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Royal Canadian Navy
A WW2 personal documentary by Gilbert O S Davis


This 50-minute home documentary shares personal photographs taken by Leading Stoker, Gilbert Davis, as he narrates stories of his navy experiences; from joining the Royal Canadian Navy in 1941 and defending Canada's west coast aboard the H.M.C.S Bellechasse to his service on the H.M.C.S. Merrittonia escorting Merchant Marine convoys across the Atlantic Ocean to provision needed supplies to England and the European allies, through to the mass surrendering of the German U-boat fleet on the Foyle River near Londonderry in Northern Ireland at the end of the war.

Recorded while nearing his 90th birthday, Gilbert's recollections are of daily war-time service life rather than distinguished battles, told in a manner that only a dedicated serviceman could deliver; his emotion resonant as he describes the saving of a single survivor from a torpedoed supply ship. 

Both educational and entertaining, this video offers a snapshot into an era often faded from memories or lost through new generations of time. One of only a few servicemen who traveled with a personal camera during the war, Gilbert Davis shares his experiences through his own photos and words.


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