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Summary: Underlines the importance of precise record keeping by looking at three cases where army records broke down, and pointing out that, however trivial such examples may appear, at the individual or personal level they can cause serious problems.
Description: The examples show: 1. A sergeant whose promotion was not properly recorded causing his wife, who was relying on the extra pay, to get into debt. 2. A clerk who had to be called on at the last moment for a special assignment (because someone else's unsatisfactory health had not been properly recorded) and consequently missed a week's embarkation leave. 3. A seriously wounded soldier whose mother could not be traced because she had remarried and moved without either change being reported. These 3 cases are discussed at a Records Office 'weekly meeting' and the lesson, that large organisations must not overlook the individual, is repeatedly drawn.
Production Details: War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Kinematograph Service (Production company)
Baker, Roy Ward (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army (regiment/service)
Keywords: administration, British - military: record keeping (object name)
propaganda, British - practical: keeping records up to date (object name)
training, British military (object name)
Instruction (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 2
Running time: 30 mins
Notes: Documentation/associated material: COI file - synopsis
