WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 24 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 24 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 24
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'ABYSSINIA.' West African infantry cross a rapidly flowing river in Abyssinia as commentary points out that Italian resistance although limited, still needs mopping up. West African troops balance precariously on wooden planking as they cross the river laden with personal equipment. A wooden ferry platform is manhandled into the water by South African Engineers and West African troops. The platform is loaded with supplies and pulled across the river by ropes. II. 'SYRIA AND LEBANON.' Beirut. British and Free French troops prepare a parade in the town square. General Charles de Gaulle (C-in-C Free French) and General Georges Catroux (Commander Free French Forces Syria) arrive in a open-topped tourer in anticipation of their meeting with civic and religious dignitaries in the city hall. Cut to a British Marmon-Herrington armoured car patrol as it approaches the Syrian-Turkish border. The commander of the leading Marmon-Herrington receives a radio message and calls a halt in order to check his position. The armoured cars move forward towards the border where they are met by Turkish border guards. A friendly encounter follows, with much hand shaking and back-slapping. The Turkish troops inspect the Marmon-Herrington armoured cars, as the commentary asserts that it is the first recorded instance of fraternisation between British and Turkish troops. Rural scenes of goat herding and grain threshing as commentary points out that the war may be over, but the struggle with nature continues. III. 'WESTERN DESERT.' An Indian infantry work party prepares rough scrubland during the process of constructing a new RAF airfield. All scrub plants are dug up by hand, and the ground is then levelled by dragging an iron girder across it by tractor. Commentary highlights the importance of good communications to a modern army, over scenes of Commonwealth troops being trained to become telegraph linesmen. A Commonwealth soldier climbs a telegraph pole using crampons as a wire laying team work out of the rear of an open topped truck. Cut to the to the departure of RAF Air Commodore R Collishaw (Commander of 202 and 204 Groups Western Desert) for an "important position overseas" Collishaw says goodbye to RAF men as his luggage is loaded onto a Bristol Blenheim Mk IV bomber. An assembled crowd of RAF men wave as the aircraft takes off. Flying crew, who having been shot down behind enemy lines, have returned to active duty, are enrolled into the informal "Late arrivals club". Members of this exclusive club receive a certificate and are entitled to wear the emblem of a winged flying boot on their uniforms. RAF pilots run from a subterranean desert operations room and climb onto soft-skinned vehicles. Cut to British RAF Hurricane Mk I fighters of 73 Squadron RAF as they take off on a sortie possibly from their home airfield at Mersa Matruh (Aircraft service allocation number Z4773). Various views of the fighter aircraft in flight, an interesting contrast in the aircraft paint schemes is highlighted as a battle weary faded Hurricane flies in formation with an aircraft displaying a factory fresh colour scheme. The Hurricanes return to base and overfly the airfield in a low-level pass. Commentary states that 'A new slogan is sweeping the earth; V for Victory, symbolising the ever mounting wave of determination to crush out of existence the foul inhuman monster of Nazi tyranny' An RAF pilot uses the symbol "V" as a kill tally on the tail of his Gloster Gladiator biplane fighter. Various shots of items displaying the "V for Victory" symbol are shown including oil drums, trucks, shoes and tin helmets. The victory symbol is superimposed over billowing black smoke.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 24
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1941-08-11
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor) War Pictorial News (Production company) Martin, Charles (Production individual) Keating, Rex1910-02-142005-01British newsreel commentator, WW2 period (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Gaulle, Charles André Joseph Marie de (person) Catroux, Georges (person) Collishaw, Raymond (person) Free French Forces (regiment/service) Turkish Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: delegations, French international - military (object name) engineering, military, British (object name) operations, Ethiopian military - sortie (object name) engineering, military, British (object name) communications, British military - wire (object name) recreation, British military - casual (object name) Ethiopia (geography) Lebanon & Beirut (geography) Syria (geography) Egypt & Western Desert (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: French & Arabic
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 891 ft; Running time: 10 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 24

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