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Global Edition | Today Is Friday, March 12, 2010 |
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Global Edition | Today Is Friday, March 12, 2010 |
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Tony Koorlander's One Man Effort To Tell The Unexpurgated Story Of Yank Troops Hunkered Down In War Time Britain.
Film crews were recorded as on shore from H+10 and this is where the spin starts as their film was deliberately trashed by officials after editing and preview back in London. It supposedly was to NEVER be seen by the American public and the official line was that water damage wrecked the film. Editorial censorship in the absolute sense.
Tony Koorlander World War II Historian
From the first moment Tony Koorlander told his Newsroom Magazine colleagues about his discovery, it was clear that Tony had come upon the biggest journalistic story of his life. What he had discovered in his investigations, wasn’t the whole story either, for there was credible evidence that some or all of the footage captured by legendary Hollywood movie directors during the last months of World War II could still be intact. If it existed, he assured me, some of it could even be hiding in the U.S. photographic archives.
Gordon Shaffer, Gunner, 384th Bombardier Squadron
What began as a small project by a former BBC news cameraman/producer uncovered an immense treasure of previously unseen images. While Tony is approaching the events in and around his hometown of Bideford for its historical significance, another of our contributors, Gordon Shaffer, was a witness to the happenings in war torn Britain — and a beneficiary of the Normandy invasion that brought about Shaffer’s release from a German POW camp.
Koorlander’s research required the transfer of many hours of professionally produced footage from aging film to high definition video. It also revealed details about the Allied D-Day invasion of France that didn’t exactly match what was claimed in history books. Koorlander’s pioneering work has produced significant new information — partly from his growing film resources as well was from eyewitness accounts he has carefully pulled together from British and American eyewitnesses.
Newsroom contributors Bill Moore and Bill McCormick have also been involved in aspects of Koorlander’s research and production planning activities along with publisher Robert Butche.
Gordon Shaffer
Today, several years after being first published, Gordon Shaffer’s story [ Gordon Shaffer On What's Important ] remains tied for being our most read with Say It Again, Ed — the story of Ed Murrow’s last speech to his TV news colleagues at the 1958 RTNDA meeting.
What we have witnessed is the evolution of newsman Tony Koorlander into a well grounded and deeply committed historian. Unlike most historians, who can accomplish most all of their research in some library or archive at little or no out of pocket cost, Koorlander’s work requires acquisition of substantial footage all of which carries a hefty transfer and processing fee.
While Koorlander’s immense project has been modestly funded by grants from persons and organizations in and around the Devon area [ Southwest England ], where the Hollywood photographic unit was based, he needs additional funding to complete his film archive collection and field research. Those interested in possibly donating or helping to raise monies for this important historical effort can contact Tony Koorlander at tony@koorlander.com
Part of his own initiative in raising further funding has been creation of a comprehensive website to tell the stories that he has uncovered. A work in progress, examples of the finds, stories and an ever growing database of discovery can be found at http://www.limelighthd.tv
Newsroom Magazine readers have been witnesses to Tony Koorlander’s immense skill in story telling through images and sound. His article on videography [ Field Videography ] is a primer for aspiring videographers. Tony’s immense skills in production and editing produced some of our most vivid and interesting content. Newsroom’s Video Workshop Series includes exquisite images and commentary short by Tony at the Round church in London.
There’s also his own personal account of working with famed English actor Joss Ackland in making a commemorative film about their hometown area in Tony’s Bideford 500 movie. And then there’s Tony the journalist who writes about the happenings in Britain and the travail of a nation caught in the world financial mess and having to deal with elitism in Parliament where MPs have treated themselves to unearned perks and wrongful reimbursements. Only last summer, Tony assured us,
As I observe the lying, cheating and general lack of accountability within those bastions of our culture where all responsibility for the progress of society’s well being is lodged, an understanding of the harsh realities of present day ’spun’ life hits home. Time progresses, we observe pillars of the community becoming the pillocks of the community ( that is the idiots – for those who are unfamiliar with olde English terminology ) and the spectre of hope and reason drowning within the quagmire of greed and convenience-speak.
Vintage Koorlander
- Making Good Into Mediocre
- The World Sees Itself Through Our Lens
- Field Videography Brings News To Life
- Story Telling: A Collaborative Adventure
- Day Of The Knights Templar
- A Man Called Joss
- Bideford 500 — The Movie
- World News At A World Class Standard
- America: Land Of The Free?
- From Newborn To Wrinklies
- Pillars To Pillocks
- Democracy At The Brink
Then there’s Tony the historian — a man who goes about reconstructing history with an eye toward providing exciting new evidence while preserving the evidence for generations to come. So, when Tony has news, or comes across a new and exciting discovery, we’re often the first to hear about it in enthusiastic language filled with code words and equipment names long forgotten. Here’s a sample of a Koorlander update email to us last spring:
I can only figure that LCI(88)L was doing a rotary trip out to the mother troop ship and back to shore … in which case, much of the story could be true .. the first wave of demolition guys went in at H+05 according to Wes Ross … LCI(88)L must have been part of the initial wave landing at H+15 when the demolition teams of 146ECB and 299ECB accompanied by NCDUs had landed and removed their assigned 200 yd gaps of beach obstacles.
The follow on landings missed the demolition cleared areas by up to 200 yds, despite flares, smoke and attempts at radio contact due to their misjudging of the cross currents. Film crews were supposedly on shore from H+10 and this is where the spin starts as their film was deliberately trashed by officials after it was previewed back in London. It supposedly was to NEVER be seen by the American public. Editorial censorship in the absolute sense.
So .. the initial wave – indeed as Wes recalls, did not meet a scenario as horrific as the follow on … and it looks like the early landings were more of a surprise to the Germans than thought. A full time job to try and unravel this one … I think I’ll need a load more research before I can go further – in the meantime – the DVD series must get finished.
Today Tony Koorlander demonstrates what it takes to be a responsible adult — someone willing to do for his community what it cannot do for itself. Tony’s determination to do what’s right for his community is legendary. For from the moment of his BBC training until today, Koorlander is well grounded, probative, relevant and always credible. Only last month he helped to pull together media facilities for the giant Appledore Book Festival. And even in that role, he took time to talk about his World War II historical project and his dreams of preserving the history of Americans and Britons caught in war.
