Seriously Moving Images

“Jolly Good Luck to Johnny Canuck” is a video montage compiled in 2014 from film footage shot nearly a century before. It is the third of four such montages in the video presentation Answering the Call, which screened as part of a Royal BC Museum travelling exhibit commemorating the Great War. The presentation draws on almost an hour of rare film footage shot in BC during the First World War. The source material features BC troops in training before their departure for eastern Canada, England, and the battlefields of Europe.

GOOD LUCK TO THE BOYS OF THE ALLIES

by Morris Manley

It’s jolly good luck to Johnny Canuck, / And all the Allied soldiers. / They’re fighting day by day / In trenches far away. / They’ll all march back with the Union Jack, / In history they’ll gain fame; / Just give them a cheer and banish the tear / For they’ll return again.

CHORUS:Good luck to the boys of the Allies, / Just cheer them on their way. / The Union Jack they’re proud of / While fighting day by day. / When the band plays that tune called “Tipperary”, / There’s joy right in their eyes. / God save our gracious King! / Good luck to the boys of the Allies.

They’re jolly and brave, but never do rave / About their pride and bravery. / Right at the front they stay / In thickest of the fray. / They’ll win the fight, their hearts are right, / You bet they’re filled with pluck. / Right on their track, when they come back, / We’ll cheer our Johnny Canuck!