This 1943 Royal Army film presents weapons including the Bren gun, anti-tank rifle, the anti-tank two pounder and the Thompson submachine gun and how to use them properly in various combat areas. It points to the need of knowing when to fire weapons for most effective use. The British military demonstrates scenes of combat against would be German forces during WW2. It opens with the Bren gun to be used in defense against enemy ground forces (:18). The lightly wooded countryside that the defense is to be responsible for follows (:26). The exposed section is shown with the Bren gun to the right of the trench (:54) and the corporal in the center with his range card (1:01). A sentry scouts for enemy movement (1:29). Enemy troops are spotted (1:45) and the men fire too early giving away their position (2:05). The enemy forces hit the British forces’ location (2:25). The proper procedure follows (2:40). The sentry spots movement (3:34) and informs the section leader. More German forces pile out (4:26). A German troop is sent forward to draw fire from the British (4:55). Once the troops are within range, the order to fire is given (6:07). The anti-tank rifle follows (7:18). It’s sights can be adjusted to 500 and 300 yards (7:22). For the demonstration a British light tank is used (7:30). The angle of impact for effective penetration is 30 degrees or less (7:35). An anti-tank rifleman sits with his Observer Protector Controller (8:59). As the blast of the gun can reveal positions to enemy forces, it is necessary to conceal it (9:15). The OPC spots enemy tanks (9:35). The men fire too early (10:05). One tank moves for the British forces as their position had been given away (10:29). The proper procedure follows with the same scenario (10:59). After the tanks are sighted, the men wait until they are within range (11:38) and make direct hits (12:09). The Tommy gun (12:29) is a short-range weapon most effective up to 50 yards (12:44). A Corporal walking through town (12:59) spots enemy forces (13:02). He signals to his men to take up firing positions (13:10). After they release fire too early, German forces scatter (13:18) and one takes out the Corporal (13:30). A similar situation plays out in a lightly wooded area (14:01). A soldier scouts for enemy troops (14:08) while maintaining cover. His patrol brings up the rear as he spots enemy scouts advancing upon them (14:42). They take cover (14:50). Once the German forces are within range, he orders his men to fire (15:42) and they then are able to advance (15:59). Improper and proper procedure of firing against aircraft follows (16:19). Rifles and light automatics can be used against bombers (16:24). Sights are to be set to 500 yards in order to hit planes (16:48). A platoon is seen marching (17:06) and a sentry signals to them as he spots an enemy plane (17:32). The planes are too high when the men take fire (17:51) and they give their position away (18:01). In another sector of the sky, an enemy plane crashes to the ground (18:17). The film turns to the riflemen who hit the bomber (18:32). The Corporal had waited until it was within range until ordering to fire (19:25). A transport column spots an enemy plane and again fires too soon giving away their position (20:29). Bombers arrive afterwards and hit the area (20:38). The same action conducted properly involves a Bren gun crew spotting the plane and allowing it to pass over without giving themselves away (21:17). Another bomber arrives (21:54) and here they wait until it is flying low enough (22:17). A diagram shows a German force’s position, a British covering fire position (22:54) and the assault team to which they were to provide cover for (23:07). In the first example, British forces continuously fire regardless of whether or not the assault team was covered (23:57) until they have drained their ammunition leaving the assault team without cover for the final stretch (24:47). The proper method includes the covering fire team holding fire while the assault team is well hidden (26:02). This ensures the assault team will have coverage for the final stretch (27:01). The anti-tank two pounder (27:41) should only be used when targets are within 400 to 600 yards (27:50). Several mistakes are made in the first example including the use of a single observer (28:08), wasting time as they decide who is to man the gun (28:45) and firing too early (29:04). The correct method includes concealment of the weapon (29:32), lookouts and crew (29:52). The observer spots the tanks (30:01) and the crew prepares itself for action (30:08). Once they are within range, tanks are easily picked off (30:43).
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