WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 147 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 147 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 147
  • 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 Prime Minister Winston Spencer Churchill alights from a railway carriage on his return to London following the Pacific Conference held in Cairo. The Prime Minister is accompanied by his wife Clementine Churchill and daughter Mary. Waving crowds bustle around the Prime Minister as the commentary quotes from a recent speech where he states "This is a time for preparation, effort and resolve." Smiling Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) members wave at the Prime Minister. II. 'MIDDLE EAST NEWS.' New Zealand Women's Army Auxiliary Corps (NZWAAC) enjoy a period of leave by visiting the Necropolis of Sakkara (Saqqara North) on the West banks of the Nile. New Zealand WAACs negotiate with an Egyptian vendor on the price of postcards near to Zoser's funerary complex and the Step Pyramid. Off-duty New Zealand Army personnel explore the remains of Memphis situated in the village of Mit Rahina, stopping to admire a fallen Colossus and an alabaster Sphinx. The troops later enter an excavated tomb chamber that is still full of human skeletal remains. III. 'RUSSIA.' Captured German footage of the Russian Front shows the Wehrmacht in retreat, and following a scorched earth policy to hinder advancing Russian units. Stock shots show a Russian artillery bombardment with 152mm Gaubitsa Pushka obr 1937g field guns firing from the cover of a tree-line and 76.2mm Pushka obr 1939g howitzers firing at high elevation. A Russian gun crew fire a 76.2mm Polkovaya Pushka obr 1927g regimental support weapon at unseen targets. A picture of Adolf Hitler is superimposed over footage of German troops retreating in soft-skins and numerous explosions of demolition charges set by German sappers. A late model German PzKpfw IV (Ausf F ?) tank is shown. German demolition teams are shown destroying buildings, aircraft hangars and railway tracks with explosives as the commentary stresses the destructive nature of the German race. The item concludes in the traditional Russian way by showing advancing Russian T-34/76B tanks supported by infantry and German dead. Russian infantry drive past the camera in a Willys MB 4x4 Jeep that is towing a 45mm Protivotankovaya Pushka obr 1930g anti-tank gun. Russian women tear down German directional signs from lamp posts.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 147
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-02-28
  • 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) Churchill, Clementine Ogilvy Spencer (person)
  • Keywords: recreation, British military - tourism (object name) celebrations, Russian - liberation (object name) refugees, Russian - return (object name) destruction, Russian military - area (object name) destruction, Russian military - aimed: mines (object name) operations, German military - movement: road (object name) operations, German military - mines: laying (object name) Russia & Moscow (geography) Egypt & Memphis (geography) Egypt & Sakkara <Step Pyramid> (geography)
  • 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: 827 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 147

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