WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 69 (31/8/1942)

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: WPN 69).

Synopsis

I. 'NEWS FROM ENGLAND.' The commentary stresses that "Britain's victory production drive is in full swing" and that tank production in particular is increasing in volume. Female factory workers brush anti-corrosion paint into vulnerable areas of an early production Valentine tank's superstructure, prior to shipment overseas. Crusader and Matilda Mk I tanks drive onto railway flatcars where their tracks are chocked by a railway worker using a sledgehammer. The commentary states that the tanks are bound for the Eastern front over views of Valentine tanks bearing Cyrillic script on their front glacis plate loaded on railway flat cars.

II. 'FIGHTING FRANCE.' Free French Arme de l'Air officers and men parade at Wellington Barracks in London on Bastille Day (14th July 1942). General Charles de Gaulle inspects a guard of honour made up of Free French infantry and then goes on to award an officer of the submarine arm of the Free French Navy the Cross of Liberation. United States General Dwight D Eisenhower and Admiral Harold Raynsford Stark (Commander United States Naval Forces Europe) for part of the crowd of dignitaries that are spectators at the ceremony. Elsewhere, General de Gaulle, accompanied by General Catroux, decorates the defenders of Bir Hacheim. General de Gaulle salutes the French tricolour held by a Foreign Legionnaire as the commentary outlines the role of the French defenders of Bir Hacheim and stresses de Gaulle's "unshakeable faith in Fighting France."

III. 'BRITAIN DELIVERS THE PLANES.' An outline of RAF aircraft ferry procedures. The commentary stresses the importance of the Meteorological Office in predicting weather and planning for long range ferry flights. Activity in a Met office shows a mixed contingent of civilian and RAF personnel scanning maps and table plots in preparation for a Lockheed Hudson sortie to an undisclosed location. RAF flying crews wearing Irvin jackets and smoking cigarettes assemble for an evening briefing prior to an early morning ferry operation. The Station commander gives a last minute briefing to which the men listen attentively. Ground operations crews chalk up crew names on a blackboard, apparently making note of aircrew destined for an early morning call. RAF men retire to their bunks setting alarm clocks for the following morning. During the night sandwiches are made and coffee is placed into Thermos flasks by NAAFI personnel. In the morning, RAF groundcrews work on Hudson aircraft as aircrew in Irvin jackets enjoy a hearty English breakfast. Evident in the background of the mess is a sign bearing the legend "All mess bills should be settled now!" A montage of RAF aircraft starting engines and taxiing follows including Bristol Blenheim Mk IV, Vickers Wellington, Consolidated B-24 Liberator and Bristol Beaufighter aircraft. Elsewhere, black West African workers cut down Rubber plants and Palm trees while constructing an airfield out of the jungle to bridge the air route across Africa to the Middle Eastern battlefronts. Black workers lay Tarmacadam by hand and cover this using earth as a top coat. Crated Hawker Hurricane aircraft parts are off loaded by crane from a merchant ship and placed on RAF low-loader trucks for transport to a construction area. The commentary highlights that "scientific" methods of crating saves time and effort during aircraft assembly. Native workers unpack the fuselage of a Hurricane fitted with a Vokes filter. A Hawker Hurricane IIc starts its Merlin XX engine (BN 122 Service Allocation Number, sixth production batch). Native fire crews wearing distinctive tarboosh hats, stand ready in case of accident. Air to air views of a Blenheim Mk IV bomber aircraft acting as a guide aircraft to Hurricane IIc fighters on the first leg of the long delivery flight to the Middle East.

 

Titles

  • WAR PICTORIAL NEWS NO 69 (31/8/1942)
 

Technical Data

Year:
1942
Running Time:
10 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Sound
Footage:
917 ft
 

Production Credits

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