Flying and Spying Transcript

[Lively music]

[Sound of typing, papers being shuffled]

[Recruiter] No!

[Kam Len “Douglas” Sam] Please? I want to serve my country!

[Recruiter] Not with a name like that.

[Doug Sam] But everyone just calls me Doug. I speak five languages…

[Snickering from other people in the room]

[Recruiter 2] Lucky for you the rules have changed.

[Airplane engines]

[Doug’s comrade] Doug! Behind us!

[Airplane engines]

[Sombre music]

[Priest] Doug Sam served his country well and bravely,  may we honour his memory as we pray for an end to this war.

[Parishioner] We were so sorry to hear about Doug.

[Mother] Oh, don’t worry. He’s still alive, I just know it.

[Doug, speaking in French] The Résistance?

[Resistance 1, in French] Who are you?

[Doug] Relax! Stay calm! I can help you. I’m Canadian.

[Resistance 1] Euh… Excellent!

[Resistance 2, in French] Come with me.

[Narrator] Doug spied on the Germans and shared his plans with members of the French Resistance.

[German Soldier, in French] Eh! Papiers?

[Doug, in French] I am a student. I’m from China.

[German Soldier] Carry on!

[Resistance 3, in French] We had a narrow escape!

[Doug] I’m so happy I studied French in high school. It’s not perfect, but it works!

[Bombs exploding]

[Gun shots being fired]

[Doug] Les Américains.

[Doug] Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! I’m Canadian.

[American Soldier 1] What is ... explain yourself!

[Doug] I’ve been behind enemy lines for months. I have maps showing the location of German troops.

[American Soldier 2] Take this man to the commander.

[American Soldier 1] Yes sir!

[American Soldier 1] Sir! This man says he has information.

[Doug] There are machine guns here, here, and here. The Resistance has safe houses here and here.

[Commander] Excellent work, Sam. The enemy won’t know what hit them.

[Sister] Mum! Mum! Look at this!

[Mother] I see.

[Sister] "I see"? That’s it?!! This says Doug is alive!!

[Mother] Like I said all along. No surprise.

[Cheering]

[Narrator] The government of France awarded Doug Sam its Croix de Guerre for his brave service.

He retired in 1967 after serving with the Air Forces of Canada and Great Britain for 25 years.

He worked for the Canadian government’s immigration department for another 26 years. Kam Len “Doug” Sam died in 1989.

He received more military honours than any other Chinese Canadian in our history.

[Lively music]