WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 152 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 152 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 152
  • 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.' British civilian workers use square-mesh metal track in the construction of a new airfield. Construction workers unroll the square-mesh and peg it into the turf to consolidate aircraft taxiways and runways. The commentary explains that the mesh is useful in muddy conditions and that thousand yard runways have been laid in as little as fifteen hours. Views of square-mesh being laid and secured follow. A Royal Air Force (RAF) Hawker Hurricane Mk IIC fighter aircraft landing and taxiing on the newly laid square-mesh track. Square-mesh track is manufactured at a factory as male factory workers unroll steel wire from large spools. A male factory worker operates an electronic welding machine that threads and welds steel wire into mesh. Completed square-mesh track is hoisted onto dock storage areas to await use. II. 'ITALY.' An item covering the redeployment of the 2nd New Zealand Division to the fighting in the Liri Valley and Monte Cassino (Latium). Allied soft-skinned vehicles negotiate a busy crossroads near an Italian hamlet directed by a military policeman. Italian women cook on open fires and draw water from a well, seemingly oblivious to the convoy of Allied vehicles driving past them at speed. A United States (US) infantryman mans his twin .50-in Browning anti-aircraft guns and scans the sky for enemy aircraft (mounted on a White M13 half-track ?). Views of the snow-covered summit of Monte Cairo follow. In the Liri Valley, smoke rises from an artillery bombardment as NZ infantry move past an Italian wall shrine dedicated to the Madonna. NZ infantry cautiously enter a ruined building armed with Thompson M1928 and M1 .45-in sub-machine guns and Lee-Enfield No.IV .303-in rifles. III. 'MIDDLE EAST NEWS.' Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) members receive instruction in aircraft engineering at an RAF Maintenance Unit in Palestine. WAAF personnel assemble engine components at work benches. A WAAF member solders electrical terminals at a work bench as the commentary stresses that the work of the WAAF fitters is efficient, reliable and fast. The commentary explains that on successful completion of their training, the airwomen will qualify for the second highest paid trade group in the WAAF. Elsewhere Palestinian Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) drivers work in vehicle dispersal areas. A parade at a desert location shows the Palestinian ATS drivers standing to attention in front of their soft-skinned vehicles (Dodge ?). ATS women work under the bonnets of their trucks, checking engine oil levels prior to driving the vehicles to dispersal areas in the desert. Once arrived at the dispersal area, food is cooked over an open fire accompanied by much joking and chatting. IV. 'PACIFIC.' Australian infantry advance behind the cover of Matilda II tanks during the attack on Japanese positions around the mission station at Sattelberg in the vicinity of Finschhafen (New Guinea). Matilda tanks move through the jungle crushing small trees. Japanese dead lie in foxholes and in undergrowth following the successful Australian assault. An Australian infantryman evacuates a wounded "mate" from the area of the fighting by carrying him back down a steep hill, presumably to a first aid post. A Willys 4x4 Jeep drives past the camera overloaded with wounded Australian infantrymen. Views of Sergeant Tom Derrick DCM are shown, the commentary adding that he has since gone on to win the Victoria Cross (VC). Australian infantry move over rough terrain laden down with personal equipment, entrenching tools, machetes and Owen 9mm sub-machine guns. Australian infantry move off along a mist-shrouded jungle track. Australian troops stand in a graveyard, silhouetted by the falling dusk.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 152
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-04-03
  • 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: Derrick, Thomas Currie 'Diver' (person) New Zealand Army (regiment/service) Royal Air Force, Women's Auxiliary Air Force (regiment/service) British Army, Auxiliary Territorial Service (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: operations, New Zealand military - movement: road (object name) industry, British - general (object name) equipment, British military - engineering (object name) destruction, Italian military - area (object name) operations, British military - maintenance (object name) operations, British military - movement: road (object name) casualties, Australian wounded (object name) casualties, Japanese dead - battlefield (object name) Sattelberg 1943, Pacific War 1941-1945, Second World War (event) Cassino, Lazio, Italy (geography) Italy & Monte Cairo, Latium (geography) New Guinea (geography) jungle (concept)
  • 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: 806 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 152

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