Almost Lost Images and Audio

"Count Dohna and his "Moewe" - a silent film procured by the US Army Signal Corps and placed into the public domain files of the US National Archives, showing actual scenes of German commerce raiding on the seas in World War I. The actual film was "taken with German camera, lens and film by the first made of the "Moewe," Captain-lieutenant Wolf." The "Moewe" was the name of the combat-raiding ship. This is some pretty darned impressive footage of actual sea combat in the early years of the First World War.

From the public domain files of the US National Archives, here is a US Army historical film (No. 1109) procured by the Army Signal Corps with silent scenes of "The Italian Army in the World War" (referring to WWI, not II). Lots of men, materials and weapons are shown, including mule pack trains and cavalry, artillery being moved up steep mountain roads and troops on bicycles, as well as early Italian tanks. Has some actual combat scenes, as well as training and movements. This is really an impressive look at Italian efforts during The Great War.

As the US prepared troops to go into combat in World War I, physical training and hand-to-hand combat was a large part of the training they received. Here are scenes of that training from an Army film found in the public domain files of the US National Archives.

From the public domain files of the US National Archives, here are scenes of the 1937 Japanese attack, both aerial and ground, on Shanghai, China, in the years prior to the US entry into World War II in the Pacific and Asia. Scenes are from the Chinese side of the front, and include some actual combat as well as merely preparations.

RIP, Al Unser, Sr. A bit of silent "B-roll" film taken at Indianapolis in, I think, 1973.....

Here's an interesting bit of footage digitized from 16mm film....it was almost certainly shot in New York City, and shows the famous actors Cary Grant and Farrah Fawcett (Majors) at a table together in a crowded location...perhaps a restaurant? Farrah is then briefly interviewed. This was probably shot by a news cameraman in the 1970s....you can find on the internet a number of still shots of the two of them together in places like Studio 54 (which this might have been). The footage was purchased at an estate sale of a former film editor for a New York television station, but has no notes or other attribution. Posted for historical education and critique....and if anyone has specific information as to the time/place, please drop a note about it.

A bit of film now in the public domain from the files of the US National Archives, about US military activities along and across the border with Mexico during the era of Pershing and Pancho Villa, circa 1916, and the conflicts in that nation that threatened to spread into the US. It's an interesting look at soldiering in the period just before the World Wars, especially the logistical aspects....transporting covered wagons on train cars, for example. Automobiles versus cavalry horses and pack mules....the advent of machine guns and use of airplanes and radio in conflict and warfare.

Digitized from 16mm film purchased at an estate sale, these scenes are obviously outtakes of flubbed lines and actions..and equally obviously, from war/military movies of the 1950s or 60s. Has some rather funny stuff. Enjoy.

In 1943, the Allies invaded the European mainland through the boot of Italy, with both English and American armies conducting landings and moving inland. Here are a number of scenes from the invasion and the Italian populace reacting to it. Taken from a newsreel from the now-defunct and vanished "Official Films", which used mostly government-produced war footage. Posted for historical education and critique.

Segment of a newsreel by the now-defunct and vanished "Official Films, here is "The Invasion of Sicily," the last, and necessary, stopping and staging point before the invasion of the European mainland in World War II. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique. Scenes of actual combat, to include the actual landing by General Patton himself.

From the now-defunct and disappeared "Official Films," a piece of a newsreal "News Thrills of 1943," about the surrender of the island of Pantelleria, just off of Italy, which the Allies took in preparation for the invasion of the European Continent. Nice footage of naval bombardment and aerial bomb attacks. Posted for historical education and critique.

From the public domain files of the US National Archives, here is a piece made by the French Pictorial Service on "French Colonial Troops in the War"...the "War" in the instance being World War One. Silent with intercut captions...a fascinating look at how the French mobilized as many men as they could find for service during The Great War. Lots of logistical scenes and training scenes.

From the public domain files of the US National Archives, here is the first reel of a US Army Signal Corps film on airships...that is, lighter than air aircraft, such as dirigibles, blimps and balloons....in their various flight and landing regimes. Some really unique footage here of how they were operated and flown, as well as scenes from old US Army installations and bases and Army flyers and crews. This reel includes footage of the USS Shenandoah dropping a wreath over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Washington, and the results of a German dirigible bombing raid over France (and a damaged German airship on the ground).

From the public domain files of the US National Archives, here is a silent historical film from the US Army Signal Corps (No. 1116) originally made by "Official Government Pictures, Inc." entitled "Britain's Bulwarks - With the Policemen of the Allies on the North Sea." Shows a lot of British sailors and ships and generally celebrates the Royal Navy in the World War I years. OH...and the King comes aboard a battleship.

From the public domain files of the US National Archives, here is the first reel of a US Army Signal Corps film on airships...that is, lighter than air aircraft, such as dirigibles, blimps and balloons....in their various flight and landing regimes. Some really unique footage here of how they were operated and flown, as well as scenes from old US Army installations and bases and Army flyers and crews.

This is some very rare footage - Bing Crosby and other performers at a USO show during World War II, taken on unfortunately silent 16mm home movie film. Based on old photos and some books I was able to find, this is at the 78th Fighter Group and 79th Service Group, 8th Air Force station F-357 in Duxford, England, September 2, 1944. Pretty sure it was shot by one of the pilots there. This is the second upload of this....but a much better version, thanks to much better equipment that I lucked into obtaining.

Scenes of British, Russian and American battle tanks in action in Europe and the Pacific, to include actual combat footage taken from inside a flame-throwing US tank in one of the island battles. Rare footage of Russian/Soviet tanks of the time. Taken from a newsreel produced by the now-defunct and vanished Castle Films, and clearly from footage of combat photographers. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.

A captured German film from the First World War depicting an aerial bombing attack.....clearly some staged shots, but still very revealing and educational....and shows how primitive such bombing started out.

In the early years of the Space Race, NASA provided periodic films of their activities to Congress and the public to demonstrate the progress the agency had made. This one, released to the public domain like all NASA films, is a project report for the Mercury program, that put American astronauts into space for the first time.

Seized by the US Army Signal Corps, here are a number of silent scenes from the German side of World War I, to include what appears to be some actual combat footage, as well as German leadership and German soldiers and airmen. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.

For nearly a year, the USSR instituted a ground blockade of the city of Berlin, Germany, in an attempt to pressure the former Allies of World War II into giving up control of the city by the multinational agreement. The Blockade was broken by the famous Berlin Airlift, and the Soviet Union finally gave up and allowed truck and train traffic. This silent segment of a newsreel by the now-defunct and disappeared Castle Films shows scenes of ground traffic moving again to Berlin in 1949. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.

A segment of a silent newsreel made by the now-defunct and disappeared Castle Films, these scenes are of violent political turmoil in China in 1949 between the Nationalists and Communists, resulting in Europeans evacuating. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.

A segment of a 1942 newsreel produced by the now-defunct and disappeared "Official Films," a production company that most often used government-created films to make documentaries and newsreels for the public, this clip shows actual combat footage of a Japanese attack on an unnamed US aircraft carrier in the South Pacific. Given as it was from 1942, I believe it was probably Yorktown before she was sunk at Midway. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.

A segment of a 1942 newsreel produced by the now-defunct and disappeared "Official Films," a production company that most often used government-produced film to create public releases. This clip shows mostly Australian troops fighting against the Japanese through the jungle terrain of New Guinea in the early years of the war in the Pacific, and includes at least some actual combat footage. Some very impressive shots of combat supply airdrops requiring some pretty gutsy flying. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.

A segment of a 1942 newsreel produced by the now-defunct and disappeared "Official Films," a production company that most often used government-created films to make documentaries and newsreels for the public, this clip shows combat in North Africa between British and American forces against the Nazi Afrika Corps led by Rommel. WARNING: CONTAINS VIEWS OF ACTUAL DEAD SOLDIERS. Some shots probably staged, but also actual combat footage. Posted for historical education, discussion and critique.