THE FRONT LINE [Main Title]

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  • Title: THE FRONT LINE [Main Title]
  • Film Number: UKY 209
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Documentary focusing on Dover's role as a front-line town during the Second World War. Situated in the part of England nearest Hitler's Europe, the people of Dover demonstrate that life goes on normally under bombardment, and that Dover is fighting a winning battle. Includes scripted interviews with residents of Dover including the Mayor of Dover, Alderman Cairns; a firewarden, balloon/AA crew members and housewives.
  • Description: Shot list taken from original documentation: 1) M.L.S. Large oil fire 2) L.S. Squadrons of Me.100 and Stuka dive bombers 3) M.C.U. Heinkel III bomber 4) L.S. Land from the air (Calais) 5) L.S. Railway siding from air 6) L.S. Dover Castle from the air 7) L.S. Cliffs of Dover 8) M.L.S. Dover Castle 9) L.S. River and town from the air 10) M.C.U. Man standing on sea front 11) M.L.S. Shot of street from one end 12) L.S. Town from hillside 13) M.L.S. Dover harbour 14) M.C.U. People in busy streets shopping 15) M.C.U. People passing “Woolworths” store 16) M.L.S. Aerial shot of busy streets 17) C.U. Policeman on traffic duty 18) M.L.S. Town from hillside 19) M.C.U. Scaffolding round house 20) M.L.S. Woman feeding pigeons by barbed wire 21) C.U. Woman feeding pigeons 22) M.C.U. Pigeons 23) M.C.U. Three men on sea shore talking 24) M.C.U. Picture palace (Granada exterior) 25) M.C.U. Skating rink (exterior) 26) M.C.U. People skating 27) M.L.S. Fireman on roof (A.F.S.) B.Balloons 28) C.U. Ditto 29) M.C.U. Ruined church pan to ruined house with woman on doorstep 30) C.U. Ditto 31) M.L.S. Church and houses in street 32) M.L.S. Women with tin helmets on walking along sea-front 33) M.L.S.C.U. Blenheim coming towards camera 34) L.S. Dive bombing in the straits 35) L.S. Dive-bomber 36) L.S. Bomb bursting in sea 37) L.S. Stuka dive bombing 38) L.S. Bomb bursting near ships 39) L.S. Dive bombing in the straits 40) L.S. Bomb bursting in sea 41) L.S. Destroyer laying smoke screen 42) M.L.S. Bomb bursting in sea 43) L.S. Ditto 44) L.S. Destroyers laying smoke screen 45) M.L.S. Me.109 46) L.S. Me.109 shooting up balloons 47) M.L.S. Ditto 48) L.S. Ditto 49) L.S. Flak 50) L.S. Me.109 shooting up balloons 51) M.C.U. Balloon in flames 52) V.L.S. Ditto 53) L.S. Building 54) CU Writing on balloon van 55) M.C.U. Castle in foreground, balloons in background 56) M.C.U. Balloon barrage crew playing cards 57) CU Balloon 58) CU One of balloon crew 59) M.C.U. Soldiers with gun layer 60) CU Soldiers manning gun 61) L.S. Squadron of Heinkels III 62) L.S. Fields 63) M.L.S. Gun emplacement 64) M.L.S. Soldier on range-finder, gun in background 65) C.U. Series of gun barrels firing 66) M.C.U. Gun crew manning gun 67) L.S. Stuka crashing into sea 68) M.C.U. Sailors on revolving naval gun 69) C.U. Sailors on gun 70) M.C.U. Men working in crater and van passing 71) M.L.S. Man in garden of ruined house 72) M.C.U. Ditto 73) M.C.U. Warden outside warden’s post 74) C.U. Wardens riding by on bikes 75) M.L.S. Fire engine coming out of fire station 76) M.C.U. Warden taking errand bike 77) M.L.S. Greengrocer taking in helmet 78) M.C.U. Warden coming out of newsagent 79) M.L.S. Ambulance girl coming out of shop and getting ambulance 80) M.L.S. Trees and bushes on hillside 81) L.S. Fields and seashore 82) L.S. Man walking up hillside 83) M.C.U. Hop pickers looking at sky 84) V.L.S German plane 85) M.L.S. Man digging 86) C.U. Propeller on ground 87) M.C.U. Crashed German Me.110 88) C.U. Engine and propeller of Me.110 89) C.U. Part of crashed Dornier 90) C.U. Wing with cross on 91) M.C.U. Wounded Nazi pilot 92) M.C.U. Scrap heap of German plane 93) M.L.S. Lewis gun position on top of house 94) M.C.U. Wrecked houses 95) M.C.U. Woman standing in doorway track to close up of ditto
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: UKY 209
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (UKY 209)
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1940-10
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) GPO Film Unit (Production company) Watt, Raymond Egerton Harry1906-10-181987-04-02British documentary film maker (Production individual) Jones, Jonah (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Cairns (Alderman) (person) British Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: aircraft, British - balloon: barrage balloon (object name) recreation, British civilian - sport: roller-skating (object name) recreation, British civilian - sport: swimming (object name) society, British - domestic (object name) society, British - precautionary: fire fighting (object name) Dover, Kent, England, UK (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 524 ft; Running time: 7 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    UKY 209

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