Description
Object description
The final part of the Know Your Enemy series of instructional films details the equipment and tactics of the German paratroop force, or Fallschirmjaeger, and the appropriate tactics for countering them.
Content description
Title: 'Know Your Enemy Part IV - "Airborne Invasion" / A military training film produced for the Directorate of Army Kinematography by British Paramount News. B260 - C260'. Commentary describes the descent of paratroops and their ability to cross 'such vast anti-tank ditches as the Mediterranean or English Channel' and the need to be prepared. A photo album marked 'Airborne Forces' is opened and a group photo of German paratroopers described as 'a nice little bunch of thugs'. First wave must carry extra equipment and armed with submachine guns. Commentary describes how these leading troops' extra equipment can foul their parachute. Other paratroops wear overalls over uniform; these cover a holster and Luger 9mm ('.35') pistol; a paratrooper is therefore effectively unarmed. Use of parachute equipment containers and the equipment or weaponry they might contain. Design for quick opening but still heavy and bulky at over 300lbs. Loading the equipment with aluminium shock absorber; use of equipment rack below the fuselage of the paratroop-dropping plane. The Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft; recognition advice. Distinctive paratroop helmet. The jump; static line opens the parachute. Equipment container falls faster; commentary advises that its descent should be watched and its landing point covered by fire. A descending parachutist liable 'to be doing a lively version of the boogie-woogie' if shot at. Advises the parachutist's foot as a good aiming point. Commentary reemphasises vulnerability until the equipment container is reached. A fully equipped paratrooper with grenades, weapons, binoculars, pistol, machine carbine and ammunition. Commentary describes the MP40 ('Schmeisser') submachine gun. Camouflaged helmet cover. German hand grenades; stick grenade has 'very little splinter effect...designed to put the wind up their opponents'. Anti-tank rifle for use against armoured vehicles. 50mm and 81mm mortars (latter not seen). The MG 34 machine gun 'an old friend'. Use of food containers. Paratroop signal section with equivalent of No 18 Wireless Set. Anti-tank gun APR 41 with 'incredibly small' .79 inch projectile with good penetration to 300 yards. 12-pounder 7.5cm mountain gun. German issue of electrical components in order to use sabotaged British motor transport. Use of gliders; advises fire against windows and cockpit.
Content description
Reel 2: Paratroop training with men practising parachute rolls. Commentary; the attraction of parachuting to adventurous and young, fit men. Footage of an operation being planned; the danger of paratroops arising not from lone disguised individuals appearing in the dark, but of large landings in multiple locations in coordination. Waiting aircraft. A wireless message is received and rushed off by motorcyclist. Paratroops pack their equipment. Loading a Ju 52 with its equipment canister. Paratroops don harness and equipment. Knee pads and gloves. Emplaning and take off. Aerial footage. Divebombers 'pave the way' but vulnerable to small arms. Commentary imagines the waiting paratroopers' thoughts 'must be very mixed'. Container released. Paratroops jump; 'if you're waiting for them and you know your stuff, 90% of paratroops will never reach the ground alive'. Collapsing a parachute on the ground. Second and third landing. Use of a glider. Advises the draining of fuel tanks to deny transport. Use of animals. Paratroops as spearhead with shots of various small arms in use. Air-landing troops; 'go for the plane'. Use of any available landing ground. Importance of speed. Refers to Crete; 'a ferry service of one plane a minute was kept up for hours on end'. Film shifts to discuss the defence, firstly aircraft and anti-aircraft gunnery. Mobile infantry in trucks and carriers to pin down small pockets of paratroops; footage of British troops deploying from vehicles and carriers. Tanks and artillery 'the final argument he'll be called upon to answer - God help him!'. Tanks and artillery in action. 'The airborne troop is no bogeyman' but says that if invasion comes paratroops will descend in their thousands. 'Water is no longer a rampart against the foe'. The End.
Physical description
35mm