Today marks the 76th anniversary of the funeral of Canadian Army Film and Photo Unit (CFPU) cameraman, James "Jimmy" Campbell. Learn more about Jimmy below 👇🏼
Jimmy was born in Belfast, Ireland, in 1906, but enlisted for the war from Vancouver. He had been working as a cameraman for Columbia Studios. Enlisting in Vancouver, he became a member of the @SeaforthOfC
The CFPU came together in 1941, and Jimmy was brought on as a cameraman. He later filmed in places like Sicily and Italy, and we see him here drinking wine with photographer Terry Rowe, an interpreter, and a local. 
Photograph is: Sgt. Jimmy Campbell, Film Section; Lieut. T.F. Rowe and a Sgt. Interpreter, Sgt. Z. Buchsbaum, drink wine offered by a native of Rionero, Vito Pace (right), unattributed photograph from the Army Numerical Collection, LAC MIKAN 5010522.
Unfortunately, Terry Rowe would become Canada's first CFPU casualty in the war in January 1944. He died in Anzio when his jeep was hit by an 88 shell.
In 1944, Jimmy Campbell and others received word that they were being sent back to London. They would document the Canadians' advance into Northwestern Europe.
On July 19, Jimmy and others were covering Canadians crossing the Orne River. Despite intense fighting at Fleury-Sur-Orne, Jimmy was on the scene filming. It was here that he was hit by a mortar bomb and killed instantly.
Jimmy was known for being the oldest, most experienced, and most popular man in the CFPU group. His funeral took place #OTD 76 years ago.
There were no deaths among First World War photographers, although British photographer Armando Console did lose part of his leg, and his driver was killed.
(The above does not include possible stress injuries that photographers were likely to have experienced).
The SWW was different - as we've seen, photographers and cameramen were killed and injured, as were their drivers/helpers, and there are indeed documented cases of stress injuries.
Today, Jimmy is buried in the Bretteville-Sur-Laize cemetery in Calvados, France. I visited the cemetery in 2011, long before I knew who he was - but I hope to go back and visit him again someday.
If you'd like to learn more about the Canadian Army Film and Photo unit, follow @Campbell1944, check out works by @conlin_dan and Sarah Cook (nee Klotz). You can also learn more here: canadianfilmandphotounit.ca
