WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 141 - AMERICAN VARIANT (17/1/1944 (ca))

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: WPN 291).

Synopsis

I. 'GUNNERS OF HINDUSTAN.' This item duplicates Item I of WPN 141.

II. 'RUSSIA.' This item duplicates Item IV of WPN 141.

III. 'GLIDER TROOPS PREPARE FOR AIRBORNE INVASION.' Panoramic footage shows Waco CG-4A troop carrying gliders parked on a runway (South East United States ?). A hawser is attached to the towing mechanism on a United States Army Air Force (USAAF) Douglas C-47 Skytrain glider tractor (tug) which then takes off, pulling a CG-4A glider into the air (the tractor aircraft may be a Douglas C-53 Skytrooper which is virtually indistinguishable from the C-47 apart from its smaller entry door and wooden deck flooring). A C-47 takes off to camera towing two CG-4A gliders. Ground to air views shows large numbers of gliders and their C-47 tractor aircraft flying overhead. A C-47 tractor aircraft releases its towing hawser. CG-4A gliders raise dust on landing during (air-landing) military exercises held in an unidentified Southern US state. Brief footage shows USAAF commander, General Henry H Arnold watching CG-4A gliders landing on water in swampland. A CG-4A makes a perfect landing on water, the pilots of following gliders flare their aircraft too early and hit the water hard. US air-landing troops wade through swamps carrying M1.30-inch carbines. CG-4A "Dallas Doll" comes in to land.

IV. 'LATEST FILMS OF WAR IN THE PACIFIC.' Brief footage shows United States Navy (USN) Admiral Chester W Nimitz seated in his office. A map shows the Central Pacific area of operations. Exterior footage shows the jungle headquarters (Solomon Islands) of USN Admiral William F Halsey which appears to have been constructed out of bamboo. Interior footage shows Halsey receiving a message from Rear-Admiral Wilkinson USN. Brief aerial footage shows a USN Grumman J2F Duck general utility amphibian aircraft in flight. United States Marine Corps (USMC) LVT-2 (Landing Vehicle Tracked) Water Buffalo amphibious load carrier "Michigan Wolverine" drives out of the sea and up a beach during the US attack on the Gilbert and Ellice Islands. USMC troops disembark into surf from an LVT-2 amphibian. USN Construction Battalion (CB-"Sea Bees") caterpillar tractor (with bulldozer blade) pulls a stalled Willys HB GP Jeep from the surf. A USMC detachment moves inland.

Notes

Summary: items III and IV have an American commentary. This issue was presumably assembled by the WPN team for exhibition to US forces in the Middle East in the absence of a complete US newsreel.

 

Titles

  • WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 141 - AMERICAN VARIANT (17/1/1944 (ca)) (Allocated)
 

Technical Data

Year:
1944
Running Time:
10 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
956 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
Ministry of Information, Middle East
commentary
Keating, Rex
film editor
Martin, Charles
Production company
War Pictorial News