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Support us on Patreon: Produced by the Army Film and Photographic Unit and the Royal Air Force Film Production Unit, this black-and-white film “Desert Victory,” explores the Battle for North Africa during World War II. The picture begins on a somber note, with a message at mark 00:23 that “in the making of this film four British cameramen were killed, seven were wounded, and six were captured by the enemy” and that “the scenes of Field Marshal Rommel and of Hitler were filmed by the Germans — but were captured by the British in the rapid advance.” It is dedicated to the “men of the Eight Army … who, on the 23rd October, 1942, left the holes they had scratched for themselves in the rock and sand of the desert and moved forward to destroy the myth of Rommel invincibility … and complete the liberation of the second Roman Empire overseas.” With that, the scene moves to a barren landscape at mark 01:30 and the reminder that “the western desert is a place fit only for war. Thousands of square miles of nothing but sand and stone.” Hot days, frigid night, sandstorms, and a lack of water all contribute to making life intolerable. “The Arabs say after five days of it, murder can be excused.” At mark 04:00, the film takes the viewer to El Alamein, where two decisive battles in 1942 had taken place. We are shown Field Marshal Claude Auchinleck, a British Army commander who was Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East theatre (but later relieved of command during the crucial Alamein campaign). The British are shown successfully defending their position from German artillery and fighters near mark 06:00, and at mark 07:00 are visited by Prime Minister Winston Churchill in August 1942. (The British Eighth Army had all but exhausted itself after the first battle of El Alamein in July 1942, and the visit was as much a morale boost for the troops as it was a review of Auchinleck, who was replaced as Commander-in-Chief Middle East Command by General Harold Alexander). Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery was named commander of the Eighth Army. Alexander’s primary mission as commander was to take on and defeat German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel, whose control of much of Egypt threatened the British Commonwealth’s Suez Canal. To that end, the film reminds its viewer (at mark 08:30) that British men and women at home were at work in factories to make certain supplies and armaments were always being made available. Scenes of workers on assembly lines and in aircraft factories fill the screen, and at mark 09:37, the viewer is told that workers in the United States are also contributing to the war effort, especially in the creation of the Sherman tank. At mark 13:51, we catch a glimpse of Rommell in some of the captured German footage, and explanation of how the Germans were beginning to suffer from a lack of supplies, thanks to constant bombardment from American and British aircraft on supply lines and supply ships. The Royal Navy also did its part, the viewer is told at mark 15:15, as nearly two dozen German ships were sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. “In August (1942) alone, 80 percent of what was sent to him was sent to the bottom,” says the narrator. Back on land at mark 17:07, both sides were ready for another fight in Northern Africa. This would come to be known as the Second Battle of El Alamein, fought from October 23 to November 11, 1942. It would end in an Allied victory, turning the tide in the North African Campaign and bolstering Allied morale. “Rommell was full of confidence,” the narrator explains at mark 18:47 as we see more captured German footage. “He was saying to journalists in Berlin. ‘You may rely on our holding fast to what we have gotten. We hold the gateway to Egypt.” At 19:22, we see Adolf Hitler, and an receive an explanation of how he promoted Rommell to the rank of field marshall. The British had other plans and beginning at mark 21:40 are shown preparing for battle, including readying aircraft and arming tanks with shells. “And now that all new what was to be done and all was made ready,” the narrator says at mark 22:55, “there were final moments of normal desert life. Of rest, of washing clothes, of a swim in the sea.” And as the sun set, they rested … and waited. “The Battle of El Alamein began in the evening,” we are told at mark 24:50, as tanks rumble across the screen. “As light failed, the final moves were made.” The darkness and quiet of the film is suddenly broken at mark 27:14 with a shout of “Fire!” and blasts of ammunition as fighting erupts. This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
