From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 12 2008 10:01 AM

The cheery British voice over tells us of the arrival of various British military and diplomatic officials, hinting at the huge amount of work they have to get through. We then see Churchill arriving, followed by Roosevelt. The leaders then meet up but the action then shifts to less senior offic...

From: UK National Archives on Thu, Apr 10 2008 7:07 AM

This clip opens with a view from a moving vehicle entering the gates of the house where the conference is being held. Newspaper correspondents are complaining that little news is getting out. The scene then shifts to the meeting table where all the leaders and officials are seated. The voice over...

From: UK National Archives on Wed, Apr 09 2008 1:02 PM

The clip starts with a title and sequence showing British tommies rescuing a fallen comrade who later died. We then see the famous shot of a soldier carrying his fallen comrade. The action then shifts to more shots of wounded on stretchers and making their way to a dressing station. The next titl...

From: UK National Archives on Tue, Apr 08 2008 8:12 PM

The clip opens with triumphal music and scenes of the flags of the Big Three fluttering in the wind. The Russian commentary then starts over scenes of Soviet sailors guarding the arrival of the leaders in cars. Towards the end of the war the leaders of the Big Three powers Churchill (Br...

From: UK National Archives on Tue, Apr 08 2008 5:33 PM

In this clip Private Henry Fairhurst describes what motivated him to join up. He talks about the setting up of Pals units. He then comments on how life in a Yorkshire mine might be good preparation for life in the trenches. He also reminds us that most people thought the war would soon be over. H...

From: UK National Archives on Tue, Apr 08 2008 8:22 AM

Henry opens by explaining he was first posted to Egypt, but little happened. He then came to France in Spring of 1916. He then explains the value and uses of the regulation steel helmet – some of them rather unorthodox! He then points out how death can be sudden and random from gas, artillery, s...

From: UK National Archives on Mon, Apr 07 2008 8:20 PM

This clip opens with Italian troops in action and then moves swiftly to show flight crews loading aircraft with bombs. We see Italian troops and African allies using modern artillery to bombard a position and officers observing through field glasses. This is followed by Italian troops advancing a...

From: UK National Archives on Mon, Apr 07 2008 2:36 PM

This clip takes us first through a sequence of ruined cities in Belgium and France and shows scenes of complete devastation. This is contrasted with London’s safety from such attacks and this then links to a shot of merchant ships, the film pointing out that Britain's safety depends on thes...

From: UK National Archives on Mon, Apr 07 2008 2:36 PM

The film opens with titles locating scenes of the fighting in Dublin at Easter 1916. Several different shots follow that focus on the huge amount of damage caused in the city. We are shown Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street), the Four Courts and the General Post Office (the rebel Headquarter...

From: UK National Archives on Sun, Apr 06 2008 9:36 AM

Clip opens with trucks and heavy machinery being loaded on to ships to go to Russia. The commentary stresses that this cooperation will continue after the war and there is already a contract to supply mobile power plants. The camera pans across a vast sea of cargo, and ends with a plea to suppor...

From: UK National Archives on Sun, Apr 06 2008 9:17 AM

This short sequence is essentially a photo opportunity for the leaders at the Yalta Conference. The three leaders enter the courtyard and sit down together. It seems there is much cheerful chat between them. Roosevelt’s ill health is clearly evident. Towards the end of the war the leade...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:55 PM

This is a newsreel clip aimed at French and British audiences. The British voice over explains what is happening. The Foreign Secretary, Anthony Eden is shown being greeted by top Soviet officials. Red Army guards and bands play national anthems. Eden then makes a report of his visit to the publ...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:55 PM

This film has a soundtrack that describes the arrival of the evacuees at their destination and the preparations that have been made to receive them. There is a delightfully posh voice over from one child taken away in a very nice car! When war broke out in 1939 it was assumed that British cities...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:54 PM

These scenes show the evacuation of children from one of the big cities, probably London, to more rural areas at the start of the war. The first scene shows children about to board the train, the second shows children on board the train waiting to leave and the final section shows them boarding ...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:52 PM

This clip contains two extracts from a larger film about preparations for war in 1939. In the first, the hazards of the blackout are identified, particularly for travellers on the road. In the second clip, the film provides some handy advice. One of the key defences against possible ai...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:48 PM

The clip shows machine gun practice in the Home Guard. The tone of the narration is far more personal than the other clip on the same topic. In 1940 there was a very real danger that German forces would invade Britain. France fell in May 1940 and British forces had to be evacuated from t...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:46 PM

In this clip Henry starts off describing rats and the soldiers’ hatred of them. The rats eat the dead, and Henry explains how bodies can be found everywhere and the superstition of shaking a dead hand. He then explains the problem of flies in summer and then describes lice at some length. He exp...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:43 PM

This extract shows examples of the training that Home Guard units received in 1940. It shows how Home Guard units might attack an enemy making its way into a town. The tone of the narration is very serious. In 1940 there was a very real danger that German forces would invade Britain. Fra...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 10:15 PM

This film shows scenes of devastation after a bombing raid on a British city, probably London in 1941. Dramatic music composed by Beethoven provides the sound track for these scenes of destruction. The British government assumed that British cities would be bombed heavily as soon as war...

From: UK National Archives on Sat, Apr 05 2008 9:04 PM

The four extracts from this film cover essential preparations against possible attack in 1939. The first urges people to build their Anderson shelters, then advises on blackout and finally provides advice on putting on a gas mask. At this time Britain was most concerned about air raids...