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Calling Blighty [India]

1944

Cat no. 431

The Norfolk Regiment calls home from India.

This film was made for showing in local cinemas. Soldiers of the Royal Norfolk Regiment are filmed in a large mess. A piano is playing in the background and native servants move around the mess. The soldiers are all privates or NCOs and range in age from their late teens to mid forties. They speak directly to the camera giving brief messages to their families. Some are self conscious and stilted; others more eloquent. Most of the messages are typical holiday postcard type messages. The men ask after their families, reassure them that they are well and that the mail is getting through. Some have individual messages for family members, girlfriends or children. One sergeant, in a message to his wife Philippa, says 'it's good to know our house is being rebuilt'. Another asks his mother if she saw his cousin Ernie a few minutes earlier. At the end of the film the men gather around the piano and the pianist plays out the film. The men wave and cheer at the end.

Keywords

Soldiers; World War II

Other Places

India

Background Information

These men must be from the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Norfolk Regiment. The 1st Battalion took part in the D-Day landings and were in Europe at this time before leaving for Korea. The 7th Battalion also served in France. The 4th, 5th and 6th Battalions served in Malaya. The second Battalion would have been either in training or on leave from the Burma campaign.

Manifestations

Calling Blighty [India]

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