WORLD PICTORIAL NEWS NO 240 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WORLD PICTORIAL NEWS NO 240 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: WPN 240
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: An edition of the British official newsreel "World Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
  • Description: I. 'NEWS FROM EUROPE.' Children play amongst the rubble and wrecked buildings of Berlin. A pair of children play in the wrecked hulk of a German Army Kfz 1/20 K2 Schwimmwagen amphibious vehicle. Children are relocated from the unsanitary streets of Berlin to outlying agricultural regions (Operation Stork). Children say goodbye to relatives from the windows of coaches. A convoy of buses involved in the relocation operation passes from the British zone of Berlin into the surrounding Russian zone. A sign reads "Russian Zone- Soviet Union Gebeit." A train filled with Berlin children leaves Alversdorf Railway Station. Children disembark from a train at Oldenburg, which is destined to be their temporary home. A small child is introduced to an elderly couple on a farm in the outlying agricultural area of Oldenburg. Panoramic footage shows ruined buildings in Nuremberg. German prisoners of war enlarge and rebuild the courtroom at Nuremberg (Palace of Justice) in preparation for the International War Crimes Trial to be held there. The prison courtyard and newly constructed covered walkway are shown. Interior footage shows the doors of the prison cells holding many of the leading Nazi figures who would later stand trial. Nameplates on the cell doors reveal the identity of the inmates held inside (although no inmate is shown). The name plates include Goering; von Ribbentrop; Seyss-Inquart; Doenitz; Streicher. A tray of food is passed into Streicher's cell. Men of the British 5th Infantry Division parade in s'Hertogenbosch (Netherlands) in celebration of the first anniversary of liberation by elements of the 53rd Welsh Division. Dutch children place flowers on the graves of British soldiers and airmen. A commemorative shield is presented to the Mayor of s'Hertogenbosch which lists the various British units involved in the liberation of the area in the previous year. II. 'NEWS FROM THE FAR EAST.' HMS Tumult transfers British and Australian ex-prisoners (from Korea) to HMS Colossus. Brief footage shows an aircraft hangar on Colossus being used as a temporary dormitory. Ex-prisoners display their mementos of captivity which include Japanese swords and kimonos. Royal Navy (RN) officers entertain the children of French settlers at the RN Headquarters in Saigon. In New Delhi, Field Marshal Lord Archibald Wavell and General Claude J E Auchinleck are presented with the Legion of Merit from an unidentified US officer. Chinese civilians carry banners in a crowded street during a parade celebrating "National Day". British forces in Hong Kong march past Admiral Harcourt (latter not shown). III. 'ATTLEE VISITS AMERICA.' British Prime Minister Clement R Attlee arrives by official car at the White House (Washington DC) and is met by United States (US) President Harry S Truman and US Secretary of State, Mr James F Byrnes. President Truman, Prime Minister Attlee and Prime Minister of Canada, W L MacKenzie King lay commemorative wreaths at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery (Washington DC). Truman and Attlee board the presidential yacht Sequoia for secret talks. Attlee addresses Congress, his speech (live) stressing his hope for increased cooperation between Britain and the United States and more tolerance between the nations of the world.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: WPN 240
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-12-10
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor) World Pictorial News (Production company) Martin, Charles (Production individual) Noble, Robert (Production cast)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Wavell, Archibald Percival (person) Auchinleck, Claude John Eyre (person) Attlee, Clement Richard (person) Byrnes, James F (person) King, William L MacKenzie (person) Truman, Harry S (person) Royal Navy, Tumult (regiment/service) Royal Navy, COLOSSUS (HMS), aircraft carrier (regiment/service) British Army, Div 53 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: destruction, German military - area (object name) reconstruction, German (object name) prisoners of war, German - labour (object name) prisoners of war, German - custody (object name) ceremonies, Dutch - event-related: anniversary of liberation (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Tumult (object name) ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, fleet: HMS Colossus (object name) ceremonies, Chinese - event-related: national day (object name) ceremonies, British - event-related: Chinese National Day (object name) society, British military - friendship (object name) prisoners of war, British - repatriation (object name) prisoners of war, Australian - repatriation (object name) delegations, British international - political (object name) Germany & Berlin, Berlin <British sector> (geography) Germany & Berlin, Berlin <Soviet sector> (geography) Germany & Oldenburg (geography) Germany & Nuremberg, Bavaria <Palace of Justice> (geography) Netherlands & s'Hertogenbosch (geography) India & New Delhi (geography) China (geography) Indo-China & Saigon (geography) Hong Kong (geography) USA & Washington, DC <Capitol> (geography) USA & Washington, DC <White House> (geography) Children (concept)
  • 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: 845 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    WPN 240

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:

    JIN 131 (GENERAL LECLERC ARRIVES IN SAIGON AND ROYAL NAVY ENTERTAINS FRENCH CHILDREN [Allocated Title])
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