Sam's Army

Far from Home: Canada and the Great War - Part 1

Canada was led to war by a bigoted, ignorant, self-obsessed Minister of Militia, who may well have been clinically insane, but the importance of Canada's contribution in that war owes a great deal to him. The man of course, was Colonel - later made Lieutenant General by his own hand - Sam Hughes. Sam's Army is a compelling portrait of a complex man and the formidable military he built. Sam Hughes was not your standard-issue military leader. Canada's World War I Minister of Militia and Defence concentrated power in his own hands, insisted that the Canadian military use the ill-conceived Ross rifle and liberally promoted his cronies. But there was no denying Hughes was a visionary. He assembled the world's largest-ever volunteer army and bucked superiors to keep his ferocious fighting force together in one Canadian Corps.

Cast

Paul Gross

Narrator

Bradford Jackson

Brad Austin

John Bayliss

David Calderisi

Benedict Campbell

William Colgate

William Dunlop

Adrian Egan

Patrick Garrow

Crew

Alan Erlich

Director

Michael Ulster

Coordinating Producer

Robert Burgess

Research Assistant

Susan Hormuth

Research Assistant

Jean-Pierre Gagnon

Research Assistant

Kerri Neraasen

Executive Assistant

John McMullan

Assistant Production Coordinator

John Denniston

First Assistant Camera

Josie Lovergine

Assistant Picture Editor

Steve Hammond

Foley Artist