EXERCISE FLASH [Allocated Title]
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- Title: EXERCISE FLASH [Allocated Title]
- Film Number: AYY 327/2
- Other titles: BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
- Summary: Various activities as part of Exercise Flash in Nigeria. On the second day of activities, a section of the 7th Field Company, West African Engineers, destroy a road where it crosses a small gully between Gwarzo and Gora, west of Kano. On the third day the Fighting French Medium Tank Company prepares to defend Kano from "Italian" forces. Major General Hawkins, General Officer Commanding Nigeria Area, supervises the exercise at Gude. Demonstration of Signals and various other scenes from the exercise.
- Description: 12 January. A sapper working with an Earth Auger to drill a hole, turning the handle. The Auger is lifted out of the hole, lifting out earth with it. A Nigerian sergeant uses a bar to break up rock. A British sergeant prepares the charge. He connects the ends of the wires from the switch to the detonator. The sergeant picks up a tin of Ammonal and carries it to the hole and puts it in. The charge is lowered into the hole. The charge fires. 13 January. Stuart tanks prepare to leave their position in the bush. A crew enters a tank, called "Provence". Tanks moving off. Infantry of the 12th Nigeria Regiment and the tanks pass the mud walls of Karaye. The tanks approach through wooded country. 14 January. Major-General Hawkins and his ADC (his brother Captain Hawkins) leave the General's grass house. He discusses the situation with Belgian Military Observers Major Pairaux and Major Van Inthout and the American Military Observer Major Heller. The General in the Operations Room looking at a map with the observers and other officers. He points to the map then crosses the room to answer the telephone. Major-General Hawkins and Major Heller get into a jeep and the General drives off. The jeep coming up a hill on the open road, it negotiates a steep bank. Sappers from the 7th Field Company, West African Engineers eat a meal after their demolition work. They sit on the ground eating from a common bowl. A soldier looks into a large crater in the road. A truck beside it has been partly turned over by the explosion. A blue and white Signals flag through a red filter. A Reconnaissance squadron preparing an ambush for Belgian armoured cars. A corporal of the 3rd Reconnaissance Squadron raises his binoculars in the turret of his armoured car and speaks into the microphone. The operator inside the vehicle receives the message through earphones and transmits it through his set. The armoured car moves off. A despatch rider approaches Divisional HQ, he passes a camel train in the background. He dismounts in the vehicle park and falls over. He gives the message to the Signals Clerk who stamps it and enters it in his records. Interior of the Signals Office. An orderly hands the message to the Chief Clerk, who opens it and passes it to an Operator, who reads it and moves flags on the map accordingly. He puts the message in its clip on the Battle Board. A messenger collects a message and runs off. A camouflaged wireless station. A corporal at Brigade HQ receives Radio Telephony. A despatch rider collects the message and puts it into his haversack, then rides off on his motorcycle. Major-General Hawkins and Major Heller leave the jeep and go to an observation post where he joins Colonel Gilmore of the 7th Battalion, Nigeria Regiment and Major Harper. They watch the exercise and the General looks at the map and looks through binoculars. They discuss the position.
- Alternative Title: BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN THE SECOND WORLD WAR [Allocated Series Title]
- Colour: B&W
- Digitised:
- Object_Number: AYY 327/2
- Sound: Silent
- Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
- Featured Period: 1939-1945
- Production Date: 1943-01-12
- Production Country: GB
- Production Details: War Office Film Unit (Production company) Feilman, F P C (Production individual)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations: Hawkins, Edward Brian Barkley (person) British Army, Royal West African Frontier Force, Nigeria Regiment (regiment/service) British Army, Royal West African Frontier Force, West African Engineers, 7th Field Company (regiment/service) Free French Army (regiment/service)
- Keywords: Nigeria (geography) Kano, Nigeria (geography) West Africa 1939-1945 (theme)
- Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
- Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 869 ft; Running time: 9 mins
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