WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 64 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 64 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 64
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: On Three Fronts.
  • Description: I. 'ON THREE FRONTS.' Pre-fabricated soft-skinned vehicle parts are assembled at a depot somewhere on the Middle East supply line running to Russia. Cranes are used to load Dodge cab sections onto chassis cross-members. A fully assembled Dodge 4X2 truck is hand rolled away from the assembly area by skilled workers. the commentary stresses that the completed trucks still have an arduous journey ahead of them even after they have been handed over to the Soviet representative. A United States Army Master Sergeant has an inventory receipt form signed by his Soviet counterpart as completed Studebaker trucks are handed over under the terms of the Lend-Lease agreements. GMC 2.5 Ton 4X2 Light-Heavy trucks drive along a rough track presumably to the far distant Russian zone of offensive operations. Elsewhere, at a Russian munitions factory, workers use milling machinery to construct small calibre mortars. The commentary stresses the highly skilled nature of the Russian workers over scenes of an armoured train being constructed. Armoured plate is spot welded by oxy-acetylene torch and bolted onto the superstructure of a locomotive as the commentary outlines the tactical mobility enjoyed by the users of such weapons. At an undisclosed RAF station, a Handley Page Halifax Mk III Series one bomber of 102 Squadron RAF, takes off apparently bound for the German city of Cologne (31 May 1942). Air Officer Commanding- in-Chief Bomber Command, Air Marshal Arthur T Harris, records a message (Live) to his bomber crews prior to the historic "Thousand Bomber Raid" on Cologne. Harris states "If you individually succeed, you will have delivered the most devastating blow against the very vitals of the enemy. Let him have it right on the chin." The commentary points out that it was poetic justice that Cologne "got the first of the thousand plan" over stock shots of German infantry marching over Cologne bridge at the time of the re-occupation of the Rhineland in 1936. Views of Halifax bombers of 102 Squadron in flight, followed by an image of Cologne bridge catching fire. RAF aircrew walk away from a chocked Short Stirling bomber of 214 Squadron. Elsewhere, at El Alamein, Eighth Army infantrymen stand alertly in defensive desert positions as the commentary points out that this location, once inconspicuous, has been made famous by the men of the Eighth. The commentary also highlights the important role of the artillery in the successful actions fought around El Alamein as a camouflaged British 5.5-in gun opens fire. British infantry negotiate barbed wire obstacles, supported by fire from Ordnance 25-pounder howitzers. German and Italian prisoners are driven to captivity across the desert in a British soft-skinned vehicle. The commentary highlights the important contribution of the fighter-bombers of the RAF to the campaign over scenes of Curtiss P-40 Kittyhawk fighters of 250 Squadron RAF running up their Allison engines prior to a sortie. Australian troops, described by the commentary as being specialist bayonet fighters, meet their British opposite numbers at an informal desert get-together.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 64
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1942-07-27
  • 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: Harris, Arthur Travers (person) German Army (regiment/service) Australian Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: supplies, Russian, movement [RA] - misc (object name) transport, Russian military - rail: armoured train (object name) industry, Russian - vehicles: armoured train (object name) combat [simulated], British (object name) prisoners of war, Italian - movement (object name) supplies, British, movement [FA] - misc (object name) Rhineland, German reoccupation of & 7/3/1936 (event) Russia (geography) Egypt & El Alamein (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: French & Arabic
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 834 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 64

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