News on Screen

Wilson was a cameraman from Glasgow who filmed the launch of HMS Duke of York in February 1940 for Universal - although the film was embargoed until December 1940, and only released as ‘COME TO SEA WITH UNIVERSAL - THE NAVY IN THE HEADLINES’ in Universal News No.1093 of January 1941. In January 1941 Wilson and Stanley Mumford [qv] of Universal also covered a battle demonstration with live ammunition, a rota story which appeared as ‘PREPARING FOR INVASION’ in Universal News No.1099. In June 1941 Wilson provided ‘BREN GUN CARRIERS DISPLAY IN EASTERN COMMAND’ for Universal News No.1141, and in October 1941 he helped to film ‘OUR TROOPS PREPARING FOR INVASION’ for No.1173. Wilson also appeared in Pathe Gazette No.44/4 of January 1944 in ‘CAMERAMEN DECORATED - Montgomery comes out of his caravan and presents Military Medal to newsreel cameraman Sgt Bill Jordan [qv] and Sgt Wilson.' In May 1945 Wilson and Rutherford Mann [qv] of Universal also covered the visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth to Edinburgh, which appeared as ‘EDINBURGH’ in Universal News No.1549. Bizarrely, in June 1953 ‘Wilson’ was credited in both the Movietone camera team for ‘THE CORONATION’ in British Movietone News No.1252A - filming in Piccadilly, and the Pathe camera team for ‘THE CORONATION OF HM QUEEN ELIZABETH’ in Pathe News No.53/41.

Sources

BUFVC, British Paramount News files, Number 1028 (R. L. Jay’s shotlist, 28/2/1940), Number 1485 (L. Cave-Chinn’s dopesheet, 17/5/1945); Number 1034 (Universal News shotlist, 23/1/1941); Number 1076 (L. Wilson rota shotlist, 19/6/1941); Number 1108 (L. Wilson rota shotlist, September/October 1941).