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Summary: Cooperation between the RAF and the Army during manoeuvres in the Aldershot area, shortly after the First World War.
Description: A Bristol Fighter of 4 Squadron RAF spots two 'enemy' Whippet tanks taking up position to halt the advance of 1st (Guards) Brigade, 1st Division. Oblivious of this, the Guards move towards their objective, near Bramshot Farm, in artillery formation. The pilot of the aircraft writes a message, which is dropped near the command table of the divisional commander, probably Major-General Sir E G T Bainbridge. He writes orders, which he gives to a galloper, for XII Brigade Royal Field Artillery and to 4 Squadron. The gunners, with their 18-pounder field guns and radio masts already in position, prepare to fire. The airmen brief and despatch another Bristol Fighter to act as observer for the shoot. The divisional commander writes orders to 1st (Guards) Brigade giving them a new time for their attack. The message is fitted onto a pick-up wire between two poles and a ground panel laid out as a signal to the first aircraft. This flies low enough to catch the message on a trailing hook, and drops it near the guardsmen. The message is brought to the brigade commander, probably Colonel Julian McCarty Steele. The second aircraft, circling over the tanks, calls down the artillery fire onto them by morse (film blurred). The gunners can receive the morse, and reply by using ground panels. The Whippets are shown with smoke shells bursting around them, and finally 'brewed up', covered in smoke. The Guards advance in linear formation to occupy the objective.
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Bainbridge, Guy Tulloch (person)
Steele, Julian McCarty (person)
Royal Air Force, Sqdn 4 (regiment/service)
British Army, Div 1 (regiment/service)
British Army, Bde, Guards, 1 (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Artillery, RFA & Bde 12 (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - combat: Bristol F2B Fighter (object name)
armour, British - tank: Tank Medium A Whippet (object name)
training, British military - combat: [+] (object name)
training, British air - combat: [+] (object name)
training, British air - specialist: cooperation (object name)
weapons, British - gun: 18-pounder field gun (object name)
communications, British air - message (object name)
communications, British military - message (object name)
communications, British air - electronic: morse (object name)
communications, British military - direct: ground-to-air panels (object name)
intelligence, military, British - reconnaissance (object name)
GB, England & Aldershot area, Hants <Bramshot Farm> (geography)
camera (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: English
Subtitle language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 1005 ft; Running time: 17 mins
HD Media:Yes
Notes: Title: note that this film is not to be confused with WITH THE EYES OF THE ARMY, an official production made in 1916 and now held as film IWM 118
Remarks: an attractive film, particularly the aerial shots of the gun batteries firing, which are most impressive
Series continuity: there is no film held under the numbers IWM 1006 - IWM 1009 inclusive
