The Gen Voice of the Service films were produced by the RAF Film Production Unit during World War 2. The films contained a combination of news items and general information. The RAF was the only British service to have its own newsreel during the War, producing 18 issues of The Gen between April 1943 and September 1945. Intended to show the service to the service, the films were shown exclusively to RAF personnel serving at home and overseas. An unpublished history of the Royal Air Force Film Production Unit (RAFFPU), written at the end of the war, explained that each issue had to provide topical interest and entertainment so that they could be shown in all RAF camp cinemas as part of the normal cinema show. The Gen proved to be extremely popular with the Service from the first and was considered by commanders to have very high morale value particularly for troops overseas, many of whom worked and lived in isolated conditions. The Royal Air Force Film Production Unit or RAFFPU produced propaganda films depicting RAF personnel and aircraft both on the ground and in aerial action from 1941 to 1945. Personnel included John Boulting, Harry Watt, Lewis Gilbert and Richard Attenborough. The RAFFPU was formed in 1941 after it was recognised that captured film footage was being processed by civilian companies before it could be securely classified. Additionally, many civilian cameramen were not able to be taken on bombing raids, so service personnel were trained to be able to perform these tasks. The RAFFPU had two main tasks; to document the RAF's work and to produce propaganda films involving the Royal Air Force. The RAFFPU mainly worked at Pinewood. Personnel from the film unit were present on many notable raids, such as Operation Jericho, the Amiens prison raid, which was flown to free members of the French Resistance. The unit had access to Beaufort, Anson, Hudson, Havoc and Auster aircraft based at RAF Benson and RAF Langley. Whilst production stopped in 1945, the unit was officially stood down at RAF Stanmore Park in March 1947 when it became the Film Production Unit Library.

I. "Action." a. Bombers fly over North African encampments. b. Aerial film of Pantelleria: also of Bostons and Mitchells in action.

II. "It's a Fact - the Desert." RAF's thousandth 'kill' celebrated at Grosvenor House. Group Captains Malan and Edwards (VC) and Commodore Rene are present. a. British Minister to Tehran on tour of inspection. b. General Montgomery surveys the Mareth Line (now in British hands), and meets General Eisenhower. Having won their bet (on whether he would take Sfax by 15 April), Montgomery collects his prize - a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, with crew. c. General Alexander and Air Marshal Coningham plan strategy together. iii. "News Digest" a. The King and Queen congratulate the "Dam Busters" including Wing Commander Gibson and Flight Lieutenant McCarthy (US). b. General Giraud meets General de Gaulle, and de Gaulle inspects French troops. c. Sergeant Cohen and his Swordfish crew are congratulated by Coningham for accepting the surrender of Lampedusa.

III. "In Passing." a. Emil Jannings is made up to play title role in OHM KRUGER: a Film intended (says commentary) to disrupt British relations with South Africa - but Smuts will still gain Electoral support. b. Hitler meets Pétain; they look at maps. c. Hitler meets Franco, near Spanish border (at Hendaye; meeting actually took place on 23 October 1940). d. Me 109s over the Ploesti oilfields, Rumania (Romania): a "target for tomorrow."

IV. "Overseas - the Tin-openers." Hurricane IIDs, armed with 40mm cannon for anti-tank action in North Africa. Ground crews service guns; planes take off (exercise footage).

V. "Malan's Party." RAF's thousandth 'kill' celebrated at Grosvenor House. Group Captains Malan and Edwards (VC) and Commodore Rene are present.

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