The Army Film and Photographic Unit was a subdivision of the British armed forces set up on 24 October 1941, to record military events in which the British and Commonwealth armies were engaged. During the war, almost 23 percent of all AFPU soldiers were killed in action; the AFPU was disbanded in 1946.

History

At the outbreak of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in 1939, the Ministry of Information controlled and censored publicity related to all military and civil actions. Separately, the Director of Public Relations,

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

dealt specifically with the affairs of the British army. It was quickly realised that the front line was no place for untrained photographers and cameramen and a call was made to recruit soldiers who had pre-war professional experience with cameras and cine film. Under Lt. Col. Hugh St. Clair Stewart, Pinewood Studio was selected as the headquarters of the new unit called the Army Film and Photographic Unit (AFPU) as well as the RAF Film Unit and the Crown Film Unit, who produced propaganda films for the Ministry of Information. It was here that soldiers could be trained in recording events at the front. From this establishment, photographers and cameramen travelled with various regiments to record the British army in action.

AFPU Number 1 Unit - North Africa

In early 1942, 30 cameramen were sent to

Cairo Cairo ( ; , ) is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Egypt and the Cairo Governorate, being home to more than 10 million people. It is also part of the List of urban agglomerations in Africa, largest urban agglomeration in Africa, L ...

, Egypt to form AFPU's Number 1 Unit. This group, led by Major David MacDonald (a former GPO Film Unit member) first recorded (using Canadian-made 35 mm DeVry cine cameras and 120 Super Ikonta stills cameras) the retreat forced by the German ''

Afrikakorps The German Africa Corps (, ; DAK), commonly known as Afrika Korps, was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its African ...

'' under General Rommel and then the offensive following the

First Battle of El Alamein The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert campaign of World War II, fought in Egypt between Axis (German and Italian) forces of the Panzer Army Africa—which included the under Field Marshal Erwin ...

. It was at the start of the Alamein offensive that Sergeant Billy Jordan , skilfully filmed the opening artillery barrage. Footage of the North African campaign was used in the making of ''

Desert Victory ''Desert Victory'' is a 1943 film produced by the British Ministry of Information (United Kingdom), Ministry of Information, documenting the Allies' North African campaign against Field Marshal Erwin Rommel and the Afrika Korps. This documentary ...

'' which won a best war documentary

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

in 1943. During the North African Campaign, the AFPU Number 1 Unit of 32 men, suffered four killed, seven wounded and six captured.

AFPU Number 2 Unit

Unit Number 2 covered the campaigns through

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

(from which the 1944 documentary '' Tunisian Victory'' was made) and then through the landings on Sicily and Italy.

AFPU Number 5 Unit - Europe

The British Army in the United Kingdom 1939-45 H38276

AFPU Number 5 Unit was formed during 1943, of 36 volunteers drawn from various regiments and led by Major Hugh Stewart. AFPU cameramen and photographers accompanied various army units in all theatres of action, including the Commandos, the

Chindits The Chindits, officially known as Long Range Penetration Groups, were special operations units of the British and Indian armies which saw action in 1943–1944 during the Burma Campaign of World War II. Brigadier Orde Wingate formed the ...

, paratroopers,

Special Air Service The Special Air Service (SAS) is a special forces unit of the British Army. It was founded as a regiment in 1941 by David Stirling, and in 1950 it was reconstituted as a corps. The unit specialises in a number of roles including counter-terr ...

, Special Boat Squadron and the

Long Range Desert Group The Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. Originally called the Long Range Patrol (LRP), the unit was founded in Egypt in June 1940 by Major Ralph Alger Bagnold, ...

. Ten AFPU members were attached to the main divisions during the

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

in June 1944. Their recordings made during the campaign saw cameramen amongst the first waves ashore and then in the fighting inland. AFPU recorded battles during the Italian campaign and across Western Europe including

Monte Cassino The Abbey of Monte Cassino (today usually spelled Montecassino) is a Catholic Church, Catholic, Benedictines, Benedictine monastery on a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, in the Valle Latina, Latin Valley. Located on the site of the ancient ...

Liberation of Paris The liberation of Paris () was a battle that took place during World War II from 19 August 1944 until the German garrison surrendered the French capital on 25 August 1944. Paris had been occupied by Nazi Germany since the signing of the Armisti ...

, Arnhem, the Rhine Crossing and the discovery of

Belsen Concentration Camp Bergen-Belsen (), or Belsen, was a Nazi concentration camp in what is today Lower Saxony in northern Germany, southwest of the town of Bergen near Celle. Originally established as a prisoner of war camp, in 1943, parts of it became a concentr ...

AFPU Number 9 Unit - Far East

In the Far East campaign, Number 9 Unit recorded the army in action in Burma and later made the documentary ''Burma Victory''.

Film stock

The AFPU used 35 mm black and white mute cine film, roughly long and lasted approximately (at per second). Sound effects and commentary were added later to recordings to prepare them for use as newsreels.

Memorial

A memorial at Pinewood Studios records those members of AFPU that were killed in action. The memorial also includes members of the RAF No. 1 Film Production Unit and there is also a memorial to AFPU members at the

National Memorial Arboretum The National Memorial Arboretum is a British site of national remembrance at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. Its objective is to honour the fallen, recognise service and sacrifice, and foster pride in the British Armed Forces and ...

References

{{reflist Military units and formations of the British Army in World War II * 1940s war films Propaganda film units Propaganda in the United Kingdom