MECHANICAL TRANSPORT IN THE FIELD

Format: 16mm

Description: This WWII era Royal Army film breaks down the operation of mechanical transport which on a broad scale refers to everything affecting the organization, control and movement of transport on the field and on a smaller scale simply refers to the actual handling of vehicles (:31). This film will deal with the former view and will include the Royal Army Service Corps (:57). The move enacted will be to advance the company fifteen miles from their current location (1:26). The company is currently located in a lightly wooded area in the countryside that had been chosen as the trees provided coverage from air sightings or attacks (1:57). A zoom in around the site shows the 28 lorries, 2 cars, 7 motorcycles and personnel well covered and concealed (2:41). Prior to the move, cooks are seen preparing the midday meal (3:33) and others conduct daily routines such as vehicle maintenance (3:50). A specific position in the site is pointed to from which a Molotov bomb can be used against approaching enemy attacks (4:23). In order to prepare themselves in the event of an attack, the camp is enclosed in barbed wire, sentry guns are set ready to fire and they equipped with gas detectors and whistles for alarms (4:44). A span is shown of the weapon pits for the rifle men who will back up the light machine gunners and anti-tank rifles (4:58). Trenches had also been dug out for protection against air attacks. A map shows the A, B, and C sections and their varying levels of coverage (5:37) as well as where the headquarters and workshop are located (6:22). Outside of the headquarters, a close up is given of the symbols which inform viewers it is the 70th company of an RFC unit (6:33). A message is brought here by a motorcyclist for the Company Commander (7:17). The message received is shown on screen (7:21) and the Commander then sends for the section officer (7:41). As he arrives, he is careful to leave the car parked at a safe distance from the headquarters so as not to make it’s position obvious (7:55). The second in command had been chosen to carry out the move ordered by the message (8:12) and he orders a reconnaissance party of representatives from each section to report to him (8:17). They decide one subsection is to remain behind for one day (8:27). About fifteen miles will have to be moved across for this move (8:34) and the company commander will decide where to situate the workshop in the new location (9:40). Soldiers begin moving out, keeping a safe distance from one another to maintain discretion (9:50). The film concludes as the motorcyclists move out at the very end of the group (10:23).

Transcription

the company is bivouacked in lightly wooded country I now mean an ideal location but one the occupation of which was dictated by tactical consideration the vehicles have been carefully concealed in amongst trees and bushes this panorama represents a section location in which are concealed 28 lorries 2 cars 7 motorcycles and all the personnel of the section concealment in the air is the best method of protection open to IFC units whilst at rest vehicles have been hidden with the use of camouflage and in one case rick's have been brought in to use an avenue of trees and offered a home safe from the prying eyes enemy ever notice carefully that each of the windscreen have been covered with a key in order to prevent attention being drawn to the vehicle by the reflection of the sun the workshops of these straws being drawn from the solar while the workshop lorry itself is hard at work the cooks are preparing the midday meal the oldest around and french cooking being used men in some of the sections are busily engaged in the daily routine of maestra under the supervision of section of furs and NCL working of course on one of the 16 daily star entertain trifle have been fighting to cover up perches to the position and where necessary roadblocks have been put out at one roadblock a position has been prepared from where Molotov bomb can be used against any enemy vehicle outed at the obstacle light machine gun ready to repel enemy air attack are in position Catholic and field and with the gum team ready for action and gas fences have been posted and are equipped with gas detector discs gasps alarm rattles and whistles for warning of air attack and general alarm weapon pits have been prepared for rifleman in support of the light machine guns and anti-tank right slipped wrenches have been dug for protection since attack from the air the sketch now on the screen shows roughly the area occupied by the company being approximately 1,000 by 750 yards the three operating section are each between 25 to 30 vehicles occupying the areas not shown by the dotted line a section is well hidden in a sixth avenue of trees the affection is not supported being located in the area covered by the panorama at the beginning of this film the affection has an area very similar they are occupied by be in a laughing the area to workshop room has been provided for 10% of the total vehicles of the company in addition to the six of itself thomna headquarters is well situated electrifies control outside company his border we see a company sign the number 70 denotes the company and its best brand which is green and red shows that it is an RFC unit the drum is a divisional fast arriving at company headquarters is a motor fighter with a message from craf see the method is taken to the company c'mon on reading it the company commander then for his section officer the section officers arrived and you will notice that with one exception they are careful not to bring their cars right to the headquarter so making it an obvious type become the commander's verbal warning orders include instructions regarding route dispersal points and time of arrival that he appoints the second-in-command to carry out the move and order the reconnaissance party consisting of a representative from each section to report to him in 30 minutes time he arranges one subsection of the workshop remain behind until the following day to complete some work which is in hand the move from the own location is through contract over which the company has been operating for some time and is well-known to all concern about 50 miles have to be traversed before arriving at a new location at length on the section commanders returned an asset and hand over the affection Sultan all the information they have been given by the company commander affection officers then return to the company headquarters a and B affection officers have already retest take that place in the reconnaissance part while the commander of c-section decides to send his fictional trouble the company commander will himself look for a site for the workshop so that the MSM is only included in the reconnaissance party to assist him in this and to act as a guide when the workshop arrived in a new location you will notice that are moving off reconnaissance party is careful to maintain correct distance between vehicles on the road


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