Summary: Recruiting film for WAAF barrage balloon operators.
Description: Over a shot of WAAFs marching out of a barrage balloon hangar, the refrain "I became a patriot to help to win the day" is heard. Four girls, a London shop assistant, a Scottish housemaid ("I wanted to do something much more worthwhile than being a housemaid"), a secretary and a Welsh barmaid join up as balloon operators. They arrive at camp and receive eleven week's instruction in repair work, knots, wire-splicing and winch operating before manoeuvring balloons, attached to trucks, into a vast echoing hangar. The girls chatter about that evening's dance where they are seen enjoying themselves in their new uniforms. After training they go to a practice war-site where, standing in the snow, they receive a pep talk about the rigours and satisfactions of their job. Finally they are posted to Balloon Site 568 in an industrial town. There, their sing-song in a camp hut is interrupted by an order to raise the balloons, which they do with enthusiasm.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:Yes
Object_Number:RMY 20
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:IWM
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1942
Production Country: GB
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Strand (Production company)
Moffat, Ivan (Production individual)
Shaw, Alexander (Production individual)
Jago, Jo (Production individual)
Thomas, Dylan Marlais19141953British poet and dramatist; Dylan Marlais, preferred form Dylan (Production individual)
Moffat, Ivan (Production individual)
Tasto, Charles R (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Air Force, Women's Auxiliary Air Force (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - balloon: barrage balloon (object name)
operations, British military - maintenance: barrage balloon (object name)
propaganda, British - practical: recruitment, WAAF (object name)
recreation, British military - social (object name)
training, British military - specialist: barrage balloon (object name)
GB, England (geography)
(concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 787 ft; Running time: 9 mins
