Created by the Army Pictorial Service, this WWII newsreel shows the fight against German V-1 flying bombs in 1943-44. Extensive Allied bombings destroyed many of the sites in Occupied France.
Some of these destroyed sites are seen, revealing catapults for launching and camouflage bunkers, as well as steel rail systems used to transport V-1s. Bombs were calibrated to attack London and abandoned war heads and missile launchers are shown scattered about the countryside. At the 2:46 mark, an observation platform is seen for V-1 launches. Wrecked V-1s are seen at the 3:13 mark, including the pulse-jet engine.
At the 3:48 make, the focus shifts to the Mediterranean and the Capture of Toulon and Marseilles. Watch French artillery bomb Toulon to prevent it from falling into German hands. The Nazi resistance lost most of its fleet to the battles. Marseilles was not as heavily fortified, much harder to defend, but French troops prevail. Soon after Germans surrender Port St. Nicholas taken back by Algerians and we see a victory parade for the troops and their General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny.
At the 5:55 mark, U.S. Airmen are freed in Romania. Flying fortresses of the 15th Air Force are retrieving airmen from a Bucherrest airport recently released by the Romanian government. Russian and American soldiers exchange goodbyes. The men soon arrive at an Italian airbase where they celebrate their freedom.
7:33 Operations in France and Belgium by the Canadian 1st Army Forces. Canadian soldiers are seen in the French city of Rouen. We see the wreckage and destroyed Nazi equipment. We see various members of the Allied groups march and where troops from Canada are buried. The Nazi’s used beach houses as “Pill boxes” and made faux fortification pill boxes with wooden guns to distract enemy fire away from their actual strongholds. We also see maps and the range of guns.
At 10:45 the British 2nd Army is shown. Royal Air Force films demonstrate the deployment of rockets with typhoon fighter bombers. The rocket bombs can be carried on the wings of the typhoon, we watch as the planes go up and execute maneuvers for releasing the bombs. Fantastic footage of the bombs being fired from the planes. The rockets can be released individually or is sow mode. Rocket bombs are used to take out armored columns and in support of air fields and infantry. We see Nazi’s hiding armored weaponry under fake horse drawn carts. Troops enter Amiens. Brussels fall to the British troops ten days after the liberation of paris, we see German troops in surrendered position on the ground while people celebrate and convoys move through the city. Books are being salvaged from Le Parlor de Justice as retreating Nazi’s had set fire to the building. The prisoners are taken to the zoo for internment.
At 18:05 the American 1st Army is seen, with a convoy destroyed by Allied planes and a fire fight with Nazi tanks. At 19:16 the American 3rd Army tanks are shown above Paris. A rifle range that was used as a torture chamber and posts where victims were executed are examined. Hand prints of people looking to escape flames are seen engraved into a wall. Wooden coffins are seen as well as decomposing bodies.
The 10th infantry regiment is shown engaged in a firefight with Nazi troops. Armed patrol featuring Troyes, important route. All German weapons are destroyed beyond usability to deter salvaging by enemy combatants. We see people burning copies of Mein Kampf. Followed by a burning cathedral and a convoys.
The End of the film originally had a “secret” classification, this has been scratched out by someone to indicate it is no longer classified!
