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Australia to England via Tobruk and Benghazi: Menzies Wartime Tour (1941)

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clip Menzies addresses the troops, Palestine education content clip 2

Original classification rating: not rated. This clip chosen to be PG

Clip description

This clip from a Menzies home movie begins with the Prime Minister’s visit to one of the field hospitals in the Middle East during his trip to meet the troops in 1941. We see nurses, medical staff and injured troops waving at the camera. Another camera, being cranked by its operator, is also shown. A wide shot is followed by a close-up of a camel train against a vast blue sky.

An intertitle then announces the next stops on the Prime Minister’s tour: Palestine, Cairo and Libya. We see Sir Robert meeting military commanders in Palestine before addressing troops of the Australian Imperial Forces 6th Division. The clip ends with a march past and general salute.

Curator’s notes

Prime Minister Menzies visited a number of Army hospitals during his visit to the Middle East. We see a number of nurses, an image of Australian women contributing to the war effort in the field. The fact that Sir Robert also showed a camera being operated reveals his fascination with the medium.

Brief shots of a camel train also reveal Sir Robert’s interest in the local culture. For a moment, the film becomes a typical holiday-maker’s home movie. This image in particular highlights the quality of the 16mm colour film.

As he was introduced to the official party by Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Blamey, Commander of AIF troops in the Middle East, the Prime Minister uses a series of tight edits and shots from different angles.

When we see the assembled troops, however, a number of wide panning shots are used to reveal the size of the force. Sir Robert was deeply moved by the opportunity to address the troops. He later wrote in his diary, 'It is a moving thing to speak to thousands of young men, mere boys, in the flower of their youth, many of whom will never see Australia again … These men are unbeatable’.

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australianscreen is produced by the National Film and Sound Archive. By using the website you agree to comply with the terms and conditions described elsewhere on this site. The NFSA may amend the 'Conditions of Use’ from time to time without notice.

All materials on the site, including but not limited to text, video clips, audio clips, designs, logos, illustrations and still images, are protected by the Copyright Laws of Australia and international conventions.

When you access australianscreen you agree that:

  • You may retrieve materials for information only.
  • You may download materials for your personal use or for non-commercial educational purposes, but you must not publish them elsewhere or redistribute clips in any way.
  • You may embed the clip for non-commercial educational purposes including for use on a school intranet site or a school resource catalogue.
  • The National Film and Sound Archive’s permission must be sought to amend any information in the materials, unless otherwise stated in notices throughout the Site.

All other rights reserved.

ANY UNAUTHORISED USE OF MATERIAL ON THIS SITE MAY RESULT IN CIVIL AND CRIMINAL LIABILITY.

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