WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 95 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 95 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 95
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'EIGHTH ARMY ENTERS TUNISIA.' British soft-skinned vehicles carrying men of the Highland Division drive past an Italian stone border marker bearing the legend "Confine Egiziano Km 1822." Smiling Highland Division Troops march past the camera, apparently crossing into Tunisia from Libya. Eighth Army M3A1 scout cars and other soft-skinned vehicles negotiate difficult ground with the help of wooden planking laid over sand. British Valentine tanks drive past a white-washed customs hut at Ben-Gardane in Tunisia (15 February 1943). British troops chat to the civilian inhabitants of Ben-Gardane as soft-skinned vehicles bearing troops and supplies pass through the white-washed town. II. 'ARMY HAS WINGS.' A stick of British paratroopers march to an Armstrong Whitworth Whitley aircraft for a practice descent at The Parachute School, Ringway Aerodrome (Manchester). the paratroops climb carefully into the side entry hatch of the Whitley which is held open by an aircrew member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) wearing an Irvin jacket. Men of the Air-Landing Brigade climb into a Horsa glider armed with Sten 9mm Mk 2 sub-machine guns and Lee-Enfield No 4 .303-in rifles. The commentary outlines the role of the airborne and glider troops in seizing enemy airfields and disrupting communication lines over views of paratroopers landing during a practice drop. A paratrooper runs for a weapons container and hands out personal weapons and ammunition including Lee-Enfield No 4 rifles. A section of paratroopers form perimeter defence positions, lying prone, alertly gripping their Lee-Enfield No 4 rifles and scanning the distance for signs of enemy activity. A Bren gun detachment gives supporting fire from the cover of a coppice. The commentary states "Airborne troops have to be competent enough to carry out their special tasks while operating temporarily alone in enemy territory. There's a lot of high adventure for these Army airmen." III. 'NEW ETHIOPIAN ARMY.' Poorly equipped and bare-footed Ethiopian troops march down a track led by a mounted officer. The footage and commentary makes the comparison between the poorly equipped and ill trained Abyssinian Army that faced the Italian invaders and the newly equipped, British-trained force that has come into being after the signing of the pact between Great Britain and Abyssinia. A heavily laden Abyssinian Army mule train transports dismantled Italian pack howitzers through wooded country. An Abyssinian artilleryman loads a captured Italian pack howitzer, a Moschetto Modello 38 6.5mm carbine slung across his shoulder. Abyssinian troops in smart British style uniforms perform a march past in honour of Emperor Haile Selassie, who watches the proceeding from the steps of his official residence. IV. 'SOUTH AFRICA.' South African naval ratings enjoy a lesson in nautical knot-tying. Naval ratings row a lighter across a mooring area. Sailors of the South African Navy load and traverse a First World War vintage ship's gun, since mounted on shore as part of a coastal defence emplacement. A patch of material is sown onto the rear of a pair of trousers by a naval rating as the commentary jokes that the rating has learnt to fight a successful rear-guard action against a "pantz division." A coastal defence battery operated by South African "women artillery specialists" opens fire on a unseen target after receiving firing coordinates from a female radio operator. Avro Anson aircraft of the South African Air Force overfly merchant shipping, as the commentary states "South Africa is truly playing her part in this war for freedom."
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 95
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943-03-01
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor) War Pictorial News (Production company) Martin, Charles (Production individual) Martin, Charles (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia (person) Ethiopian Army (regiment/service) British Army, 8th Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: society, Tunisian - friendship (object name) combat [simulated], British - air (object name) weapons, South African - gun [AA] (object name) Tunisia & Ben Gardane (geography) Ethiopia (geography) South Africa (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: 688 ft; Running time: 7 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 95

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