# Did you help repel a Martian Invasion in 1968?



## johngos (17 Jan 2008)

Hello everyone, weird question I know, but it might actually be true.
Here's what happened. On October 30st 1968, a Buffalo radio station called WKBW ran a dramatic retelling of The War Of The Worlds. It was done in the style of breaking news stories (just as Orson Welles did back in 1938) and used familar names from the news team.
It caused quite a panic amongst listeners who thought it was a real invasion. It is a pretty creepy sounding production. Very realistic.
Anyway, the reason I am posting here, is because several accounts of this event tell that so realistic was it, that units of the Canadian National Guard were briefly dispatched to border points at the Peace Bridge, Rainbow Bridge and Queenston Bridge.
I'm wondering if this is true in any way, or just an urban myth that has grown up around the broadcast.
Hoping someone on this forum might have heard of this, or even have taken part, or known someone who took part in the deployment.
Many thanks and here is a link to a website I run which talks about this event: http://www.war-ofthe-worlds.co.uk/war_worlds_wkbw_buffalo.htm
John Gosling.


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## medaid (17 Jan 2008)

John,

   Although I don't have any news with regards to your question, I would just like to point out that here in Canada, we do not have National Guard units. We have Primary Reserve Units of all three elements who are based through out the different cities and provinces, and train to augment and support our Regular Force counterparts.


Cheers,

MT.


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## AJFitzpatrick (17 Jan 2008)

I'd suggest contacting the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, a reserve infantry unit, since they are based in St. Catherine's and Welland. They would have been the reserve unit "guarding the bridges" if in fact it happened.

http://www.iaw.on.ca/~awoolley/lincweld.html


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## johngos (17 Jan 2008)

Ah, that's interesting. I thought there was something odd about that. My information comes from several books which quote the National Guard and I had failed to find any info on such an organisation in Canada. Rather casts doubt on the story if that fact is wrong.
Many thanks for letting me know.



			
				MedTech said:
			
		

> John,
> 
> Although I don't have any news with regards to your question, I would just like to point out that here in Canada, we do not have National Guard units. We have Primary Reserve Units of all three elements who are based through out the different cities and provinces, and train to augment and support our Regular Force counterparts.
> 
> ...


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## johngos (17 Jan 2008)

Great, thanks for the info. I've dropped them a line.



			
				AJFitzpatrick said:
			
		

> I'd suggest contacting the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, a reserve infantry unit, since they are based in St. Catherine's and Welland. They would have been the reserve unit "guarding the bridges" if in fact it happened.
> 
> http://www.iaw.on.ca/~awoolley/lincweld.html


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## MP 811 (17 Jan 2008)

never happened.  Just spoke with a Major from the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and he's says it never happened.


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## Haggis (17 Jan 2008)

MP 811 said:
			
		

> never happened.  Just spoke with a Major from the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and he's says it never happened.



So... the conspiracy persists?   8)


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## CougarKing (17 Jan 2008)

Haggis said:
			
		

> So... the conspiracy persists?   8)



SLIGHT HIJACK: And Medtech is STILL the 13th Cylon!!!!!  ;D >


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## medaid (17 Jan 2008)

CougarDaddy said:
			
		

> SLIGHT HIJACK: And Medtech is STILL the 13th Cylon!!!!!  ;D >



and you JUST figured that one out?! bah... no wonder we're destroying your kind... humans are so slow...


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## Nfld Sapper (17 Jan 2008)

MedTech said:
			
		

> and you JUST figured that one out?! bah... no wonder we're destroying your kind... humans are so slow...


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## Mike Baker (17 Jan 2008)

Martians, no, never, they do not exist............ do they? :-\


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## Retired AF Guy (17 Jan 2008)

MedTech said:
			
		

> John,
> 
> Although I don't have any news with regards to your question, I would just like to point out that here in Canada, we do not have National Guard units. We have Primary Reserve Units of all three elements who are based through out the different cities and provinces, and train to augment and support our Regular Force counterparts.
> 
> ...



I would like to point out that the militia/reserve units in Canada come under the control of the Federal Government. The only way that any militia units could be deployed would be on the authority of the Feds in Ottawa and something like that would make the news.  Also, I follow this kind of stuff on a semi-regular basis and I've never heard of it.


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## johngos (17 Jan 2008)

Oh dear, the story seems dead in the water then  :-\



			
				MP 811 said:
			
		

> never happened.  Just spoke with a Major from the Lincoln and Welland Regiment and he's says it never happened.


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## Retired AF Guy (17 Jan 2008)

Did a little searching on the 'net and found this. Here is more info on the subject from the radio stations website. Note that this write-up makes no mention of Canadian (or US) military units being deployed.

http://wkbwradio.com/warintro.htm 

Here is the link to the article that mentions the Canadian "_National Guard"_ unit. 

http://www.greatnorthernaudio.com/sf_radio/wow.html

The actual quote "_it still brought thousands of phone calls from panicked listeners and responses from police and fire departments, and even from a Canadian National Guard unit. _" Taken in this context the implication is that the the police, fire depts and the Canadian unit phoned in asking what the heck was going on; not an actual deployment. At least that's the way I interpret it.


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## johngos (17 Jan 2008)

There is a book called The Complete War Of The Worlds - quite a nice, big Coffee Table type production. It says, and I quote "The Canadian National Guard sent units to the Peace Bridge, Rainbow Bridge and Queenston Bridge to repel the invaders." It also talks about a "County civil defence unit" that went on alert.

I think it is becoming fairly clear from all the kind replies and info I am seeing posted that the story is an urban myth.



			
				Retired AF Guy said:
			
		

> Did a little searching on the 'net and found this. Here is more info on the subject from the radio stations website. Note that this write-up makes no mention of Canadian (or US) military units being deployed.
> 
> http://wkbwradio.com/warintro.htm
> 
> ...


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## Kat Stevens (17 Jan 2008)

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