WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 29 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 29 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 29
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'RAF SHARK FIGHTER SQUADRON.' RAF ground crews load 50-inch bullets into the nose-mounted Browning machine guns of a Curtiss Tomahawk fighter aircraft of 112 Squadron RAF, which bears "sharks mouth" insignia around its air intake and filter. The Squadron's mascot, the dog "Prince", is passed from hand to hand and jokingly placed in the Tomahawks capacious air intake below its propeller. RAF pilots run from an operations tent and collect parachutes from the bonnet of a parked lorry during a Squadron scramble. A pilot, burdened by his parachute climbs into the cockpit of his Tomahawk as its Allison engine is started. RAF Curtiss Tomahawk fighters perform a Squadron take off from a rough desert airstrip, one aircraft bearing the legend "Menace" on the side of its fuselage (Squadron codes not visible). Air to air footage follows, with the Tomahawks making mock firing passes at the camera aircraft. II. 'IRAN.' Aerial views of the Iranian capital as the commentary outlines the fact that under the old Shah (Reza Khan Pahlavi) German influence was increasing, notably through the sending of numerous "technicians" to Iran. Tehran street scenes follow with mounted Iranian soldiers on patrol as the commentary explains the strategic importance of the country and the reasons for the Russo-British "intervention" into Iranian affairs. A car drives across desolate Iranian countryside as Iranian women walk along a road with children strapped to their backs. The new Shah, Mohammed Reza, accompanied by Princess Fawzieh, salutes the Iranian national flag as crowds look on. Elsewhere, British infantry guard the oil pipe-line to the refinery at Abadan. The commentary stresses that oil is a vital commodity in war, and that the Allies are trying hard to cut off supplies to Germany. Various views of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company refinery at Abadan show industrial buildings and the railway line serving the plant. Tall refinery chimneys spout thick black smoke into the sky. The commentary is at pains to stress the temporary nature of the British occupation of Iran and the minimum disruption caused by it. A British machine gun detachment man a Vickers .303-inch heavy machine gun in a defensive emplacement on the banks of a water course. Stock shots of German infantry filmed in the early stages of the war follow (Poland ?). German infantry fire a 3.7 cm Pak 35/36 anti-tank gun at an unseen target. German troops open up a barrage of artillery shells from a 10.5 cm leichte Feldhaubitze 18 howitzer followed by footage of an early production German Sturmgeschütz III (Assault Gun/SPG) firing its short stuK L/24 7.5 cm gun. In the Russian "zone of influence" Soviet troops march down a dusty road carrying Pulemyot Degtyarova Pekhotnii obr 1928g light machine guns and SVT-40 7.62mm automatic rifles. At Kazvin, near Tehran, British and Russian troops meet up as the commentary stresses the close collaboration between the two forces during the peaceful occupation. Australian troops embark on to a ship on the Shatt al-Arab waterway as British troops talk to locals in an oil refinery at an undisclosed location. A 15cwt 4X2 Morris Commercial C58 truck drives past the camera at speed laden with British infantry. A convoy of British M1925 Crossley armoured cars with dome cupolas drives along a street watched by Iranian civilians. Shah Mohammed Reza climbs out of an official car, faces the camera and salutes, he then gives an unrecorded speech while sitting at a desk. Back at Kazvin, Russian and British troops are drawn up facing each other as interpreters express messages of mutual comradeship. British and Indian troops inspect a Russian T-26 light tank and mingle informally with the Russian tank crews, who then in turn inspect the British 15cwt 4X2 Morris Commercial trucks. A British infantryman climbs onto a Russian BA-10 (GAZ) 6X4 armoured car. A British Brigadier enjoys a ride in a T-26 as its manoeuvrability is demonstrated at speed. The proceedings are brought to a satisfactory close with a meal and much raising of glasses, including a close-up of Major-General William 'Bill' Slim drinking a toast. III. 'RUSSIA.' The commentary highlights Russian commitment to the continuing struggle against the invader and the fact that the factories are working at full output. A mixed sex workforce use industrial drills and milling machinery in the construction of armaments. A Russian infantryman performs a folk dance to the amusement and entertainment of his comrades. The commentary describes the German invaders as "Nazi pirates" but stresses the Russian commitment to wage a total war with no surrender. Stock shots of German infantry follow advancing through smoke from artillery discharges. Russian 203mm Gaubitsa obr 1931g B4 heavy field artillery fires a barrage of shells at German positions. Russian infantry use trees and scrub as cover as they fire Samozaryadnaya Vintovka Tokareva obr 1940g 7.62mm (SVT-40) automatic rifles. A Russian T-26 light tank advances through woodland unaccompanied by infantry (possibly a pre-war exercise). A German PzKpfw IVc crushes vegetation as it negotiates wooded country. A column of German prisoners including Panzer crew members are marched along a road, presumably to holding camps behind the front lines. A Russian 85mm ZP obr 1939g anti-aircraft gun apparently opens fire on overflying German Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighter aircraft. A stock shot of a Messerschmitt Bf 109E fighter aircraft banking away from a camera aircraft is interspersed with continuing footage of Russian 85mm anti-aircraft guns firing. Large civilian crowds inspect a damaged German Junkers Ju 88 bomber aircraft which has been placed on display in the main square of an unidentified Russian city. A Russian officer picks up a German incendiary bomb from a display and brings it nearer to a civilian crowd so they can see it better.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 29
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1941-10-20
  • 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: Mohammed Reza Pahlevi (person) Fawzieh, Queen of Iran (person) Slim, William Joseph (person) Royal Air Force, Sqdn 112 & Shark Sqdn (regiment/service) Red Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ceremonies, Iranian - state (object name) society, Russian military - friendship (object name) society, British military - friendship (object name) industry, Russian - general (object name) combat, Russian (object name) Iran & Teheran (geography) Iran & Abadan (geography) Russia & Moscow <Red Square> (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: English Subtitle language: French & Arabic
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 902 ft; Running time: 10 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 29

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