WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 44 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 44 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 44
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'HMS DUKE OF YORK.' The commentary points out that the battleship HMS Duke of York (King George V Class) was the ship which took Churchill on his recent visit to the United States. HMS Duke of York is visible on the horizon with smoke from her funnels evident. An RAF Consolidated PBY Catalina flying boat makes a low-level pass over HMS Duke of York. The commentary outlines the Duke of York's technical details including displacement and gun calibre. The Duke of York's superstructure is outlined by the sky II. 'TOGETHER TO VICTORY.' Winston Churchill's visit to Canada. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill leaves a hotel in Ottawa (Province of Ontario), pausing to wave at a large crowd that has gathered to see him. Churchill is taken by official motorcade led by motorcycle combination outriders to Parliament house where he is met by the Canadian Prime Minister W L MacKenzie King. The gathered crowds cheer as Churchill offers a characteristic victory sign to all and sundry, the gothic tower (Peace Tower ?) of the Parliament building is evident in the background. Churchill inspects a guard of honour made up of personnel from the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). Churchill enters the Canadian Parliament building. The film coverage now alternates between Churchill address to the Canadian House of Commons and United States President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's speech regarding Churchill's recent visit to the United States. Roosevelt addresses Congress saying how morale was raised by Churchill's visit and that the American people wish him a safe return to his home. The theme of common goals is continually highlighted by the common strands between the two speeches as Churchill talks of the unity of more than thirty states and nations against the "Hitler tyranny, Japanese frenzy and Mussolini flop". Roosevelt stresses the importance of the British Isles as a fortress in the great world struggle. Churchill outlines the attitude of the French Generals prevalent during the dark days of the fall of France, that "Britain would have her neck wrung like a chicken within the space of three weeks." Churchill assures the Canadians that this was not the case, and that British resolve and unity remain the same. Elsewhere, at a press conference Churchill is presented with a Canadian fur hat, with which he poses to the evident amusement of the assembled photographers and reporters. On a visit to an RCAF airfield Churchill reviews an RCAF guard of honour armed with US Enfield Pattern 17 .30 inch rifles. An RCAF North American Harvard training aircraft takes off from a snow covered runway at an undisclosed airfield location. A return to film footage of Churchill's recent tour of the United States showing the Prime Minister posing for pictures in the grounds of the White House accompanied by his daughter Diana, Harry Hopkins, and his personal assistant Commander Thompson RN. Churchill smokes a cigar and demonstrates his utility suit for the benefit of assembled reporters. Views of Churchill in the cockpit of a Boeing 314 flying boat on the way to Bermuda taking to the aircraft's Captain, Kelly Rogers. Various aerial views of Bermuda follow. On landing Churchill is taken to shore by RAF lighter. In London, Anthony Eden chairs a meeting in St James's Palace of representatives of nine occupied countries. The commentary states that the aim of the meeting was to agree a strategy to exact retribution for the barbarities perpetuated by Germany and her Axis associates against civilians. Winston Churchill arrives at Paddington railway station (West London) and is met by his wife Clementine Churchill who has travelled from their home in Wembley (Middlesex). Crowds throng Paddington to welcome Winston home. Winston Churchill standing in Downing Street raises his hat to the camera.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: WPN 44
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1942-03-02
  • 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 individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Eden, Anthony (person) Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person) Churchill, Clementine Ogilvy Spencer (person) Churchill, Diana (person) Roosevelt, Franklin Delano (person) Hopkins, Harry L (person) King, William L MacKenzie (person) Thompson (Commander) (person) Royal Navy, DUKE OF YORK (HMS), battleship (regiment/service) Royal Canadian Air Force (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - battleship: HMS Duke of York (object name) delegations, Allied international - political (object name) delegations, British international - political (object name) Parliament, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (geography) United States Capitol, Washington DC, United States of America (geography) GB, England & London, W <Paddington Station> (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: 781 ft; Running time: 8 mins
  • HD Media:
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    WPN 44

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