OLD FILM. WW2

I AM A MEMBER OF THE LOCAL HISTORY SOCIETY, WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD SOME OLD 16MM FILMS DIGITISED. THIS IS ONE SHOWING A MILITARY PARADE IN PLATT BRIDGE/ABRAM EVENTUALLY WE ARE HOPING TO PUT THEM AL ON YOUTUBE.PITY THERE ISN'T ANY SOUND..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIt0nhp_lCw

The film’s tremendous even without sound, Admin!

Abram, Wigan WW2 Military Parade: YouTube Link

What would the totalizer on the town hall have been for?



Credit: Dennis Miller, WW Album

Jo Anne on one of the other films it shows the thermometer totaliser and I'm sure its something to do with SHIP WEEK? Maybe wrong? but it has something to do with 'Ships' I'll have another look.

Thanks, Admin, that’s interesting.

Warship Weeks (Wiki / .pdf):

“The scheme was outlined in a letter sent to local savings committees by the President and Chairman of the National Savings Committee asking a community to select a Week between 18 Oct 1941 and 28 Mar 1942. During this period the intention was to raise a sum by investment or deposit in all types of war savings representing the cost of building one of His Majesty’s ships ranging from the smallest to the largest vessels … (which the community was) subsequently officially authorised to adopt. Local savings schemes were run by Local Savings Committees with the aid of Municipal Authorities, the latter being accepted as the authorities to whom the success of the local effort should be recognised by the Admiralty through the gift of plaques and certificates in commemoration of the adoption.”

Does anyone know what regiments are represented?

JR click on the link on my first post and you can see the complete film

This video is amazing. It’s clearly a war effort fundraising event with the large display outside Abram UDC council office. Many, if not all the military men there, carrying rifles are home guard and not regular army who would have been overseas. The Home Guard shoulder flash is quite visible. I just looked again at the 1939 register (census) where Abram was very working class - full of men employed in local collierys in a reserved occupation that was so dangerous and never recognised. I reckon this is why the Home Guard contingent here look unusually young here. The serge uniforms indicate this wasn’t early WW2 as the LDV/Home guard never had uniform at first. No-one here wears the 1939-1943/5 (medal) Star that was awarded in 1943. All other stars were awarded in 1946 where the Home guard also received the Defence Medal. Some older folk show the typically 2 or 3 great war medals of WW1. So I date this video between 1940 and 1943. Most the marchers are not military at all despite most displaying an ‘Eyes right’ salute. One chap turns his head full around telling his group to do ‘eyes front’. Marchers include the Police, fire service, Air Raid Precaution folk with metal hats. There are ladies behind. I best guess by their dress they are Womens’ Land Army and not ATS, Auxiliary Transport Service. There is a rather old RAF Flying Officer with one stripe, the lowest RAF officer rank accompanying one official. I suspect he is from the Air Cadets or ADCC (Air Defence Cadet Corps) as it was named at the time.

Thanks for the long and interesting narrative Pewfall.
Some good info in there and well observed.