THE ROAD OF NO RETURN [Main Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.

  • Title: THE ROAD OF NO RETURN [Main Title]
  • Film Number: DEG 178
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Accident prevention film, with narration, aimed at members of staff at Fort Halstead, where most of the film was shot (with some scenes at Sevenoaks Hospital).
  • Description: Opening scene shows a casualty being stretchered from an ambulance into hospital as a result of an accident at work. Discussion of various accidents, illustrated with poorly-staged reconstructions showing staff in various areas of Fort Halstead becoming victims. Types of accident shown involve falls, cuts, burns and scalds; also covered are issues such as the importance of loading trolleys correctly to prevent overbalancing, and the need to check equipment, ropes etc before use. The narrator stresses the high rate of accidents at Fort Halstead, using staff record cards to illustrate the sheer number of workshop incidents, and discusses the role of the safety officer at the establishment, including the availability of training and the issuing of health and safety guidance booklets. The need to wear protective clothing and goggles, as provided, is stressed, showing examples of accidents, including fatal ones, that can occur without their use. Various types of goggles and facial protection are shown (demonstrated by staff members). The climax of the film shows further scenes at Sevenoaks Hospital, together with the warning “don’t take the road to the hospital, it might be the road of no return”.
  • Access Conditions: IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1961
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Aviation Cine Film Service (Production company) Armament Research and Development Establishment (Production sponsor)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 16mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: ca 630 ft: Running time: 17 mins 30 secs
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Remarks: An interesting film, shot mainly at the Armaments Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) complex at Fort Halstead in Kent, and showing many of the buildings and workshops there, although the actual work is not described. Film was shot ca 1960: close-ups are shown of safety manuals issued in 1958-1959. The film was completed before ARDE received its royal appellation in 1962 and became RARDE. It is interesting because it is aimed exclusively at Fort Halstead staff, and is a good photographic record of the site. The film was clearly made as a response to the large number of accidents which had occurred there: the high incidence of injuries is referred to several times during the film, as is the need to keep the number of preventable accidents to a minimum.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    DEG 178

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register