WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 154 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 154 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 154
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Britain Today.
  • Description: I. 'BRITAIN TODAY.' British civilian workers enjoy a meal in a factory canteen as the commentary points out that it is only healthy, well fed workers who can keep the industrial war machine going at full pressure. Footage shows behind the scenes food preparation at a worker's canteen, with vegetables being off-loaded from a soft-skinned vehicle and crates of milk being delivered by a milkman. A woman catering worker pushes a canteen trolley laden with meat and sausages, the commentary stating that the worker's canteens come high on the meat priority lists and that scientific nutritional theory has been put into practice when devising menus. Women catering workers prepare food in the canteen's kitchens. Elsewhere, United States (US) General Dwight D Eisenhower (Supreme Commander Allied Expeditionary Force), Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder (Deputy Supreme Commander) and General Bernard Law Montgomery (Commander 21st Army Group) visit a US armoured unit based in Britain. Coloured US infantry load a railway goods wagon with supplies of fruit. Eisenhower, Tedder and Montgomery stand on the back of a half-track (White ?) to observe US M4 Sherman tanks manoeuvring on open grassland. Tedder, wearing an Irvin jacket and smoking a pipe, watches a massed parachute drop during a large scale airborne invasion exercise. The three aforementioned military leaders are described by the commentary as being an "invincible team" and that they are "fully aware that the task ahead of them (Normandy Landings) is the toughest in military history." The commentary reiterates the confidence that these men have in the success of the planned operation. On a lighter note, King George VI, Queen Elizabeth and Princess Elizabeth attend the England-Scotland football international held at Wembley Stadium in Middlesex. Panoramic views of spectator stands at Wembley show crowds of over seventy thousand enjoying the match (English win). Highlights from the international follow. The item concludes by outlining the specifications of bombs used in the strategic bombing offensive against Germany. From the cover of camouflage netting, RAF armourers hoist a 4000-lb bomb onto the flatbed of a waiting soft-skin. The commentary explains that such bombs were first used in the raids on Wilhelmshaven and Duisburg over footage of a 4000-lb bomb being hoisted into the bomb bay of a waiting Vickers Wellington bomber. RAF groundcrews ride on a bombtrain of 8000-lb bombs pulled by wheeled tractor. An RAF armourer handcranks an 8000-lb bomb into an Avro Lancaster's bomb bay. Described as one of the most remarkable engineering feats of the war, the 12000-lb bomb is displayed and shown next to a standard 1000-lb bomb for size comparison. A 12000-lb bomb is delicately manoeuvred under the bomb bay of a Lancaster (no squadron codes visible), prior to loading. Extended operational footage of an unidentified RAF night raid follows, with views of incendiaries spreading across a city grid and high poundage bombs exploding.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: WPN 154
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-04-17
  • 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: Eisenhower, Dwight David (person) Montgomery, Bernard Law (person) Tedder, Arthur William (person) George VI, King (person) Elizabeth II, Queen (person) Elizabeth II, Queen (person)
  • Keywords: society, British - sustenance (object name) supplies, British, storage [RA] - misc (object name) operations, British military - preparation (object name) recreation, British civilian - sport (object name) weapons, British air - bomb: 4000-pound (object name) weapons, British air - bomb: 8000-pound (object name) weapons, British air - bomb: 12000-pound (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: 824 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 154

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