WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 58 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 58 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 58
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'COMMANDOS RAID ON BOULOGNE.' A Commando officer briefs his men prior to a raid on the enemy occupied French coastline in the environs of Boulogne. Smiling Commando troopers carry a variety of equipment that will be used on the raid as the commentary points out that the raiding force is made up of men originally from more than fifty three regiments of the British Army. Footage of the night raid is apparently shown, with Very flares being fired and tracer bullet streams visible in the darkened sky. The commentary outlines the main events of the raid over scenes of wounded Commandos being carried ashore from ships on stretchers. Smiling Commandos with camouflaged faces congregate on a quayside following the raid carrying Thompson .45-in sub-machine guns and Bren .303-in light machine guns. II. 'RUSSIA WILL AVENGE.' The commentary introduces the Russian village of Sashino (?) on the Smolensk front, after a "visit" by the Germans. Smoke rises on the horizon as Isbas (wooden lodge houses) burn furiously. Russian T-60 light tanks drive to the village with turrets traversed to the side to counter any possible attack by German anti-tank units. The T-60 light tanks enter the burning village to meet a scene of "fire, rape and murder". A small handful of distressed villagers talk to a Russian tank commander who is then directed to the scene of a German atrocity. Bodies of Russian villagers are carried from the cellar of an Isba, where they were apparently suffocated after the building was set alight above them by German troops. A Russian artillery team fire a barrage from a 152mm Gaubitsa-Pushka obr 1937g heavy field gun. A Russian armoured train rolls through countryside in the mining and industrial region of the Don-Bas Basin. The commentary outlines the usefulness of such armoured trains for attacking the Germans over scenes of Soviet soldiers firing a Stankovy Pulemyot Maksima obr 1910 7.62mm heavy machine gun from a train flatcar. 12.7mm DShK obr 1938g heavy machine guns are fired at an unseen target by an anti- aircraft team operating from an armoured train. An artillery barrage is coordinated from a command centre within the armoured train as interior views show heavy calibre artillery pieces being loaded and traversed prior to a bombardment in support of a Russian advance against enemy positions. The armoured train's infantry complement advance across snow covered terrain led by an officer armed with a Nagant 7.62mm obr 1895g revolver. Stock shots of surrendering German infantry follow. The armoured train moves off as the commentary states that the train rolls "non-stop, until the last hated German is driven from Russian soil". III. 'NEW TANK TRIUMPHS.' The commentary introduces the General Grant tank (US M3 Lend-Lease) and describes it as the surprise of the new Libyan campaign. Grant tanks negotiate desert terrain as the commentary outlines armament specifications. Grant tanks of an unidentified British armoured division drive in "line astern" formation led by a Grant command tank made conspicuous by its tall radio antenna. The commentary describes The General Grant tank as "America's best, manned by British desert veterans" over footage of Grant tanks firing high explosive shells from 75mm guns mounted on sponsons in the tank's hulls. A well camouflaged British observation post passes firing coordinates to gun crews of Ordnance QF 25-pounder howitzers who load, traverse and fire at an unseen target. A British Morris-Commercial truck towing a captured German 2cm Flak 30 anti-aircraft gun drives past a burning German PzKpfw III tank. British troops watch the burning tank from the turret of a Daimler armoured car. A shot down German Junkers Ju 87 dive-bomber lies forlornly in the desert with bullet damage to its rear fuselage. Axis prisoners are escorted by British troops during a Khamsin (sandstorm). A British artillery barrage opens up from Ordnance QF 25-pounder howitzers firing from concealed positions. The artillery barrage apparently continues during the night as muzzle flashes light up the desert terrain intermittently.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 58
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1942-06-08
  • 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:
  • Keywords: combat [simulated], British (object name) destruction, Russian military - area (object name) casualties, Russian dead - civilian [disposal] (object name) transport, Russian military - rail: armoured train (object name) combat [simulated], Russian - anti-aircraft (object name) Russia (geography) Egypt & Western Desert (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: 851 ft; Running time: 10 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 58

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