PICTURES FOR TROOPS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 59, 3 December 1941, Page 6

PICTURES FOR TROOPS

Mobile Theatres In Desert “Out in the blue,” as the desert wastes are called, the New Zealand troops in the Middle East have their own picture shows. The plant is on wheels, admission is free, and there are uo plush seats, circle or stalls. The shows are held in the open, usually in a small wadi, and the men sit on the sand; but that does not detract from the enjoyment. In fact, for the men in the desert no picture show has probably been more enjoyable. The cinema service, which is financed by the National Patriotic Fund Board,' is run by the New Zealand Y.M.C.A. The mobile unit, operating two projectors, has travelled thousands of miles in the three months it has been on the job and lias gone as for forward as Sidi Barrani. Besides feature films, coloured cartoons, travel-talks and other shorts well known to picture audiences are screened. Scenic films of New Zealand have also been included and the uuit hopes to obtain from the Dominion topical films of New Zealand and its people ’in wartime.. Up till now all films have been lent by motion picture services in Egypt or have been sent from New Zealand. Occasionally films have been exchanged with the mobile picture unit attached to the South African Forces.