WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 89 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 89 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 89
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Chasing the Hun.
  • Description: I. 'CHASING THE HUN.' Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawks of the Desert Air Force overfly "Marble Arch" on the border of Cyrenaica and Tripolitania. Royal Air Force (RAF) ground crew use a petrol bowser to refuel a P-40, while armourers replenish its .50-in wing machine guns. The commentary outlines the role of the RAF fighter-bombers in harrying the German's retreat. Armourers hoist a 250lb bomb onto the centreline rack of a P-40. Kittyhawks perform a Squadron take off from a forward desert landing strip. Elsewhere, members of the Royal Corps of Signals (RCS) maintain telegraph communications in the desert. RCS personnel solder telegraph wires to terminals and climb telegraph poles using crampons. Men of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) work in the interior of a mobile tank workshop using milling machinery and files, which take up much of the space in the rear of the soft-skinned vehicle. The essential support role of the REME is highlighted and the commentary makes clear the interrelationship between the fighting units of the army and the auxiliary services. The engine (Continental R975-CI ?) of a M4 Sherman tank is lifted by hoist from its compartment and placed on the back of a soft-skinned vehicle prior to attention by REME personnel. A REME fitter welds an M4A1 (three piece nose) Sherman's vertical volute spring suspension system as others lower an engine into its bay by winch. The commentary outlines the unpleasant work of mine detection and clearance over views of sappers using mine detectors on a dusty desert track. A sapper digs out a German Tellermine 35 and removes its central fuse by hand, stacking the inert mine on a pile of other Tellermines. Having made the track safe for the passage of vehicles, the sappers erect a sign bearing the legend "Safe Lane." British soft-skinned vehicles pass along the reopened desert track. II. 'RUSSIA.' Russian infantry fire a Stankovy Pulemyot Maksima (SPM) obr 1910g 7.62mm heavy machine gun on an anti-aircraft mount at overflying enemy aircraft (unseen). Stock shot footage shows a German Heinkel 111 bomber catching fire in its port engine and losing altitude prior to crashing. German soldiers climb out of a dugout and surrender to Russian infantry armed with Pistolet-Pulemyot Degtyarova obr 1934g 7.62mm sub-machine guns and Samozaryadny Pistolet Tula-Tokareva obr 1930g 7.62mm pistols. Russian cavalry cross a watercourse and ride through wooded countryside, Russian infantry fire a SPM heavy machine gun mounted on a Sokolov carriage. The commentary points out that even hard-bitten front-line Russian troops need some relaxation and entertainment occasionally. Russian tank troops receive a visit from a "celebrated" female singer who uses a T-34/76D tank as a podium to entertain the troops in the field. The tank crews and their accompanying infantry mount T-34/76D tanks and drive off at speed. The commentary outlines the role of the Russian air force in supporting their ground forces over scenes of Petlyakov Pe-2 and Ilyushin Il-2 aircraft in flight. Air to air footage shows a Russian air force Tupolev SB-2bis bomber aircraft dropping a stick of bombs on an unseen target. An Ilyushin Il-2 fires rockets at an unseen ground target. Russian infantry use tank- descent tactics to engage an enemy held village. Vision-slit views from the interior of a Russian T-34/76 tank shows the leading tank in the Russian armoured echelon attacking a German 3.7 cm PaK 35/36 anti-tank gun position and crushing gun and crew under its tracks. A Russian Klimenti-Voroshilov KV-1 tank drives through the wall of an Isba (Russian lodge house), totally destroying the dwelling in the process.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 89
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943-01-18
  • 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: British Army, Royal Corps of Signals (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Engineers (regiment/service) Red Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: operations, British air - preparation (object name) combat, Russian (object name) prisoners of war, German - surrender (object name) recreation, Russian military - music (object name) Libya & Cyrenaica <Marble Arch> (geography) Russia (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: 871 ft; Running time: 10 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 89

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