WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 18 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 18 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 18
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'WITH HONOUR UNTARNISHED.' Initial view of Greek destroyers as sailors in battle helmets practice loading ammunition and adjusting the sights on a shipboard anti-aircraft gun. Prince Paul of Greece inspects sailors on the deck of a Greek ship. Commentary points out that units of the Greek Navy are now lined up alongside their allies and are ready to continue the struggle for democracy. Various members of Prince Paul's retinue are shown including Greek Orthodox priests. Cut to the return from Greece of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Brigadier Miles (live) gives a speech outlining the events of the campaign that led to the withdrawal of British and Commonwealth forces, stressing the heroic and orderly nature of the withdrawal and the intention to return to the fray. Cut to smiling New Zealand infantry in shorts carrying Boys anti-tank rifles and Vickers .303-in heavy machine guns. Bren guns and Boys anti-tank rifles are stripped and cleaned as troops display a captured German flag. Smoking New Zealand troops wait patiently in line to receive letters and parcels from home. New Zealand troops swap yarns about their recent campaign (live). New Zealand infantry assemble and give three cheers for the benefit of the camera. Cut to New Zealand Bren gun carriers moving through desert terrain. II. 'FIGHTER PILOT.' An attempt to look at "the men who do the flying" and "their feelings in the air". RAF fighter pilots relax and smoke cigarettes dressed in various combinations of British early war issue flying kit. British Hurricane Mk I fighter aircraft are parked in lines at an unidentified RAF airfield. RAF pilots run from a wooden operations hut on a "scramble" to intercept enemy aircraft, as their Supermarine Spitfire Mk I fighters are started. Various shots of RAF fighter pilots smoking, chatting, drinking tea and sleeping in aircrew "at readiness" rooms. Cut to British Supermarine Spitfire Mk I (64 Squadron RAF) fighter taxiing over grass as groundcrew sit on either wingtip to prevent collision. Commentary explains the confined nature of the Spitfire's cockpit over close up of aircraft instrument panel and "spade grip" control column. RAF pilot shows off his flying suit and equipment including "Mae West" life jacket, padded flying boots, flying helmet and goggles. Commentary stresses that it is impossible to look pompous with a parachute as pilot finds great difficulty in walking to his aircraft. The pilot is then strapped in to his cockpit by attendant RAF groundcrew. Close up of pilot operating aircraft controls, centralising the control column and pushing forward the throttle as the Spitfire begins its take-off roll. Three Supermarine Spitfire Mk I fighters of 64 Squadron RAF take off in formation. Cut to internal cockpit view as pilot operates the undercarriage lever and the aircraft wheels lock into their tyre bays. Aircraft formate into Squadron formation of four "vics". Internal cockpit view featuring a close up shot of altimeter slowly climbing to twenty thousand feet. Commentary explains the defensive and offensive strategy of the Squadron formation and why the rearmost Spitfires are "weaving" defensively across the sky. Enemy aircraft are spotted. Cut to various stock shot gun camera views of Luftwaffe aircraft being shot down. The German aircraft include a formation of Dornier Do 17Z bombers, a Junkers Ju 87 dive bomber, a Junkers Ju 88 bomber with port engine ablaze. Cut to a British Hawker Hurricane Mk I fighter joining the fray. German Heinkel He 111 bomber gets a direct hit from the pursuing fighter's machine guns and explodes in mid-air. A British Supermarine Spitfire Mk I fighter (64 Squadron RAF) return to its base. Cut to RAF groundcrew helping the pilot from his cockpit. Commentary states "you can't dodge them all the time" over shots of the RAF pilot examining a hole through his aircraft's wing caused by enemy action.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 18
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1941-05-19
  • 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: Miles (Brigadier) (person) Paul, Prince of Greece (person) Royal Hellenic Navy (regiment/service) New Zealand Military Forces, New Zealand Expeditionary Force (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: combat [simulated], British (object name) operations, British air - routine (object name) operations, New Zealand military - maintenance (object name) operations, New Zealand military - routine (object name)
  • 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: 1087 ft; Running time: 12 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 18

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