WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 90 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 90 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 90
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'TO FALLEN COMRADES.' General Harold R L G Alexander reviews men of the Ninth Australian Division in Palestine. Panoramic camera views shows the layout of an army training depot in Palestine. Civilians look on as men of the Ninth draw up in parade ground formation at the start of the ceremony. General Alexander takes the salute from the reviewing podium as veterans from the desert and new recruits to the ranks march side by side. The Australian flag flies as the last post is played in remembrance of the fallen. The commentary outlines General Alexander's speech to the men of the Ninth, in which he welcomes the new recruits as "brothers in arms" and highlights the illustrious role of the Australians in the recent victory at El Alamein. Australian nurses seated on viewing stands watch Ninth Australian Division infantry marching with Lee-Enfield .303-in rifles. II. 'SOVIET PRODUCTION FRONT.' Russian artillery men load and fire a Gaubitsa Pushka obr 1937g 152mm field piece as the commentary states "The voice of the Soviet guns is the voice of Russia - hard, defiant, unyielding. Internal views of Russian munitions factories follow with a tractor transporting scores of mortar bombs in racks across a factory floor. Male and female factory workers place bombs (1000lb ?) into storage containers made of wood. Interior views of Russian mineral mines are shown, described by the commentary as being the very life blood of Russia's resistance to the Hun. A Russian miner tends to the working of several pneumatic drills at once in the interior of a coal mine at an undisclosed location. An electric train runs on narrow gauge track transporting coal from the coal face to the surface of the mine. Women miners work coal seams, dropping the coal onto conveyor belts. The commentary outlines the importance of Russia's Caucasian oil fields over brief views of oil refineries and the rail networks that service them. Elsewhere, the interior of a steel foundry is displayed with factory operatives operating large circular saws that cut molten steel girders into sections. A steam locomotive carries a consignment of pig iron to the foundry for smelting. Male factory workers shovel coal into large industrial furnaces. A Klimenti Voroshilov KV-1 tank turret is manoeuvred by industrial hoist onto its chassis turret ring, a 350 horsepower diesel engine is lowered into its engine bay. Male factory workers fit KV-1 tracks onto a torsion bar suspension unit. Completed KV-1 tanks are driven by factory workers to an exterior store. A KV-1 tank demonstrates its cross-country performance, climbing steep soil inclines and fording a shallow water course.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 90
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943-01-25
  • 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: Alexander, Harold (1st Earl Alexander of Tunis) (person) Australian Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ceremonies, Australian military - customary (object name) industry, Russian - chemical (object name) industry, Russian - munitions (object name) industry, Russian - primary (object name) industry, Russian - vehicles (object name) Palestine (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: English Subtitle language: Arabic
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 853 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 90

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