WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 157 [Main Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.

  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 157 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 157
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'NATURE AT WAR.' Panoramic footage shows the Bay of Naples with the city dwarfed by a massive cloud of ash and smoke issuing from the crater of Monte Vesuvio (Mount Vesuvius). The commentary points out that before the war a volcanic eruption of this size would have made headline news, but with the world aflame, the rumblings of a mere volcano caused little comment. Aerial footage taken near the volcanic crater show the extent of the eruption. Smoke and steam rise from slow moving lava flows. Buildings in the hamlet of Marsa collapse from the pressure of the flowing lava. Italian women carry children and what little personal possessions they could salvage as they move away from a village threatened by lava flows. United States (US) military police talk to Italian civilians in the town square of San Sebastiano which is also threatened by advancing lava flows. Nature's destructive force is also very much evident in Australia where forest fires sweep across the State of Victoria. The commentary states that the forest fires have caused more that two million pounds (Sterling) worth of damage and have killed twenty people, many thousands of sheep and cattle have also perished. Australian troops use a field telephone to coordinate fire fighting teams. Australian infantryman spray flame retardant on trees and foliage in an attempt to stop the spread of the forest fires. Australian civilians beat undergrowth with tree branches and sacking. Scores of dead sheep are shown in an enclosure. Children carrying belongings walk through a fire damaged township. A removal truck (of Geo H Green and Sons Ltd, Melbourne) loaded with personal possessions, stands outside a completely gutted house in a suburban street. Children play near burnt-out cars and amongst the rubble of fire damaged buildings. II. 'MAN AT WAR.' British Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill reviews men of a US airborne unit during a two day tour of inspection of "Second Front" United States forces based in Britain. Interior views of a Douglas C-47 Dakota transport aircraft (US 9th Air Force Troop Carrier Command) show US paratroopers smoking and chatting prior to a practice parachute drop. On nearing the drop zone the paratroopers hook up their parachutes onto a static line and make for the opened side cargo hatch of the C-47. Interior and aerial footage shows a stick of US paratroopers jumping from the aircraft, some still have cigars clamped in their teeth as they drop out of the cargo hatch. Hundreds of parachutes plume in the air during a mass practice drop, as the commentary states that "when the master signal is given, European skies will look like this." Assorted views of the mass parachute drop follow. On landing, US paratroopers run from the dropping zone armed with M1 .30-in self-loading carbines.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 157
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-05-07
  • 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: Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person) United States Army Air Force, 9th Air Force (regiment/service) United States Army Air Force, 9th Troop Carrier Command (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: operations, United States air - preparation (object name) destruction, Italian: volcanic eruption (object name) refugees, disaster, Italian - flight (object name) refugees, disaster, Italian - reception (object name) destruction, Australian: forest fire (object name) refugees, disaster, Australian - flight (object name) Mount Vesuvius, Campania, Italy (geography) Italy & San Sebastiano (geography) Australia & Vic (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: 815 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 157

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register