Calling Blighty films: messages to families from military personnel

Discussion in 'Research Material' started by familyresearch, Aug 21, 2010.

  1. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

  2. Hebridean Chindit

    Hebridean Chindit Lost in review... Patron

    Skimmed the surface as just re-located and broadband is not fully up to speed yet ... looks like a fascinating project ...
     
  3. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

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  4. Pete Thomas

    Pete Thomas Member

    The following was posted on themanchesters forum. If you search by name, town, etc. you can see (and hear) servicemen in India and Burma sending greetings back to their families:

    North West Film Archive and Channel 4 are working together to track down soldiers who appear in fascinating archive footage shot in India and Burma during WW2. If you are a veteran, a member of their family or a friend – we want to hear from you!

    Calling Blighty is a series of short films made between 1944 and 1946. Servicemen and women who were battling in horrendous conditions against the Japanese were filmed sending personal messages home to their family and friends. Once finished, the films were shipped to Britain where the soldiers’ friends and relatives were invited to their local cinema to watch them on the big screen. The films were designed to provide a much needed boost to morale for soldiers and their families back home, many of whom hadn’t seen each other for years.

    Of the nearly 400 reels originally shot, only a small number survive – of these, 25 feature service men and women from the North West – nearly 600 people in total.

    Now North West Film Archive has launched a project which aims to find the featured veterans, their comrades, families and friends. It will bring them together to share their stories and, 70 years on, watch the films again.

    Please go to www.nwfa.mmu.ac.uk/blighty/index.php and search for any WW2 Burma Campaign veterans you know. If you find someone you recognise, please contact NWFA and help to reconnect the people to the films. Email blighty@mmu.ac.uk or phone Marion Hewitt on 0161 247 3097.

    A documentary about Calling Blighty and the Burma Campaign is being made for broadcast on Channel 4 early in 2016.
     
  5. Staffsyeoman

    Staffsyeoman Member

    I went to a two-day academic conference on WW2 in British film about five years ago; day 1 was at the IWM, day 2 at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (! It was for their lecture theatre) Day 2 was film studies academics a-gogo (most of the presentations seemed to be based on "find the hidden homosexual/sexist subtext") but Day 1 was regional film libraries - and some of these films were shown. They are, in their own way, incredibly poignant and moving. There was quite a discussion about anyone who may have been filmed and subsequently been killed in action.

    All I can say is - if you can help, please, please do.
     
  6. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    merged 4 threads and amended title
     
  7. geoffmsenior

    geoffmsenior New Member

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BoI3bnp30I
    The North West Film Archive is now working with Channel 4 on a new documentary for transmission in early 2016 looking at the Calling Blighty films made in Burma and India in 1944-46 where troops sent home messages to their families - find out more on the NWFA's website at http://www.nwfa.mmu.ac.uk/blighty/index.php and get in touch if you're related to any of these guys
    Thanks
     
  8. Suzi500

    Suzi500 Junior Member

    Thanks for an interesting thread and the information. I hadn't known about this until that amazing program on C4 tonight. Have spent the rest of the evening researching but as we're midlands to no avail. But will persevere...
     
  9. robwalker

    robwalker Member

    SOME FILMS HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED FROM BURMA FEATURING SOLDIERS FROM MANCHESTER ,SHEFFIELD YORK AND SOUTH YORKS INDEED MY GRANDAD IS ON ONE NO.402 ONLY 60 ODD HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED FROM OVER 400 MADE IN FACT I APPEARED ON ITV CALENDAR NEWS THROUGH FINDING MY GRANDAD ON FILM IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE FILMS GOOGLE "CALLING BLIGHTY" AND FOLLOW THE LINKS
     

    Attached Files:

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  10. robwalker

    robwalker Member

    THERE WILL BE A RECREATION SHOWING IN SHEFFIELD ON 23 MAR OF ABOVE FILMS FREE FOR RELATIVES
     
  11. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks for the updated information Rob.
     
  12. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Slowly but surely working my way through my paybooks scanning all pages and rereading entries I haven't seen for years and the below jumped out, looks like Mr Ewart - originally RA but then Sherwood Forester's may well have featured in one of the films - I wonder if it still exists, I cant see it from a quick look

    IMG_20190107_0002.jpg IMG_20190107_0007.jpg
     
  13. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Interesting to see it recorded in such a way.
     
  14. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    This project is still going. They are going to launch another search tomorrow to find more families with the emphasis on men from Brighton. They are hoping to screen the fims there on 16th June. The database remains searchable. The Regiments of many of the men is not known so it is proving a difficult project.
     
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  15. bamboo43

    bamboo43 Very Senior Member

    Thanks for letting us know, I will have another search through the database.
     
  16. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    I recently identified "Tag" Barnes in the archive, unfortunately the film is subject to copyright so only a still is listed :

    4748087 Bombardier Ernest “Tag” Barnes M.M. Royal Artillery & 1 Commando

    29th November 1921 - 3 Q 1997 Sheffield
    He was awarded a Military Medal for his actions at Hill 170 on 31st January 1945

    On the 31st January 1945 at Hill 170 near Kangaw Bdr Barnes was an NCO in No 1 Platoon ordered to counter-attack on the right flank. The leading section of his platoon came under intense machine-gun fire and grenades, the officer and Platoon Sgt being hit immediately. In a short space of time most of the platoon were casualties and Bdr Barnes, though wounded in the thigh, took charge of the leading men, supervised the evacuation of the wounded, and then made a supreme effort to reach his Platoon Sgt who was severely wounded. Despite intense enemy fire he managed to reach his Sgt and drag him back some 20 or 30 yards. Owing to loss of blood from his wound he was then in need of support himself, he recovered slightly and when put on stretcher refused to be taken back, got up and walked away saying that other men needed it more than he did.

    Tag Barnes.png
     
    Last edited: Apr 27, 2020
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  17. Calling Brighton! The Calling Blighty short films bring messages home from the Far East to families in Blighty, who were invited to local cinemas to see their husbands, fathers and brothers on the big screen. These very personal messages were delivered directly to camera and had an enormous emotional impact on the audiences. Of 391 films made, only 63 survive, and the North West Film Archive has searched in Manchester, Sheffield and Birkenhead to find the families and bring them together for the first time in over 70 years to watch the films again. The next opportunity to see highlights from these, and footage of Brighton at War, is on Sunday 16th June 2019 at the Sallis Benney Theatre, University of Brighton - a project in partnership with Screen Archive South East and Imperial War Museums. More details, and clips, at this website. North West Film Archive | A Message HOME - Brighton If you know of any veterans or their families please share the link and the invitation. We would love to find more! Thanks.
     
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  18. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    A newspaper cutting about Calling Blighty and the service book of one of the men features, Denis Butts

    4.jpg
    IMG_20190101_0005.jpg
     
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  19. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    In a happy accident I was going through some war diaries for 9th Royal Sussex dated April1944 and found a reference to a detachment of men who had been sent to the filming of one of these Calling Blighty films in Burma.I have let the project organisers know .I see that stills from the film under the Brighton list have been taken and all names have been arranged in alphabetical order as best they can. They have clearly been working on this project and are indicating if relatives have been able to make an I'd.
     
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  20. Npteggchaser

    Npteggchaser Member

    My grandfather, Thomas Hall, from Cwmbran, South Wales, was in No.1 Army Commando (volunteered from No.2 Independent Company, attached from parent unit, No.2 Monmouthshire Regt.) and was at the Battle of Hill 170, Kangaw Burma too, with 3 Troop and within their war diaries, I saw that 3 soldiers were sent to Bombay to take part in the Calling Blighty series, in early May 1945, wonder if that was the time Tag went to do his bit. Been on the look out for his book too, called Commando Diary, but seen some really silly prices for it though, one for over a thousand pounds, one day though. Good to see the photo.
    #UnitedWeConquer
     
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