Post by fwx on Nov 14, 2012 20:13:56 GMT 12
Since this was a film produced during the war I have placed it here, rather than in the NZ media section - hope that's OK.
I've just stumbled across the existence of a 35mm feature-length documentary movie made in 1945 by British Movietone News and the same people who made Maximum Effort.
The title is not very inspiring but the content certainly sounds interesting - wonder if anyone has seen this?
Reported in the Auckland Star, 21 November 1945:
Belated Effort To Film Deeds Of N.Z. Airmen
N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 20.
FILM records of the part played by New Zealanders in the European air war are disappointingly few. The career of the Division in the Middle East was almost completely recorded by moving picture cameras, as were both the land and air forces in the Pacific, which were also equipped with public relations services. The R.N.Z.A.F. in Britain, however, was a forgotten force as far as the attentions of the official New Zealand cameramen were concerned. In the latter stages of the war, however, an effort was made by the authorities in London to make up for the lack of films which would give the New Zealand public a picture of the activities of the Dominion's airmen in the war against Germany.
After the completion by the Ministry of Information of "Maximum Effort," a short film telling the story of a typical heavy bomber crew of the No. 75 New Zealand Squadron, which was presented to the Dominion as a tribute to her men in Bomber' Command, R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters and the High Commissioner's Office arranged with the Ministry to produce a, longer documentary film covering as fully as possible the whole story of the New Zealand airmen in the European war.
Working Under Difficulties
This film, titled "New Zealand Was There," has just been completed. It was made under extraordinary difficulties, entailing a search of the R.A.F. Film Unit's library for early material showing New Zealanders and New Zealand squadrons in training and action and the eventually "borrowing" of a cameraman from the Canadian Army to film squadrons then based in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
About 2000 ft long, it shows the development of New Zealand's air strength and the creation of new squadrons. It contains several fine action shots, such as that of the Amiens "gaol break" attack by New Zealand Mosquitoes and the destruction of a flying V1 by a New Zealand Tempest. The film was produced by Miss E. Arnot Robertson, a well-known English writer, who was also responsible for "Maximum Effort." The commentary is spoken by Mr. Leslie Mitchell, one of the best known newsreel commentators in Britain.
It is listed in the IWM collections:
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060021439
New Zealand Was There
Object description
A record of the part played by the RNZAF, within the RAF, in the air war over Europe.
Full description
After an opening scene in the office of High Commissioner Jordan, the film recalls the history of the force (Commonwealth air training scheme etc) and provides a picture of the seven New Zealand Squadrons and portraits of some of New Zealand's commanders and 'aces'. 75 Squadron (Bombers) is shown in both its Wellington and Lancaster days with film illustrating night bombing. Of other squadrons (485, Spitfires; 486, Hurricanes, Typhoons and Tempests; 487, Mosquito bombers; 488 Mosquito night fighters; 489 Beaufighters; 490, Sunderlands), most attention is paid to 489 and 487, including material on the Amiens prison and Tirpitz raids. The commanders shown include Coningham and Park, the 'aces' E J "Cobber" Kain, Gray, Deere, Checketts, Compton and Scott. Closing scenes show New Zealand air and groundcrew on airfields in liberated Europe. "Be sure that the rest of the Empire will remember with gratitude and pride that the New Zealand was there."
I've just stumbled across the existence of a 35mm feature-length documentary movie made in 1945 by British Movietone News and the same people who made Maximum Effort.
The title is not very inspiring but the content certainly sounds interesting - wonder if anyone has seen this?
Reported in the Auckland Star, 21 November 1945:
Belated Effort To Film Deeds Of N.Z. Airmen
N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 10.30 a.m. LONDON, Nov. 20.
FILM records of the part played by New Zealanders in the European air war are disappointingly few. The career of the Division in the Middle East was almost completely recorded by moving picture cameras, as were both the land and air forces in the Pacific, which were also equipped with public relations services. The R.N.Z.A.F. in Britain, however, was a forgotten force as far as the attentions of the official New Zealand cameramen were concerned. In the latter stages of the war, however, an effort was made by the authorities in London to make up for the lack of films which would give the New Zealand public a picture of the activities of the Dominion's airmen in the war against Germany.
After the completion by the Ministry of Information of "Maximum Effort," a short film telling the story of a typical heavy bomber crew of the No. 75 New Zealand Squadron, which was presented to the Dominion as a tribute to her men in Bomber' Command, R.N.Z.A.F. headquarters and the High Commissioner's Office arranged with the Ministry to produce a, longer documentary film covering as fully as possible the whole story of the New Zealand airmen in the European war.
Working Under Difficulties
This film, titled "New Zealand Was There," has just been completed. It was made under extraordinary difficulties, entailing a search of the R.A.F. Film Unit's library for early material showing New Zealanders and New Zealand squadrons in training and action and the eventually "borrowing" of a cameraman from the Canadian Army to film squadrons then based in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.
About 2000 ft long, it shows the development of New Zealand's air strength and the creation of new squadrons. It contains several fine action shots, such as that of the Amiens "gaol break" attack by New Zealand Mosquitoes and the destruction of a flying V1 by a New Zealand Tempest. The film was produced by Miss E. Arnot Robertson, a well-known English writer, who was also responsible for "Maximum Effort." The commentary is spoken by Mr. Leslie Mitchell, one of the best known newsreel commentators in Britain.
It is listed in the IWM collections:
www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060021439
New Zealand Was There
Object description
A record of the part played by the RNZAF, within the RAF, in the air war over Europe.
Full description
After an opening scene in the office of High Commissioner Jordan, the film recalls the history of the force (Commonwealth air training scheme etc) and provides a picture of the seven New Zealand Squadrons and portraits of some of New Zealand's commanders and 'aces'. 75 Squadron (Bombers) is shown in both its Wellington and Lancaster days with film illustrating night bombing. Of other squadrons (485, Spitfires; 486, Hurricanes, Typhoons and Tempests; 487, Mosquito bombers; 488 Mosquito night fighters; 489 Beaufighters; 490, Sunderlands), most attention is paid to 489 and 487, including material on the Amiens prison and Tirpitz raids. The commanders shown include Coningham and Park, the 'aces' E J "Cobber" Kain, Gray, Deere, Checketts, Compton and Scott. Closing scenes show New Zealand air and groundcrew on airfields in liberated Europe. "Be sure that the rest of the Empire will remember with gratitude and pride that the New Zealand was there."