A Savage Christmas: The Fall of Hong Kong
The Valour and the Horror
The documentary, using the dramatization of fact, makes the case that the Canadian government knowingly sent two unprepared infantry battalions to help defend Hong Kong in late 1941, fully aware that they may have been on a doomed mission. The C Force, consisting of about 2000 soldiers from the Winnipeg Grenadiers and the Royal Rifles of Canada (from Quebec City) were, with the other British, Indian and Hong Kong troops, attacked on December 8, 1941 and overwhelmed by Japanese troops, leading to numerous casualties and the surrender on Christmas day. The Canadians would spend more than 3 and half years as prisoners of war, in horrible conditions. Part of "The Valour and the Horror" mini series.
Directed by Brian McKenna · Written by D'Arcy O'Connor
Cast
- Terence McKenna Narrator
-
Andrew Tarbet John Payne -
David Hewlett Walter Jenkins -
Greg Spottiswood John Stroud -
Brooke Johnson Kay Christie -
Martin Julien Les Canivet -
Andrew Miller Ike Friesen -
Jeremy Ratchford Fred Reich - Robert Clayton Self (Royal Rifles of Canada) (as Bob Clayton)
- Robert Manchester Self (Winnipeg Grenadiers) (as Bob Manchester)
Make it a double feature
2h 31m together
A Savage Christmas: The Fall of Hong Kong
A Web of War
Both from Brian McKenna.
More from Brian McKennaSee all →
Battlefield Quebec: Wolfe & Montcalm · 2009
A Web of War · 1996
In Desperate Battle: Normandy 1944 · 1992
Big Sugar · 2005
Chiefs · 2002
War of 1812 · 1999
Pierre Elliott Trudeau: Memoirs
Soldier's Revenge · 1986
Death by Moonlight: Bomber Command · 1992
Fire and Ice: The Rocket Richard Riot · 2000
The Great War · 2007
Newfoundland at Armageddon · 2016
The Valour and the Horror · 1992
