OFFICIAL FILMS OF 1942 VOL 3 BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN TOBRUK GUADALCANAL SOLOMON SOUND VERSION 84724c

Want to support this channel and help us preserve old films? Visit Our website Made for the home market and sold in department stores and by mail order during the war, this 1942 Official Films newsreel features newsreel highlights from 1942 including the Second Battle of Alamein, landings on the Solomon Islands, Dieppe, as well as RAF hedge-hopping missions. It opens with the Second Battle of Alamein (:23). British forces are seen mobilizing in preparation against Marshal Erwin Rommel (:34). Tanks, trucks and troop transports move through a heavily crowded supply line (:36). The British mobilized every man and weapon (1:03). Ammunition supplies (1:08). British air power reinforced by American bombers (1:14) as Rommel had already moved within sight of Alexandria. General Auchinleck’s mechanized columns moved to the west (1:25). RAF provided air support (1:28) as the British pursued the Germans and their Italian allies (1:33). An Italian (1:40) and Nazi plane (1:42) are both seen downed. The RAF continued to target Axis columns and the 8th Army (2:00) propelled forward with tanks. Combat scenes follow with troops running over sand and rock laden terrain throwing grenades (2:14), tanks sitting wasted and burning (2:20), and a group of Axis troops surrendering (2:34). Along the way, British forces collected enemy bombs, some weighing over a thousand pounds (2:41). British forces west of Alexandria then reorganized (2:49). A British pilot is seen in flight (2:49) and bombs spill out from the plane onto the ground below (2:59). The Solomon Islands Marine landings on Guadalcanal presumably on 7 August 1942 (3:09). Army Flying Fortresses (3:14) accompanied the Marines as they launched their attack on Japanese bases in the Solomon Islands (3:14). Fighter crafts lift from Cruiser decks (3:30) as the fleet and heavy bombers hit shoreline installations (3:50). The first Marine forces load into their landing barges headed for the beach (3:52). Machine gun emplacements were quickly set up (4:10) as the beach head was secured. On the beach, the men located an abandoned Japanese camp (4:14) as well as etchings of road signs on palm trees (4:22). Standing at salute as the American flag is raised on the first recaptured land, is Marine General Vandergrift (4:25). The Dieppe Raid which took place on August 19th, 1942 conducted by Commandos and Rangers in occupied France (4:33) aka the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter during planning stages, and by its final official code-name Operation Jubilee. This was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe during the Second World War. The raid took place on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. Aboard 100 barges are seven Canadian regiments, two English Commando groups and U.S. Rangers (4:38) as they were sent to France. A smoke screen is seen billowing out by a Royal Navy destroyer(5:07). The smoke screen was necessary as a German patrol had intercepted the barges. Dieppe had once been a popular resort location, though now it was a target for bombers and heavy shelling (5:14). A German fighter plane (5:45) and a Spitfire (6:00) are both seen hit. The Spitfire RAF pilot survived and is pulled to safety (6:05) while suffering from shock (6:15). Landing barges dot the waters (6:31) as Commando and Ranger units landed to the left, Canadians entered through the center (6:33) and other Commandos landed to the right. The raid continued for nine hours (6:41). White streaks in the sky are pointed out as tracer bullets from Nazi fighter planes (6:50). Raiders are seen gathering to return as their mission was complete and they had been able to strike a decisive blow (7:22). Operation Oyster was the RAF’s hedge hopping raids in 1942 over Europe (7:27). These . “hedge hoppers“ are Bostons, also known as the A-20 Havoc. Pilots of a night bombing squadron prepared for the deep penetration raid in a briefing room (7:35). Crews changed into pilot clothes (7:39). 1,100 planes were to take part in the action (7:43). This was Britain’s first low altitude bombing raid (7:47). Flying just above the waves (8:00). The French countryside whips by as the Bostons headed inland (8:15). Their target was an industrial city in western France (8:25) (8:28). Boston’s released their payloads over San Paulo (8:50). Return to base over the English Channel (9:06). The newsreel ends with a cartoon ad for war bonds, depicting Hitler, Hirohito, and Mussolini hanging from the gallows with “HANG THE AXIS!” superimposed (09:19). This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit