“Wartime Journey” (c.1940) is a WWII film produced at Burgh Island Studios for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The film demonstrates how to be a good driver, emphasizing that, reckless driving and accidents can impede on the war effort by taking away roads and using up valuable medical resources. In order to demonstrate this, the film follows a company employee and a truck driver as they drive across the United Kingdom in a canteen lorry and discuss driving tips and safety.
Title page and RAF seal (0:26). Explanation of film (0:31). Pre-war days: British car models 1920s, families picnicking along road, early 1930s LT-type bus LT2 double-decker buses (0:41). Front cover “The Highway Code” pamphlet, newspaper clippings about road accidents (1:46). School children playing in village streets (2:09). Mobilized soldiers march with rifles (2:34). Women working in wartime factory (2:36). Austin 12/6 car in accident (3:01). Bombed buildings (3:10). Transportation of military personnel, equipment on everyday roads (3:26). Man driving during blackout (4:07). Damaged car in repair shop, crowd gathers around car crash, medics rush to aid injured (4:26). Hal Far Fighter Flight, Spitfire X4474 (4:53). Union Jack, RAF flag (5:11). Sign “The Light Castings Co.,” employee has conversation with boss in office (5:23). Employee meets truck driver, review driving tips: Store load properly, thorough look over of vehicle (7:02). Truck leaves factory, truck drives through quaint English towns, protagonists discuss driving “manners” (8:06). Hand signals: Hand extends out of window of military waves hand up and down, in circular motion, and straight out (9:13). Back of 1939 Bedford OXD British Military truck (9:28). Overtaking other vehicles, POV of road as protagonists talk about right scenarios for overtaking other vehicles (10:19). Driving at correct speed: Truck doesn’t slow down around bend almost hits pedestrian, two cars almost collide as one vehicle fails to signal their presence, vehicle does not obey street signs (11:12). Traffic sign indicating national speed limit applies (13:01). Traffic sign that reads “Halt:” Vehicle does not obey sign and almost hits transport truck at intersection (13:32). Keeping distance behind truck with trailer extension (14:19). Making turns (15:30). Protagonists stop inside pub, drink beers, men play darts (17:08). Proper parking: Ford Model A parked at bus stop on commercial street (18:43). Perhaps 1935 Ford BB Box Van parks on pedestrian crosswalk (19:33). Belisha beacon pole marking crosswalk (21:29). Careless pedestrians: Scenarios down crowded city streets of people jaywalking, running to catch bus etc. (22:22). Avoiding pedestrians on winding country roads: Austin Twelve Clifton narrowly misses girls walking along desolate road (23:00). Mother with stroller at crosswalk, signals to perhaps Morris 10/4 Saloon car that she wants to cross (23:50). Various kinds of crosswalks (24:04). “Road Sense” anticipating actions as driver i.e. ball rolls into road, rain slicked roads, blocking road to ask for directions, shadow, clear hand signals (25:42-29:28). Military vehicles i.e. Leyland Retriever, Fordson WOT 6 in traffic jam (26:54). American or French produced military vehicle with left-hand drive (30:07). How and when to overtake another vehicle: Montage clips small passenger vehicles on quaint country roads exhibiting positive and negative overtaking techniques (30:35). How to signal a left or right turn using hand signals (31:30). Importance of parking in the right place (32:23). Different traffic signs: Red circle with triangle, school in area, HALT sign, bus stop, road narrows, steep hill (33:43). Newspaper clipping “black-out” time guidance (35:33). Protagonists sit at rowdy canteen/ pub for black out hours, review tips (35:35). Shorthand traffic signs painted into the road, useful during black out hours (38:45). Safety tips for reversing vehicle, military officer looks through rear of vehicle, uses hand signals (40:00). Dodge D15 15cwt 4×2 GS Truck exemplifies reversing on narrow, gravel road (41:35). Review and the film ends (44:40).
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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 and 2k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
