My training films
for the home guard bring me quick promotion
As a teacher, in my late thirties, I was exempt from serving
in t he forces, so I threw in my lot with the Home Guard where
I was put to work in the Orderly Room preparing drawings and
sketches and making models for Troop Tactical Exercises. My skill
in making films brought me quick promotion and I was appointed
Battalion Film Officer - with the task of making training films,
the cost to come out of my own pocket.
The films I produced, although deadly serious at the time,
now equal any footage of the famous 'Dad's Army' episodes on
BBC television. I remember the Home Guards' answer to overcome
enemy armour; the device consisted of a length of washing line
and an army blanket, the idea was to raise the blanket as an
enemy tank approached and blind the driver; jerry must
have been quivering in their jack boots with the thought of what
the Home Guard was preparing for them.
Eventually I produced several important training films
which taught the 'citizen' soldiers a great deal. The camera
revealed not only their strengths but their failures. When out
on manoeuvres I was able to record the mistakes of one patrol
that allowed itself to be silhouetted against the skyline and
in doing so provided an easy target for a potential enemy marksman.
The use of camouflage and the handling of weapons were other
subjects I filmed. I took close-ups of the mechanism of antitank
guns which proved to be most useful to the soldiers using the
weapons. I filmed men throwing hand grenades from the trenches
- the film made it quite clear to them what happened if they
took cover too late.
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Film Officer Sam
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There was one fatal accident in my Battalion and a very
serious accident. The training films helped to minimise such
happenings. The men were made more aware of the correct way to
do things, and this no doubt helped to save lives. As the Battalion
Film Officer I was able to requisition films that were available
for the fighting services, and I went around the various Home
Guard Companies during the winter evenings to show the films
issued by the Army Film Unit. I was able to show them the official
films of events in France and the Low Countries when the German
armies were moving in. They were able to see the new tactics
practised by the Nazis, which even to the old soldiers of the
1914-18 war, was a revelation. The old soldiers and the inexperienced
Home Guards began to appreciate that they had much to learn and
that films could be most helpful in their training.
On one occasion I was able to help the Commanding Officer
in preparing for a briefing he wished to give the whole of the
29th Battalion. First he needed a place to seat all the men;
I commandeered a local cinema. He wanted to illustrate an area
of the countryside on a blackboard but he doubted if he had the
skill to do this. But, I had a solution. I used the largest piece
of plywood that was available, then painted it with dead' black
paint and with the help of Albert Paiton, an old scholar, who
was a skilled draughtsman, I asked him to pencil in all the grid
lines and other important features that the C.O. wished to chalk
on the board.
On the day of the briefing, the C.O. stood on the stage
of the cinema in front of the assembled Battalion. The spot light
shone down on to the blackboard. The C.O. talked to his men and
as he did so he chalked in the details on the map, starting with
the Battalion BO As the map grew in perfect proportion there
were murmurs of approval, the men were appreciative of the great
skill shown by their Commanding Officer. As he finished, there
was a spontaneous applause. The C.O. held up his hand - "I
am not as bloody good as you think," he paused - "it
was already pencilled in for me." Such honesty was greatly
appreciated.
My other duties in the Home Guard included filming several
parades, one of which as the third anniversary of the formation
of the L.D.V. - it took place on the cattle-market, one of the
biggest open spaces in the town, later to become the site for
the Central bus station and much later for Burnley's new Police
Station. Then there was a special parade for 'Salute the Soldier
Week' which saw a contingent of American soldiers marching through
the town.
On a more light-hearted occasion I filmed the Home Guard 'C'
Company at Hood House on Manchester Road (now part of Scott Park).
Here they relaxed and entertained their families with races for
the children and a ventriloquist act - the dummy appropriately
dressed in uniform, there were side shows and cups of tea, whilst
the soldiers entertained themselves, as well as their guests,
with pillow fights on a slippery pole.
Whenever there was a parade and they knew I would be showing
films afterwards, there were few absentees; they did not want
to miss an opportunity of seeing themselves on the screen.
On Parade
On one occasion I was given the responsibility of organising
the NW Area's Boxing Tournament at the Drill Hall. It was quite
a responsibility, but being a teacher, they thought I was the
man to do it. I suppose that the most difficult part and that
I had was remembering that I was in officer's uniform to return
the salutes from all the soldiers who were reporting to me for
their instructions.
On the night of the Tournament the Drill Hall was full. The
boxing provided many exciting moments and some amusing. One unfortunate
contestant split his shorts to such an extent that most spectators
thought he was very cheeky.