WAR PICTORIAL NO 2 - IN THE MIDDLE EAST [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NO 2 - IN THE MIDDLE EAST [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 2
  • Other titles:
  • Summary:
  • Description: I. 'ATTACK ON A FRONTIER FORT IN LIBYA.' A combined force of British Rolls-Royce and Marmon-Herrington armoured cars penetrates the four hundred mile defensive fence on the Libyan frontier. The British artillery bombardment of Fort Maddalena. Bombing by RAF Blenheim Mk 1 aircraft (Squadron code unidentifiable). Explosions and thick black smoke evident as a fuel dump and ammunition store is hit. British armoured cars enter a deserted fort in a swirl of dust. Shots of Italian troops surrendering. (14 June 1940) II. 'PRISONERS OF WAR.' Italian prisoners are escorted to trucks by armed British troops and sent to desert internment camps. Coverage of the daily routine of Italian prisoners in an internment camp. Commentary stresses the fair treatment of prisoners and good conditions found, over scenes of prisoners writing letters and cooking. General Romolo La Strucci as prisoner. III. 'KUMANGETIT.' "Kumangetit" van delivers comforts to British troops at outposts on Libyan frontier. Bren gun emplacement and Universal Carrier. IV. 'THE POLISH LEGION.' Polish soldiers march past field artillery and heavy machine guns in a desert terrain. Parade ground assembly of troops on motorcycle combinations who then ride off in a precise formation. V. 'BRITISH CAVALRY IN TRANSJORDAN.' A nostalgic look at cavalry operations in Transjordan. British Mounted Yeomanry ride across rocky terrain (Palestine?) patrolling otherwise inaccessible areas. Observation posts. A return from patrol duty and watering of horses. A patrol canters through fields and woods at dawn. VI. 'A RICH PRIZE.' Captured Italian cargo ship, Verbena. British captain takes position on bridge and has Union Jack hoisted over Italian national flag. Captured cargo includes large quantities of grain, olive oil and wine apparently bound for the Italian defenders of Addis Ababa VII. 'EGYPT'S COASTAL DEFENCES.' The commentary stresses overall Egyptian readiness to repel invaders over views of Egyptian manned coastal batteries and sea. "Well drilled" Egyptian crews demonstrate gun loading, rangefinding and aiming procedures.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: WPN 2
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1940-08
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor) War Pictorial News (Production company) Martin, Charles (Production individual) Taylor, F H G (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: La Strucci, Romolo (person) Polish Army, Polish Legion, motorcyclists (regiment/service) British Army, cavalry (regiment/service) Egyptian Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ceremonies, Polish - customary (object name) combat, British - artillery bombardment (object name) combat, British - air raid (object name) prisoners of war, Italian - custody (object name) operations, British military - routine (object name) transport, British military - utility: "Kumangetit" van (object name) operations, British military - sortie (object name) ships, Italian civilian - cargo: Verbena & [captured] (object name) supplies, Italian, movement [RA] - misc: [captured] (object name) defences, Egyptian - emplacement (object name) Libya & Fort Maddalena (geography) Egypt & Western Desert (geography) Transjordan (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: English Subtitle language: French
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 883 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 2

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