WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 20 [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 20 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 20
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'ABYSSINIA.' The Emperor of Abyssinia, Haile Selassie, reviews a guard of honour followed by Abyssinian Army officers and religious leaders. Abyssinian troops perform a "challenge" ceremony and then prostrate themselves before the Negus. II. 'PERSONALITIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST.' Captain James Roosevelt (son of the US President) is received as a guest on an RAF aerodrome. Captain Roosevelt examines a damaged RAF Martin Maryland bomber, which has a shredded tail section and bullet holes in the bomb- aimer's plexiglass at the front of the aircraft. Cut to an aircraft maintenance hangar as RAF ground crews work on the engines of a Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighter. Captain Roosevelt examines the cockpit of the Kittyhawk and ammunition boxes containing .50-in machine gun bullets. A Curtiss P-40 fighter in RAF desert camouflage calibrates its .50-in machine guns at an improvised desert butts. The fighter has its engine running and its front fuselage panels removed to display its .50-in nose-mounted machine guns. The guns fire and a swirl of dust becomes evident where the bullets impact the sand backstop of the butts. Cut to New Zealand Prime Minister Peter Fraser accompanied by General Freyberg (C-in-C New Zealand forces Mediterranean and Commander 2nd NZ Division) reviewing massed New Zealand troops in a desert camp. The New Zealand Prime Minister, dressed in a white civilian suit takes the salute of passing NZ infantry. Cut to the New Zealand Prime Minister, Peter Fraser seated at a desk making a speech (live) stressing the resolve of his troops to fight for final victory. General Charles de Gaulle (C-in-C Free French) reviews a mixed parade of Free French sailors, French Colonial troops and British infantry. The combined troops parade with the French Tricolour flag and Union Jack at its head. Troop carrying soft-skinned vehicles follow the parade which concludes with a drive-past by French Char Leger H35 light tanks. General Charles de Gaulle salutes the colours. III. 'NEWS FROM ENGLAND.' Queen Elizabeth visits an Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) unit during a Royal two day tour of Southern Command. Queen Elizabeth inspects the assembled contingent and is then shown the camp's outdoor cooking facilities and brick built ovens. Commentary stresses the essential contribution made by women to the war effort over scenes of women working at Spitfire assembly benches in an aircraft factory. Views of lathe and milling equipment in use. Cut to Spitfire assembly line with propellers (Rotol ?) being fitted to aircraft. Male factory workers pose for camera around a Supermarine Spitfire Mk I with its engine panels removed. A Supermarine Spitfire Mk I in a low level pass. commentary states that aircraft's flight characteristics are demonstrated by a "famous test pilot" (unnamed). The Spitfire passes the camera in a high speed inverted pass. King George VI and General Alexander on a tour of Southern Command. Crowds of civilians mingle with soldiers as the King watches military exercises on the sea-front of an undisclosed southern town. British infantry display methods of stripping and cleaning a Bren .303-in light machine gun. Commentary stresses that troops had to act like police to control the large civilian crowds intent on seeing their King. Infantry link arms in an attempt to keep crowds at bay. King George VI watches Ordnance QF 25-pounder gun crews in action on the sea-front. Troops demonstrate procedure in case of enemy parachutists landing. British infantry practice bayonet drill on straw filled sacks. Cut to 12-in railway howitzer being loaded for calibration shooting. A pair of railway howitzers fire from the cover of camouflage netting. British infantry manhandle a portable bridge into position across a canal, as a two man dinghy passes underneath.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 20
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1941-06-16
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor) War Pictorial News (Production company) Martin, Charles (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia (person) Roosevelt, James (person) Fraser, Peter (person) Freyberg, Bernard Cyril (person) Gaulle, Charles André Joseph Marie de (person) Elizabeth II, Queen (person) George VI, King (person) Alexander, Harold (1st Earl Alexander of Tunis) (person) British Army, Auxiliary Territorial Service (regiment/service) New Zealand Army (regiment/service) Free French Forces (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ceremonies, Ethiopia - customary (object name) ceremonies, New Zealand - customary (object name) ceremonies, French - customary (object name) industry, British - aircraft (object name) ceremonies, British - display (object name) weapons, British - gun: 12-inch railway howitzer (object name)
  • 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: 701 ft; Running time: 8 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 20

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register