CANBAT ON THE LINE [Main Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.


  • Title: CANBAT ON THE LINE [Main Title]
  • Film Number: UNT 708
  • Other titles: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Canadian troops were among the last hostages to be released by the Bosnian Serbs. UNTV was at the Canadian base in Visoko during the crisis. The film looks at their role and their future in keeping the peace in this sensitive part of Bosnia.
  • Description: Panning shots across Visoko valley from one of CANBAT’s Observation Posts. CANBAT are in charge of monitoring the area around Visoko that straddles Bosnian government and Bosnian Serb lines. Tensions are high on all sides following NATO airstrikes near Pale on May 25th and 26th. Following this the Canadians posted on the Serb side of the confrontation line were detained. Shots of CANBAT soldiers in base camp at Visoko. Text reads: ‘Saturday, 3 June: 41 Canadian soldiers are among 120 U.N. hostages to be released’. Shot of TV, broadcasting a crackly CNN report: According to Reuters four people have been shot in a suburb of Sarajevo. Government officials are blaming the Bosnian Serbs. This comes as the European nations have agreed to send in a multinational reaction force to strengthen the UN peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. The Serbs have released one third of their U.N. peacekeeping hostages but they are still holding 250 others. This crisis is far from over. Shot cuts out to CANBAT soldiers watching this report, now showing footage of the released UN hostages. Text reads: ‘Sunday, 4 June: The Canadian soldiers are on their way to the CANBAT base in Visoko’. Interview with Lieutenant Colonel Danny Redburn, Commanding Officer of the U.N. Canadian Battalion, who says that he can confirm that 41 CANBAT soldiers from the Serbian side of the confrontation line are on their way back but twelve soldiers remain in three Observation Posts, their movements restricted and with no means of communication with the rest of the battalion. A UN coach pulls into a UN compound. Interview with Major Serge Harvey, Company Commander, representing the detained soldiers. He says that on the 2nd of June he met the Bosnian Serb Brigade Commander, Captain Savić, who ordered him to round up his personnel and take them to Ilijaš. They were taken by bus to Pale, stopping at the Serbian Brigade Headquarters where their arms and ammunition were inspected. They were allowed to keep their guns. They were then transported, along with other UN personnel, to Serbia, where they were told that they were free to go. Shots of CANBAT soldiers stepping down off the bus, greeting soldiers who have lined up to see them. Text reads: ‘The Canadian Battalion in Visoko is the only contingent working on all three sides in the conflict’. CANBAT Sergeant points out on a map where CANBAT 2 is stationed in Croat, Bosnian Government and Bosnian Serb-held territory. Observation Posts Charlie Sierra 1, 2 and 3 are around the city of Ilijaš, in Serbian-held territory. Freedom of movement inside the Ilijaš finger is very limited. Blue-helmeted CANBAT Corporal explains the view from Observation Post 2 at Camp Visoko. Panning shot shows confrontation area between Bosnian Government and Bosnian Serbs. Another CANBAT Corporal, manning an Observation Post, explains how CANBAT monitors shooting in the area, makes a record of new positions held by both sides and alerts the base camp if bombardment by either side falls within eight hundred metres of the camp. Text reads: ‘Saturday 3 June: CANBAT on Orange Alert as air raid sirens in Visoko and Breza are sounded’. Sound of air raid sirens. CANBAT soldier D’Orsonneng comes outside, an orange flag hangs from the wall. He explains that the Orange Flag means that they have to remain armed at all time, movement is restricted to the compound, and Observation Posts continue to be manned. He explains that Red Alert means that all CANBAT soldiers go immediately to bunkers except those carrying out security checks around the perimeter of the compound. Text reads: ‘Continued tensions force CANBAT to further fortify their camp and initiate other readiness procedures’. Shots of three CANBAT soldiers shooting at a target. Lieutenant Colonel Danny Redburn, Commanding Officer of the U.N. Canadian Battalion, explains that the rules of engagement are very strict but the soldier is able to shoot in self defence. Text reads: ‘Sunday, 4 June: While 41 Canadian soldiers have re-joined their battalion, 12 others remain detained on the Serb side of the confrontation line’. Lieutenant Colonel Danny Redburn, Commanding Officer of the U.N. Canadian Battalion, explains that his objective, providing the UN mandate remains the same, is to reoccupy the Observation Posts on the Serb side, once the hostages have been released. He says that this is an important part of the UN’s claim to be impartial in the conflict. Text reads: ‘Friday, 9 June: One of the 12 detained Canadian peacekeepers is wounded by gunfire and is allowed to cross the confrontation line to the Canadian base in Visoko’ followed by ‘Monday, 19 June: The 11 remaining Canadian soldiers are some of the last peacekeepers to be released by the Bosnian Serbs and have rejoined their battalion’.
  • Alternative Title: UNITED NATIONS TELEVISION (UNTV) ZAGREB COLLECTION, YUGOSLAVIA [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: English (Tape Code A)
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: UNT 708
  • Sound: Bosnian (Tape Code B)
  • Access Conditions:
  • Featured Period: 1990-2000
  • Production Date: 1995-06 1995-06-21
  • Production Country: UN
  • Production Details: Foster, Leigh (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords: Visoko, Bosnia-Herzegovina (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: English (Tape Code A) Sound format: Bosnian (Tape Code B) Soundtrack language: Croatian (Tape Code C) Title language: Serbian (Tape D)
  • Technical Details: Format: Beta-SP Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Running time: 8 mins 55 secs
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    UNT 708

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    UNT 716 (UNTV PROGRAMME NO 94 [Main Title]) UNT 708 X (CANBAT ON THE LINE (UNEDITED RUSHES) [Allocated Title]) UNT 275 (UNPROFOR IN BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA - COMPILATION FOR NEW YORK [Main Title])
Register