WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 120 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 120 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 120
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'NEWS FROM ENGLAND.' Representatives from many of the Allied nations compete in friendly rivalry at the International Swimming Gala held in London. Entrants compete in the 100 yards free style event watched by civilians and members of Allied units on leave in London. The men's relay race is hotly contested between teams taken from the United States military and the British Home Guard. Enthusiastic spectators applaud at the end of the contest which was won overall by the United States team. II. 'NEW ZEALAND.' New Zealand (NZ) sheep herders move a flock of sheep over lush and undulating pasture. The commentary points out that at this single sheep station, over 1400 sheep are shorn in a day and that wool is one of the primary exports of the Dominion. Sheep are herded into holding pens prior to shearing. Interior views of a shearing shed shows vested male shearers using electric shavers on the reluctant sheep. Maori women farm workers spread fleeces for drying as the newly shorn sheep are released into pens. Fleeces are examined by experts who check the grading quality of the wool. The commentary highlights the role of New Zealand's wool exporters in supporting the Allied war effort and in clothing the NZ fighting services. III. 'SICILY.' A officer of the British Army pastes up a fly-poster of Winston Churchill on the wall of a Sicilian house at the end of thirty nine days of hard fighting by the Allies leading to the capture of Sicily from the Axis. British M4 Sherman tanks with cast noses rumble through a dusty Sicilian town. German prisoners are escorted to waiting Allied soft-skinned vehicles which drive off when loaded. Men of the Yugoslav Pioneer Corps, recently liberated from Axis captivity, help the Allied clean-up effort by clearing rubble from damaged Sicilian buildings. British infantry flush out snipers using Lee-Enfield Mk III .303-in rifles and a Bren light machine gun. Italian infantry wave white handkerchiefs as they exit a partially destroyed building. British infantry run past an abandoned pillbox using a Daimler Dingo armoured car for cover. Italian prisoners are escorted through a field by a British infantryman carrying two Lee-Enfield Mk III rifles.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 120
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943-08-23
  • 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 cast)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Yugoslav Army, Pioneer Corps (regiment/service) Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person)
  • Keywords: prisoners of war, German - movement (object name) prisoners of war, German - surrender (object name) society, Sicilian - sustenance (object name) recreation, Allied military - sport: swimming (object name) agriculture, New Zealand - animal (object name) New Zealand (geography) Italy & Sicily (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: 732 ft; Running time: 8 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 120

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