Description: I. 'ON TO TOBRUK.' Aerial views of the coastline and town of Bardia. Camera moves into the deserted town. Deserted main street. Road sign "Via Benito Mussolini" with Mussolini crossed out and "Australia" added. British troops ride through the ruins of the town. Australian troops explore the interior of a shell damaged Italian Town Hall. Cut to Italian troops surrendering from foxholes and smiling Italian prisoners of war. Corpse of Italian tank crewman. Commonwealth troops look at his personal effects including photos of wife and children. Abandoned Italian emplacement with Breda Modello 30 6.5mm light machine gun. Panoramic desert views of abandoned Italian armour and soft-skinned vehicles. Truck mounted 75mm Modello 34 75/46 flak guns and M 13/40 medium tanks. Motorised British troops drive past an Italian road sign giving directions to Capuzzo, Bardia and "Tobruch". Bren gun carriers moving at speed over desert terrain. Commentary stresses that the Italians regret the war, while the stronger British Army is made up of willing soldiers. Cut to sea : naval gunfire, sailors load secondary armament of Queen Elizabeth Class battleship. Three Queen Elizabeth Class battleships and destroyer, HMS Janus. Battleship's main 15-in armament fires and coastline is hit. Italian bombers are identified and reportedly attack the British ships. A stick of Italian bombs drops in sea. Commentary asserts that Italian aircraft were shot down. British naval vessels continue to bombard the enemy occupied coastline. British infantry advance through desert terrain.
Production Details: Ministry of Information, Middle East (Production sponsor)
War Pictorial News (Production company)
Martin, Charles (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords: ships, British naval - destroyer: HMS Janus (object name)
ships, British naval - battleship: Queen Elizabeth Class (object name)
prisoners of war, Italian - surrender (object name)
casualties, Italian dead (object name)
Libya & Bardia (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: English
Subtitle language: French
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 565 ft; Running time: 6 mins