The Longest Day - Query

Due to recent bout of cold weather I decided to have a day in front of television yesterday, after the usual channel hopping I found The Longest Day was showing on Sky, a film which I quite like. So feet up, lay back and enjoy!!

The film portrays a character by the name David Campbell (Flight Officer – new rank on me!!) played by Richard Burton. This got me thinking; just who was David Campbell? Once the film had finished I went in search of my reference books.

Amazingly there was no mention of him in Men of the Battle of Britain (By Kenneth G Wynn) or RAF Fighter Command Losses Vol 3 (by Norman Franks) and an internet search produced nothing. I was always led to believe that film was based on those who were there, Was David Campbell a fictitious character for the film?

 

My copy of Longest Day is an odd edition without an index. What it has got is a list of contributors that may or may not be exhaustive. There is only one RAF chap listed under British - and he was in Balloon Command. There is a Canadian entry:
Webber, John L., Sgt. [86th Sqdn.] Flt/Engineer but without an index I'd have to read it all to find him.
It looks like Campbell was a fictional character. The next question is was he invented to give the RAF a face, to give Richard Burton a part or a bit of both?

 

"He's dead. I'm crippled. You're lost. Do you suppose it's always like that? I mean war."

I think he was in the film for that line alone

 

The best load of frenzied imagining ....ever inflicted on a gullible public.....
Sapper

 

on a lighter note

 

Moving swiftly on from EP's frenzied imaginings...

I recall that the 'boots on the wrong feet' incident is mentioned in the book, but can't remember in what context. I do know that the Ouistreham Casino battle that was prominent in the film, wasn't in the book; no doubt the French wanted their glory, too.

I think there's an After The Battle article on the film. I will have a dig...

 

The best load of frenzied imagining ....ever inflicted on a gullible public.....
Sapper

No. The whole film was made using real D-Day footage.

 

ATB's D-Day mentions the film on several occasions inc. The unit that dropped on St Mere Eglise and The French Commando raid. I think there is some stuff on Pegasus Bridge too with Richard Todd.

Funny you should mention Richard Burton in the film. I too was watching it and considering starting a thread on the charactors in the film.

ATB's Battle of Britain lists all of the 'Few' and there are eight Campbell's listed including a a Sgt. D.C.O. Campbell of No. 66 Squadron and is listed as British. There is another D. Campbell but he is listed as a New Zealander.

Andy

 

No. The whole film was made using real D-Day footage.


I believe one of the reasons the film was originally made in B/W was so they could blend in some original footage from the invasion taken by the Allies and Germans.

 

Moving swiftly on from EP's frenzied imaginings...

I recall that the 'boots on the wrong feet' incident is mentioned in the book, but can't remember in what context. I do know that the Ouistreham Casino battle that was prominent in the film, wasn't in the book; no doubt the French wanted their glory, too.

I think there's an After The Battle article on the film. I will have a dig...

It's a 'Then' and 'Now' with a difference

 

ATB's Battle of Britain lists all of the 'Few' and there are eight Campbell's listed including a a Sgt. D.C.O. Campbell of No. 66 Squadron and is listed as British. There is another D. Campbell but he is listed as a New Zealander.

Andy

I have a list of the eight from the book Men of the Battle of Britain and none of them fit the bill Andy

Donald Cairnie Ogilvie Campbell of 66 Sqn is believed to of been wounded on the 20th September 1940 - no further mention of his career, the Kiwi you mention - David Baillie Campbell was an air gunner with 23 Sqn and by D-day was in New Zealand.

 

Donald Cairnie Ogilvie Campbell of 66 Sqn

Whats your reason for counting him out mate?

 

Campbell may have been a composite character. It does happen.

Steve W.

 

I think that you have to remember that this film was not a documentary (Lets try and get it spot on kind of thing), but a film about D-Day and entertainment, albeit with references to actual people and events.

I just look at it as good entertainment.

Regards
Tom

 

Has anyone checked the book ?

 

Why I didnt think of it earlier, I dont know. My copy of the LD is the 60th Anniversary edition with small booklet and 2nd Disk about the making of the film.

The booklet lists the cast and whom they played, and if that person was a 'real' charactcher. Burton is simply listed as playing the part of an RAF pilot

 

Why I didnt think of it earlier, I dont know. My copy of the LD is the 60th Anniversary edition with small booklet and 2nd Disk about the making of the film.

The booklet lists the cast and whom they played, and if that person was a 'real' charactcher. Burton is simply listed as playing the part of an RAF pilot


However all the non-fiction characters in the film have their name and rank etc displayed on the screen. I seem to recall Burton did too.

 

When I was at Pegasus Bridge I saw no cameras... Come to that I saw precious few of anyone... Not the healthiest of places. The shelling stopped us, and we had to go to ground. But the Veterans have a good laugh at the way the films are presented.

You seldom learn the real truth.For example the Sappers arrived at Pegasus before the piper and the Commandos. One Sapper Sgt leaned against the bridge smoking a cigarette admiring the heroic way the commandos marched up ...Very Posh.......

But you will never see that in the media..... Films are made to make money and if they favour the greatest audience... so be it.
A little realism goes a long way
Sapper

 

Whats your reason for counting him out mate?

No mention of a David Campbell in RAF Fighter Command Losses Vol 3 (by Norman Franks).

I'm fast coming to the conclusion that David Campbell was definitely a factitious character for the film.

 

It's interesting to compare the list of technical advisers to The Longest Day and the historic characters portrayed in it. This is especially evident for the Germans, where many of the officers portrayed as warning that this is the real invasion were technical advisers, whilst those insisting that it was a diversion and refusing the wake Hitler were not. Rommel was dead but the IMDB gives his widow as being a military consultant.

Lord Lovat, the commando leader, was a technical adviser. None of the sappers who beat his troops to Pegasus Bridge were.

The Longest Day (1962) - Full cast and crew