Operation Scalpel

Prior to the deployment of 1 Canadian Field Hospital based at Canadian Force Base Petawawa to Saudi Arabia before to the first Gulf War, media from the Toronto area were flown in two Chinook helicopters to view work-up training. Captain Roberts was one of the officers who escorted reporters on the flights and on the ground at CFB Petawawa. The media were going to be transported on two of the seven Chinook helicopters in service with the Canadian Forces. Later it was discovered that two were sent because there was no guarantee that both would make the round trip.

After arriving in Petawawa a news conference was held in the Officer's Mess with the Base Commander, Brigadier-General Ray Crabbe. Roberts brought his television lights to illuminate the set of the news conference. Because he had to pack his equipment after the news conference he and Capt Marc Walsh left the building after the were media transported to a hanger were the medics were training. They missed the window to pass though a security screen and were stopped at a road block and searched by the sentries. This was just down the road from the hanger were the training was being conducted and several camera operators spotted them and came over to document the search.

The road block	Checking for grey matter

Because it was February, the training was taking place in tents set up in a hanger. Reporters were given free reign to mingled with the soldiers and conducted interviews during all phases of the training. All the troops taking part in the exercise were wearing NBCW suits. Several times gas alarms were raised and they had to put their gas masks on immediately. This led to interesting interview situations.

Camera operator captures a scene	A prisoner being taken passed reporters	Another gas alert

Not all soldiers like media video cameras	Simulated injuries looked very realistic	A stand-up in front of a sentry

During the return helicopter flight to Toronto, Roberts noticed that CBC reporter Paul Hunter appeared to be concerned about the time. He sat down beside him, and over the roar of the engines, asked him if there was something he could do. Mr. Hunter said that we were 15 minutes late leaving CFB Petawawa, and had do a live report on the CBC Evening News at 6:30pm as soon as he landed at CFB Toronto. This was in the days before television stations and networks used remote video production units. Immediately after landing the video footage had to be microwaved from a truck waiting on the flight line to the studio in downtown Toronto. Then it had to be edited for inclusion in Paul Hunter's live report. Roberts immediately spoke to flight crew and explained to problem. At approximately 6:15pm, as the Chinook helicopter approached landing spot at CFB Toronto Mr. Hunter and I stood on the rear ramp which had already been lower. A member of the flight crew on a tether had his hands on thier shoulders. As soon as the rear wheels touched the ground the crew member tapped them on the back to go. They both jumped into the darkness and Roberts escorted Mr. Hunter across the flight line to the CBC truck. A CBC technician took the tapes and started feeding the signal, at the same time Paul Hunter was on the telephone telling the station what scenes he wanted to have in his report. Next a camera operator setup a video camera, television monitor and a light on the flight line beside the CBC truck. Just before the news broadcast started Hunter was wired up to an intercom system and handed a microphone. News anchor in the CBC Evening News studio, Hillary Brown, introduced the first story, while it was running Paul Hunter spoke to the producer over the intercom. Apparently his story was supposed to run immediately after the report being broadcast. He said out loud, , "I'm on next, and my clips are still in the edit suite, ..................... I'm on in 30 seconds and you have the footage." After cutting back to Hillary Brown to do the intro, next Paul Hunter was live,on-air, to file his report.

On the flight line Paul Hunter's live report

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