John McCrae's War: In Flanders Fields

Among the Canadians killed at WWI's Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium was Alexis Helmer, who was hit by a German shell on May 2, 1915. There to pick up the pieces of Helmer's body and deliver a burial service over the gun blasts was his friend John McCrae, a 43-year-old Canadian physician serving as a major in the war. Deeply moved by the horrific wounds he daily dressed, and by Helmer's death in particular, McCrae would later write one of the world's most famous poems, "In Flanders Fields," memorized by generations of schoolchildren and a classic of anti-war verse. Via stills, narration, diaries, and wonderfully pertinent WWI film footage, this video tells McCrae's story, from his childhood in Guelph, Ontario, to his death from pneumonia near the end of the war, and pays tribute to the Canadians who suffered for a few feet of Belgian soil. As with most National Film Board of Canada productions, it is an exceedingly well done program, but its higher price will keep it out of reach for most American libraries. (Canadian libraries can order direct from the National Film Board of Canada at a substantially reduced price.) Highly recommended for those who can afford it. Aud: J, H, C, P. (K. Glaser)