Photos Canada's Military Photographers

[Bombardier]

All content here courtesy of the Library and Archives Canada

Thought this was an apt subject considering we are all about Military Photos & Photogrpahy

Credit: Tash, R. / Library and Archives Canada / PA-067257
Copyright: Expired

Frank Badgley.

Late in 1939, Commissioner Frank Badgley of the Canadian Government Motion Picture Bureau prepared a report recommending that the Canadian Army organize a special film and photographic unit. The purposes of this unit, he wrote, would be:
… to record in motion pictures and photographs the day by day activities and achievements of…those units actively engaged in the combat zones, not only to provide an historical record, but to provide informational and inspirational material for…the maintenance of public morale and the stimulation of recruiting… [and]…to provide material for world wide distribution through the newsreels, newsphoto organizations, the press and other outlets… that will serve to keep Canada's war efforts vividly before not only our own people but the rest of the world.

Credit: Lieut. Barney J. Gloster / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-137474. Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Photographers of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit attached to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion.

In 1940, a public relations photographic section was formed at Canadian Military Headquarters in London, England. It was the forerunner of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit set up in September 1941. Back in Canada, the photographic section of the Army's Directorate of Public Relations was organized at Ottawa in 1942.

Credit: Canada. Department of National Defence collection / Library and Archives Canada / e005176211
Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Sergeants Burt Johnson and Jack Dalgleish, both of the Royal Canadian Air Force's Press Liaison Section, holding Anniversary Speed Graphic cameras [graphic material]

In March 1940, Flying Officer Fergus Grant, the air press liaison officer of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), asked that the RCAF's Photographic Establishment create a "Press Photographic Section" for the purposes of "securing photographs of air force activities that may be distributed to the press of Canada, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland and other countries." Grant specified that "the photographs should be good, and have news value." The result of this request was the Press Liaison Section; it began operating in the spring of 1940. One year later, RCAF Overseas Headquarters in London established a similar photographic section.

Credit: Lt Richard G. Arless / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-163920
Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Lieutenant Gilbert A. Milne of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, holding a Fairchild K20 camera.

In May 1940, the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) began to consider the possible uses of photography. The director of naval information was Lieutenant John Farrow, who wrote an eloquent memorandum which stated, "A pictorial record should accompany the compilation of the War Diary…men die, ships sink, towns and ports change their contours, and without the aid of the camera their images are left to the uncertain vehicle of memory or to be forgotten in the dry passages of dusty files." Moreover, he added, "at all times Headquarters could, at will, issue to the Press photographs of events or of persons that might be considered of topical interest."

A routine order of July 10, 1940 stated:

A Photographic Section has now been established in the RCN with the object of providing a fuller record of progress and occurrences of interest for record, press and propaganda purposes….[The] principal duty of the Photographers will be to make a comprehensive record of all aspects of naval work and activities, particularly special operations and any other assignments ordered for historical, news or propaganda purposes.

Who were the photographers who wore the uniforms of the three armed services?

Some of them were former commercial or press photographers who continued to practise photography while in the service of their country. Others learned the trade, either at the time of recruitment or during their service careers. Three of the original photographers active in 1940 were Laurie Audrain of the Army, Gerry Richardson of the Navy, and Norman Drolet of the Air Force.

Those who followed Audrain as photographers for the Canadian Army included Gordon Aikman, Ken Bell, Ted Bonter, Art Cole, Mickey Dean, Ernie DeGuire, Dwight Dolan, Frank Dubervill, Barry Gilroy, Barney Gloster, Don Grant, Dan Guravich, Ken Hand, Karen Hermiston, Bud Nye, Charlie Richer, Harold Robinson, Terry Rowe, Frank Royal, Jack Smith, Strathy Smith, Alex Stirton, Fred Whitcombe and Chris Woods.

Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-150144
Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Lieutenant H. Gordon Aikman of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit, holding an Anniversary Speed Graphic camera.

Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-115507
Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Lieutenant Frank L. Dubervill of the Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit, holding an Anniversary Speed Graphic camera, England, 11 May 1944.

Credit: Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-142294
Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Sergeant Karen M. Hermiston of the Canadian Women's Army Corps, holding a Rolleiflex camera.

Credit: Lt Richard G. Arless / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-206699,Restrictions on use: Nil, Copyright: Expired

Lieutenant John D. Mahoney of the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, holding an Anniversary Speed Graphic camera.

Their counterparts in the Royal Canadian Air Force included Stu Barfoot, M.J. Bent, G.T. Berry, Roly Boulianne, Lorne Burkell, Ken Coleman, J.H. Crump, Jack Dalgleish, Burt Johnson, Ron Laidlaw, J.F. Mailer, W.A. McMurdo, Harry Price, Cecil Southward, Norma Thorne, A.E. Trotter and Stan Wimble.

The Royal Canadian Navy's photographers were, among others, Richard Arless, Herbert Black, Dinny Dinsmore, Ken Fosbery, Glen Frankfurter, Guy Goulet, Jack Hawes, Roy Kemp, Jack Kempster, George Lawrence, Gar Lunney, Jack Mahoney, John Merriman, Gib Milne, Gerry Moses, Gerry Murison, Herb Nott, Ed Pryor, Gerry Richardson, Dennis Sullivan, Alf Tate, Don Thorndick and Jacques Trepanier.

More information here
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discov...econd-war/Pages/faces-second-world-war.aspx#e

 

[DMsquadron]

Very interesting read. thanks for posting

 

[Bombardier]

No worries buddy, if you click the tag Military Photographer you will find more pics of these great people