Description
Object description
An edition of the British official newsreel "War Pictorial News", produced by the Ministry of Information, Middle East.
Full description
I. 'ALLIES WEEK OPENS IN CAIRO.' R.G. Casey, Minister of State Resident in the Middle East, addresses a large crowd of gathered dignitaries in the gardens of the Anglo-Egyptian Union in Cairo. The event is described as being held in honour of five hundred Allied officers from all service branches. Distinguished guests include Mustafa el Nahas Pasha (Egyptian Premier), Lord Killearn (formerly Sir Miles Lampson), and General Chung (China). Guests mingle and queue for refreshments at the garden party.
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II. 'AFRICAN NATIVE TROOPS.' An item that introduces the various African native troops and stresses their important contribution to the Allied war effort. Sudanese dignitaries watch a march past by members of the Sudan Defence Force in "the shadow of the notorious Briggs and Sanchal mountain peaks." Other highlights of the march past include a contingent of camel-mounted troops, a mule train and a variety of soft-skinned vehicles towing Ordnance QF 25-pounder howitzers with limbers. The commentary points out that many of the Sudanese troops taking part were involved in the bitter fighting to overthrow Fascist domination in Eritrea. Elsewhere, Nigerian Kroo boys are processed at a Royal Navy (RN) training depot prior to commencing training in the handling of small craft. The Kroo volunteers practice drill and participate in physical training exercises. They later receive training in the use of semaphore. Nubian infantry in the service of the British Army march in uniform, armed with Lee-Enfield .303-in Mk III rifles and fixed bayonets. The previous scene is contrasted with views of the Nubian soldiers dressed in traditional tribal attire and armed with spears. Two bare chested Nubians, watched by their peers, indulge in their national sport of wrestling. Landing craft transport Australian troops and men of the Belgian Congo Force across the waters of an unidentified port facility. The Belgian Congolese, described as being "renowned as fighters" disembark from the landing craft carrying kitbags with B.C.F. painted on them.
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III. 'CLOTHING THE ARMY.' An item introducing the work of the Middle East laundry and clothing repair depots. Smiling women workers sort clothing by hand. Women sit at individual repair desks sewing torn uniforms. The commentary stresses that this depot processes over a million items of clothing a month and has a loyal staff of over three thousand women drawn from fifteen nationalities. Women workers operate Singer sewing machines. In Section A/4/4 of the repair depot male and female workers sort out shirts placing them in various bins marked with delivery destinations. Other items of clothing destined for Angola are folded and placed into hessian sacks which are hand sewn to create rigid packaging. The commentary stresses the importance of this work as it saves valuable shipping space and states that the women are "stitching for victory."
Full description
IV. 'US BOMBERS RAID TARANTO.' United States Army Air Force (USAAF) ground personnel tow GP 500lb M43 bombs to parked and chocked Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers at a Middle Eastern airfield. A ground crew member paints a mission tally on the fuselage of a B-24 that already carries the legend "Stinger" with flying bee motif. The commentary points out that "Stinger" has forty-five missions to her credit. USAAF ground crew roll 500lb bombs to the winches situated in the bomb-bays of the B-24 aircraft. The Liberator aircraft start their engines prior to a bombing sortie on the Italian naval base at Taranto. Interior cockpit views show the pilot of a B-24 with his hand on the throttles. Air to air footage show the Liberators climbing in loose formation as they overfly the Mediterranean Sea. Air to ground footage show bombs dropping over Taranto and its environs, also evident are the rising smokescreens started by the Italians in an attempt to obscure the target area. On its return from the Taranto mission, Consolidated B-24 Liberator "Stinger" has yet another mission tally painted on its fuselage side.
Physical description
35mm