RED CROSS AMBULANCE TRAIN USED BY GERMANS FOR AMMUNITION [Main Title]

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

  • Title: RED CROSS AMBULANCE TRAIN USED BY GERMANS FOR AMMUNITION [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 321
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Unedited British propaganda film of a German goods train captured at an ammunition dump at Willems, near Tournai, Western Front, 26th October 1918.
  • Description: The train consists of two open-sided trucks, guarded by British soldiers of the Machine Gun Corps. Four of these soldiers go up to one of the trucks, clearly marked with a Red Cross on its roof, and take German mortar bombs from one of the cases inside. One of the soldiers holds three of the bombs up to the camera. The roof of the train, also marked with Red Crosses, has about twenty of the soldiers gathered around it. At the cameraman's request the men in front duck down so that the roof may be more clearly seen.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1918
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company) Bassill, F A (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Machine Gun Corps (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: supplies, German, movement [RA] - munitions: [abuse] (object name) transport, German military - rail: hospital train & [abuse] (object name) propaganda, British - inflammatory (object name) 01/3(4-15).9 (event) Willems, Nord, France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 95 ft; Running time: 2 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Title: this is taken from the shotsheet Remarks: fairly mild propaganda, even by British standards. The weapons and setting appear genuine. However, it was not unusual for either side, if short of transport, to use the same trains to run wounded back from the front lines and ammunition up to them
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 321

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register