UFA NR <574 part & 568 part> [Main Title]

I. Germans guard Western Europe against invasion. (Abrupt start - last part of Dieppe Raid item.) Commentary states that Germans are confident of defeating any further Anglo-American landing attempts, over film of 2cm Flak with multiple victory rings sited on coastal ridge overlooking beach along which unit of German soldiers marches. Montage of coastal artillery, Junkers Ju 88 and fast coastal patrol vessels conclude this affirmation of strength.

II. Reichsarbeitsdienst men support troops in East. RAD leader Konstantin Hierl visits one of his units in the forward area and speaks to some of the young men. (Volume drops.) Men unload petrol drums from a train. Knights Cross holder Generalmajor Danhauser presents Iron Crosses to men who have distinguished themselves at front; large group of young RAD members march off, described as "tireless helpers of our soldiers".

III. Preparations before the Battle of the Don Bend. Animated map of Eastern Front from Kursk to Astrakhan. Junkers Ju 52 transports land on field to unload massive supplies of bombs and fuel required by forces pushing east. Many Ju 52s, including DE+TJ and SA+DS, stand stretched over plain. Truck marked with jumping horse emblem waits as bombs are unloaded from Ju 52; huge number of bombs stored in open are for use in day and night attacks against Soviet forces hemmed in west of Kalach. Junkers Ju 88s are serviced, fuelled and bombed up before planes pass over hilly banks of River Don below; in-flight views record release of bombs, cockpit views, burning villages below marking path of fleeing Soviets and goods train travelling at speed which is reportedly attacked. Low aerial film reportedly taken a few hours later shows devastating effect of bombing against train, as well as rails which have been blasted askew by explosion. Another aerial shot tracks over long column of trucks, each throwing up a cloud of dust. Back on ground Slovak Army trucks (with distinctive patriarchal cross) drive past. Horse-drawn carts move forward through dust with supplies, following the troops; Sdkfz 251 towing gun and marked with insignia of Panzer Division 11 passes, as do Sdkfz 232 armoured car and Sdkfz 263 Panzerfunkwagen moving forward on reconnaissance. StuG III and infantry move forward to their start positions in village. Small interlude before battle sees soldiers playing with young hooded crow and offering it a cigarette before it perches on the barrel of a gun barrel marked Max.

IV. Start of the Battle of the Don Bend. 15cm sFH 18 and other artillery open fire at dawn before infantry and armour, including mass formation of Pzkpfw IIIs, start to advance (tracking shot). Distant view of enemy armour. Crew of Pzkpfw III Ausf J close hatches. View through visor. Pzkpfw III and IV open fire and a T-34 explodes in flames. As mass of Pzkpfw IIIs advance, commentary states that enemy is being continuously surrounded and defeated in concentric attacks. Several Russian deserters hurry towards German armour, then stand on top of Pzkpfw III to gesticulate to their comrades to surrender. Grass on Russian steppes burns during battle. Tank man fires Very pistol from turret of his vehicle to signal distant Stuka attack, filmed from ground (good sound). Infantry wait, then move forward, firing MG 34 and 3.7cm Pak. Dead Russians suggest outcome of attack. View of tank crew member inside darkness of his vehicle. Tanks and trucks pass burning embers of destroyed house. (End of Reel 1)

V. Planes and U-Boats attack Arctic convoy (PQ 17). Animated map of Arctic Ocean, including Greenland and Spitzbergen. Planes and U-boats have reportedly destroyed convoy of thirty-nine merchant vessels (Convoy PQ 17 left Reykjavik on 27 June with forty vessels.) Blohm und Voss Bv 138 is catapulted off from Norwegian shore base, with patches of snow still lying on the mountainside behind. Reconnaissance flight passes over iceberg; view from waist gunner's position. After low-level view of convoy, crew check ship type silhouettes and signal by morse to base. Admiral Doenitz, in charge of U-boat operation, stands over map with his commanders. U-boats are ordered to attack positions (two on surface together) while Arado 196 shadows convoy and receives lamp signal from deck of U-boat before vessel submerges. Junkers Ju 88s pass over coast of Spitzbergen before dropping bombs; one ship burns and another is hit on the bow during low pass. 260,000 tons of armour, planes and food for the Soviets was reportedly sunk, over film of ships being strafed and ablaze and oily patch on surface.

VI. German forces cross Don and capture Voronezh. Animated map of Eastern Front from Moscow to Crimea. On southern sector west of River Don advance continues over 500 kilometre-wide front; infantry with bicycles and armour pass by and Sdkfz 251, with MG 34 elevated in case of air attack, fires mortar. Soldier sprays machine gun fire from cover of StuG III marked with helmet emblem. Hay burns and Russians are forced from foxholes to surrender. Column of Pzkpfw IIIs advance up road, past Russian woman drawing water from well; Pzkpfw III fords stream. Six Ju 87s dive to attack and, after dawn crossing by infantry of River Oskol by dinghy, bomb Soviet withdrawal route. Direct hit on bridge over Don precedes view of shattered Russian artillery (7.62mm) and mass of other abandoned matériel, and few lone surviving horses, by river's edge. Aerial view of German entry into Voronezh, captured on July 7. Views in this big industrial centre, on railway linking Moscow with its raw materials in the south, show T-34s knocked out in street fighting. Final montage of Pzkpfw III and IV wheels suggest the continuing pursuit of the beaten enemy.

35mm