Description: Desperate situation following fall of Tobruk. 8th Army conducts a fighting retreat of 400 miles, deliberately falling back on El Alamein, a naturally strong defensive line. Imminent battle approaches in importance the Battle of Britain. German advance halted. Churchill visits troops bringing new commanders and promise of reinforcements. Montgomery: a modern Cromwell. British and US war production. Lines of supply described. Further German attacks defeated. 8th Army receives Shermans. Rommel's supplies disrupted by air attack. Alexander speaks on the value of training and physical fitness. Disposition of German and Allied forces. Value of joint planning. Montgomery ensures that every soldier understands his role in the coming offensive. Opening barrage. Detailed description of the battle and British breakthrough. Afrika Korps "utterly broken and possessed of no thought but flight". Rommel abandons Italians. Allied pursuit - 1400 miles in 80 days, a "feat unparalleled in military history". Naval role in supplying advancing troops. Italian Empire has been extinguished. Film ends with a triumphant military parade in Tripoli. Film deliberately degrades Rommel's military reputation, and emphasises Allied strength - featuring a wide variety of military equipment - and the remorseless pursuit - advancing armour, strafing runs, columns of prisoners, etc.
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
RAF Film Production Unit (Production company)
Boulting, Roy1913-11-212001-11-05British film producer-director (Production individual)
Macdonald, David19041983 (Production individual)
Boulting, Roy1913-11-212001-11-05British film producer-director (Production individual)
Best, Richard (Production individual)
Jenkins, Patric M (Production individual)
Hodson, J L (Production individual)
Alwyn, William (Production individual)
London Symphony Orchestra (Production individual)
Hudson, Daphne (Production individual)
Anderson, G (Production individual)
White, A (Production individual)
Field, D P (Production individual)
Handford, Peter1919-03-212007-11-06Handford is known as a a pioneer of location sound recording. He was an AFPU Lieutenant photographer during the Second World War. He volunteered as part of the British Expeditionary Force and went to France, though he was evacuated after the German invasion. He returned as a cameraman in the D-Day landings. He was shot during fighting two days later, saved by a diary and silver cigarette lighter in his pocket. He was informant in the "Wartime Filming" interview project. His first major film was in 1949 working for Alfred Hitchcock. However, what he is best known for is his involvment in the English new wave cinema movement of the 1960s. Later he was involved in did the sound for famous films such as Gorillas in the Mist and Dangerous Liaisons. He retired in 1988. (Production individual)
Croll, George (Production individual)
Wincott, Geoffrey1901-12-171973 (Production cast)
Genn, Leo (Production cast)
Owen, Frank (Production cast)
Holmes, J B (Production cast)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Alexander, Harold (1st Earl Alexander of Tunis) (person)
Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person)
Montgomery, Bernard Law (person)
Rommel, Erwin Johannes Eugen (person)
British Army, 8th Army (regiment/service)
Royal Air Force (regiment/service)
German Army (regiment/service)
Keywords: armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman & [British] (object name)
ceremonies, British - display: military parade (object name)
combat, British (object name)
delegations, British national - political: Churchill visits desert troops (object name)
operations, British military - sortie: patrol (object name)
propaganda, British - inflammatory: anti-Rommel (object name)
propaganda, British - inspirational (object name)
prisoners of war, German - surrender (object name)
strategy, British: Western Desert (object name)
Egypt & El Alamein (geography)
Libya & Tobruk (geography)
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: 6
Footage: 5443 ft; Running time: 60 mins
AYY 306/1 (DESERT VICTORY; WADI CHEBIR [Allocated Title])
TLM 10 (EIGHTH ARMY MARCH FROM DESERT VICTORY [Allocated Title])
LOC/SWW/010 (Original shot sheets for Second World War edited films: Burma Victory, Tunisian Victory, Desert Victory)
LOC/SWW/013/001 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Spare sheets, M2-M99)
LOC/SWW/010/002 (Desert Victory)
LOC/SWW/013/002 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Spare sheets, M101-M200)
LOC/SWW/013/003 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Spare sheets,M208-M360)
LOC/SWW/013/004 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Spare sheets,M362-M372; Messter Films 1918, No 483; True Glory)
LOC/SWW/013/005 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Originals, M1-M200)
LOC/SWW/013/006 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Originals, M33-M97)
LOC/SWW/013/007 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Originals, M106-M181)
LOC/SWW/013/008 (Original shot sheets M Series (MMY): Originals, M188-M712)
[MOI] FLM 1487 (DESERT VICTORY)
[MOI] FLM 1488 (DESERT VICTORY)
