Summary: The training of Canadian despatch riders at a school in England.
Description: Opening shots of classroom teaching of instructors, rest of film shows actual training. Each man receives and is responsible for his own Norton motorcycle. Maintenance, starting up, riding: at first simply round barracks square, then on roads, then across increasingly difficult country, fording a river negotiating steep slopes and bumpy ground, and sand. Film ends with a sequence simulating a despatch rider getting an "urgent message" through "under fire" - the country covered is easily identifiable as that shown earlier in the training sequence, with a few 'thunderflashes' for interest's sake.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:
Object_Number:CCN 212
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:To be established
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1942-10
Production Country: Canada
Production Details: National Film Board of Canada (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Canadian Army Film Unit (Production company)
McDougall, J (Production individual)
Wilmot, Gerry (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords: communications, British military - message: despatch rider (object name)
training, British military - specialist: despatch riders (object name)
transport, British military - 2/3 wheel: Norton motorcycle (object name)
GB, England (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 687 ft; Running time: 8 mins
