Armoured Archivist

Combined Operations | RAF Instructional Film (1944)

The Royal Air Force (RAF) produced a series of films detailing the necessity of all-arms cooperation in modern warfare. This six-reel major feature was one of the most significant productions. Interservice rivalry had been a feature, not a bug, of the British military for centuries. But the complexities of technological warfare vastly complicated the rock-paper-scissors nature of combat. Air power could not win a war alone. Naval power could not win a war alone. Land power could not win a war alone. So, to break deeply entrenched traditions of hatred and interference, films like this showcased the benefits of cooperation with the Royal Navy and Army. This production offers a wide selection of original scenes, covering every aspect of logistic preparations, combat loading through to deployment and combat operations. It shows airmen how to cope with going to sea. It shows truck-deployed mobile radar units being set up. It shows the importance of photo reconnaissance, it's interpretation and distribution. It shows how it all comes together in an effective, multi-pronged assault.