery School and is usually known by that name. Bombing and Gunnery schools trained Air Gunners, Wireless Air Gunners, Air Observers, Air Bombers, and Navigator-Bomb Aimers. These airmen served as aircrew on bombers and maritime patrol aircraft.

<i>Train Busters</i> 1943 Canadian film

Train Busters is a 13-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, directed by Sydney Newman. The film was made by the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Overseas Film Unit and the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the NFB's Canada Carries On series. Train Busters depicts the Allied night-bombing campaign over German-occupied Europe that was complemented by close air support missions flown by the RCAF targeting enemy trains.

<i>Wings on Her Shoulder</i> 1943 Canadian film

Wings on Her Shoulder is a 10-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the NFB's The World in Action series. The film, directed by Jane Marsh, depicts the role of the Woman's Division in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the Second World War, who freed up men for flying duties.

<i>Canadas Air Defence</i> 1957 Canadian film

Canada's Air Defence is a 33-minute 1957 Canadian documentary film produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). The film depicts the role of air defence over Canada and the United States by following the training and operational exercises of a RCAF squadron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RAF Bomber Command aircrew of World War II</span> Military unit

The aircrews of RAF Bomber Command during World War II operated a fleet of bomber aircraft carried strategic bombing operations from September 1939 to May 1945, on behalf of the Allied powers. The crews were men from the United Kingdom, other Commonwealth countries, and occupied Europe, especially Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Norway, as well as other foreign volunteers. While the majority of Bomber Command personnel were members of the RAF, many belonged to other air forces – especially the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF). Under Article XV of the 1939 Air Training Agreement, squadrons belonging officially to the RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF were formed, equipped and financed by the RAF, for service in Europe. While it was intended that RCAF, RAAF, and RNZAF personnel would serve only with their respective "Article XV squadrons", in practice many were posted to units of the RAF or other air forces. Likewise many RAF personnel served in Article XV squadrons.

<i>Radar Station</i> (film) 1953 Canadian film

Radar Station is a 1953 Canadian short documentary film produced by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the On The Spot series made specifically for television. The documentary involved an account of a visit to a radar station while it is involved in a simulated air attack, and is based on first-person interviews of the staff at the radar station.

<i>Target - Berlin</i> 1944 Canadian film

Target - Berlin is a 15-minute 1944 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was produced by Raymond Spottiswoode and directed by Ernest Borneman, from a story by Leslie McFarlane, based on the industrial production of the Avro Lancaster in Canada, from initial production to the first example taking part in a raid on Berlin. The film's French version title was Objectif Berlin.

<i>Soldiers All</i> 1941 Canadian film

Soldiers All is a 20-minute 1941 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada as part of the wartime Canada Carries On series. The film was directed and produced by Stuart Legg. Soldiers All describes the experiences in 1941 of soldiers, airmen and sailors in Great Britain and Canada during wartime. The film's French version title is Frères d'armes.

<i>Bombing the Nazis</i> 1943 Canadian film

Bombing the Nazis is a 10-minute 1943 Canadian documentary film, made by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB) as part of the World War II newsreels shown at theatres in Canada and abroad. The film describes the Allied air war over Europe during the Second World War, concentrating on attacks in 1942 and 1943 on an automobile factory in Vichy France.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Weldon, Carolyne. "Jets, Floatplanes and Bombers: 15 NFB Films about Planes." National Film Board of Canada', June 12, 2012. Retrieved: January 22, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "1992." Archived 2009-06-04 at the Wayback Machine National Film Board of Canada . Retrieved: January 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ Granatstein 1998, pp. 14–15, 116–120.
  4. ↑ Kirman, Joseph M. "Excerpts from the January 1993 Senate Report: The Valour and the Horror." Canadian Social Studies, Winter 1994, pp. 62–63.
  5. ↑ Bercuson and Wise 1994, p. 39.
  6. ↑ Niemi 2013, p. 157.
  7. 1 2 "Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command (1992)." IMDb. Retrieved: January 20, 2016.

Bibliography

  • Bercuson, David J. and S.F. Wise. The Valour and the Horror Revisited. Montreal: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1994. ISBN   978-0-7735-1271-9.
  • Granatstein, Jack. Who Killed Canadian History? Toronto: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd., 1998. ISBN   978-0-0025-5759-7.
  • Newcomb, Horace. Encyclopedia of Television. London: Routledge, 20014. ISBN   978-1-5795-8394-1.
  • Niemi, Robert James. Inspired by True Events: An Illustrated Guide to More Than 500 History-Based Films. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.