INDEPTH: VE-DAY
VE-Day at CBC Toronto
by Phil Carscallen From Radio, CBC staff magazine | 1945
VE-DAY went off just like the first night of a big stage production. You know, you worry yourselves sick about the thing and then on the night of the production everything goes off as "smooth as silk."
There were really three VE-Days for the Toronto studios. The first one was the night the peace rumour originated in San Francisco, April 28. That one came through about 6 o’clock when most of the staff was at dinner. Everyone dropped their knives and forks and left a trail of smoke behind them to the studios.
By 9 o’clock the rumour was proved false.
But from that night until VE-Day proper, May 8, the monitor post was manned 24 hours a day and the recording room was in operation. Both CJBC and CBL stayed on the air from Monday, April 30, until midnight, May 8, without a break. The emergency master control, Toronto studios (made entirely from portable equipment), stood the guff without even a minor breakdown.
The next VE-Day was May 7. At 9:36 a.m. EDT the news flashed over the wires: “Germany has surrendered unconditionally.” Within seconds, the news was on the air. Within minutes, the network control had been centred in Toronto. Studio “F” was made network control to take all VE-Day broadcasts to the rest of Canada.
 CBC's live coverage on May 7 and 8, 1945, was co-ordinated through an "emergency master control" centre. (CBC Photo)
The newsroom rushed bulletin after bulletin into Studio “F.” The monitor post listened to all American networks and the BBC and phoned the recording room to record programs of specific interest. But at 3 o’clock in the afternoon word came through from London that Prime Minister Churchill would make a special broadcast the following morning at 9 a.m. EDT.
The earlier announcement from Associated Press correspondent Edward Kennedy had been premature.
The whole staff, keyed up to the highest pitch for the VE-Day operations, was suddenly let down with a thump.
There it was! However, the CBC did turn out a lot of VE-Day programs May 7.
John Fisher described the CBC central newsroom in operation that morning.
At 1.30 p.m. there was a broadcast staff from Toronto's City Hall describing the celebrations there, and at 4:30 p.m. there were special broadcasts from Halifax, Sackville, Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg, Vancouver and New York, with actuality reporting on the celebration in those cities. Up to 3 o’clock in the afternoon, there were no fewer than 23 news broadcasts originating from the central newsroom.
The next day, May 8, was at long last VE-Day!. Long before Mr. Churchill’s address at 9 a.m., the complete staff was in and on the job. Mr. Bushnell and Mr. Jennings were at the control point. Others included E. W. Jackson, national traffic manager; H.G. Walker, manager of the Dominion network; C. R. Delafield, supervisor of international broadcasts; Neil Morrison, supervisor of talks; Wells Ritchie, supervisor of press and information; Ernest Morgan, supervisor of international exchange programs; and Miss D. Fletcher, Mr. Jennings’ secretary.
It is impossible to mention everybody who helped in the VE-Day operations. You would have to publish the complete staff list.
At 9 o’clock, Prime Minister Churchill broadcast from London and at the same time President Truman went on the air from Washington. Yes, VE-Day was really here.
Both addresses were recorded – President Truman’s address to go on the air after Mr. Churchill’s broadcast and both for rebroadcast later in the day. From then on, the airwaves were filled with special “Victory” programs: the leading generals – Eisenhower, Montgomery, Crerar – speaking from overseas; descriptions of the signing of the unconditional surrender; interviews with the men who made victory possible – the soldiers, sailors and airmen; the Empire broadcast from London, followed immediately by the address by the King; the Gerald Noonan-Andrew Allan production of The Road to Victory;” and Frank Willis’s production, VE-Day in Chicotin, Alberta.
All day long the people in the monitor post – W.H. Brodie, supervisor of broadcast language; Marjorie Meyer, newsroom stenographer; and News Editor Fred Brickendon – monitored all the American networks and the BBC and advised the recording room of special programs to be recorded for the rebroadcast. Recording room supervisor George Penny and operator Stan Tulk cut broadcast for 12 hours.
A special three-way phone circuit was installed between Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal, bridged across loud speakers in all cases for utmost speed in operations. If Mr. Bushnell wanted to talk to Charles Wright, manager of CBO in Ottawa, all he had to do is pick up the a phone and ask for him. His voice came over a loud speaker in Ottawa and Mr. Wright answered by picking up his phone.
The VE-Day show was a “good show” – and all day long. Every actor, director and technician played his part to perfection.
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May 8, 1945 was a day to celebrate. It was VE-Day, the long-awaited moment when the Allied forces triumphed over Nazi Germany to claim victory in Europe. But the joy brought by news of peace was dampened by the memory of fallen comrades and the ongoing war in the Pacific. From the liberation of Holland through the German surrender, celebrations in Canada and the servicemen's return, CBC Archives follows Canadians as the war ends in Europe.
» Victory! The Last Days of the War in Europe
» Countdown to victory
from CBC Archives
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