Christmas Greetings from Cyprus

Broadcast by the CBC Network

Before leaving for Cyprus, Roberts spoke to a television producer at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He asked them if the CBC would be interested in broadcasting video clips from soldiers sending Christmas greetings back to their families in Canada. The producer said, no, the CBC would not.

While in Cyprus Roberts asked soldiers being interviewed if they would care to record a Christmas greeting. He warned them that the greeting might not be broadcast. Every soldier agreed to do them.

After returning to Canada, he called the same producer. As soon as he finished introducing himself, the producer said, "You're back from Cyprus, do you have the Christmas greetings?" Roberts said yes, and was immediately invited to the CBC offices. Afte reviewing scenes CBC used greetings from six soldiers on two days. Roberts asked the producer give him the date and time the greetings would be scheduled so he could let the soldier's families know before hand. Producing and providing the Christmas Greetings to broadcastes was a first for the Canadian Forrces.

Monday December 18, 1989

Cpl Simmons The Royal Canadian Regiment		Cpl Les Thomlinson 702 Communications Squadron		Cpl Chris Carriere The Algonquin Regiment

Click here to listern to the audio of CBC Midday's Christmas Greetings

Thursday December 21, 1989

Cpl Jason Martindale The Lincoln and Welland Regiment		Capt Jeff Caines The Lincoln and Welland Regimen		Lt Christopher Donald The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada

Click here to listern to the audio of CBC Midday's Christmas Greetings

Broadcast by CKVR-TV (Barrie)

Next he checked the list of soldiers and their hometowns. There were three soldiers from the Barrie area, so CKVR-TV in Barrie was contacted. Once in the studio the producer looked at the footage and asked to copy the greetings. He told Roberts to call him when he returned to Toronto and use the 1-800 number on his business card. When he called back the producer told him that CKVR would use the greetings 20 times over a four day period, he provided the dates and times so Roberts could pass the information back to the soldiers families.

MCpl Darryl Birch The Grey and Simcoe Foresters		Sgt Chris Blondin The Highland Fusiliers of Canada		Cpl Jeffrey Fuller The Grey and Simcoe Foresters
December 23 - 1:40pm, 8:20pm December 24 - 10:00am, 10:50am, 2:10pm December 25 - 7:30pm December 26 - 7:40pm		December 23 - 2:27pm December 24 - 10:30pm, 11:38pm, 2:40pm December 26 - 8:50am, 8:10pm		December 23 - 7:57am, 6:40pm December 24 - 10:40am, 6:50pm December 25 - 6:27pm December 26 - 12:10pm, 11:10pm
Click here to listern to the audio of MCpl Birch's Christmas Greetings		Click here to listern to the audio of Sgt Blondin's Christmas Greetings		Click here to listern to the audio of Cpl Fuller's Christmas Greetings

Broadcast by CHCH-TV (Hamilton)

After these successes, he revisited the list of soldiers names again. There were six soldiers from the Hamilton, Niagara Falls, St Catherines and Toronto area. Roberts called the television station in Hamilton, an independent station, geographically located in the in between the four cities and offered them the video greetings. After viewing the clips the producer said they would like to use them but there was nobody available to duplicate the segments. Roberts explained that he knew how to use the editing system and so he transferred the segments. CHCH-TV used the Christmas greetings of all the soldiers at the end of their Christmas Eve news broadcast.

Saturday December 24, 1989

Capt Jeff Caines The Lincoln and Welland Regiment		Cpl Kevin Glanville 23rd Service (Hamilton) Battalion		Cpl Jason Martindale The Lincoln and Welland Regiment
Cpl Keith Shannon The Lincoln and Welland Regiment		Cpl Simmons The Royal Canadian Regiment		Cpl Frank Robinson The Toronto Scottish Regiment

Click here to listern to the audio of the CHCH-TV Hamilton's Christmas Greetings

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