This film is part of Free

Women Unloading Railway Trucks
Sprucely dressed women set themselves to lugging tarpaulin and unloading sacks in this WWI newsreel
Overview
Sprucely dressed women set themselves to lugging tarpaulin and unloading sacks from railway trucks under the watchful eye of their male supervisor, in this WWI newsreel item. One of the young women catches the eye of a passing soldier and asks him to lift her up onto the truck - to the apparent enjoyment of them both. There's also some vividly stark footage of soldiers at the Front digging trenches - perhaps intended as a patriotic reminder of the reasons for the women's labours.
There are about 15 seconds of the preceding newsreel story at the beginning of this film, also featuring women at work supporting the war effort, from a story titled Re-making Sacks for the Army.
Related

No Mischief Here Can Satan Find for Idle Hands to Do No Mischief Here Can Satan Find for Idle Hands to Do
1917 1 mins Silent
Pathe's series on WWI turns its eye homeward in this edition about the interning of enemy aliens

The Production of a Map The Production of a Map
Non-Fiction 1917 7 mins Silent
Worlds within worlds: a maps and globes factory, expertly charted on celluloid

Metropolitan Police Ambulance Team Metropolitan Police Ambulance Team
1917 18 mins Silent
Metropolitan Police officers demonstrate their paramedic skills in this early training film


History of the War: The Birth Place of the Great War History of the War: The Birth Place of the Great War
1917 7 mins Silent
Episode of PathΓ©'s series on WWI, focused on the outbreak of hostilities between Austria and Serbia

Mighty Atoms Mighty Atoms
1917 8 mins Silent
While mothers make guns, children have fun: take a peek inside the Woolwich Nursery for the Children of Munition Workers

On Falling - Exclusive Q&A On Falling - Exclusive Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
Writer-director Laura Carreira talks to Nia Childs about her debut feature, On Falling.

Layla - Exclusive Q&A Layla - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 27 mins
Writer, director and performer Amrou Al-Kadhi talks to Rico Johnson-Sinclair about their debut feature.

All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A All We Imagine As Light - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2025 28 mins
Payal Kapadia discusses her Cannes prize-winning and Bafta-nominated drama with Ashanti Omkar.

Khichdi Khichdi
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 16 mins
The interwoven stories of four best friends who reunite in the UK, thirty-five years after training together as nurses during their teens in Ferozepur, Punjab.

Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology Dr XYZ: A Medical Drag Transthology
Documentary 2023 15 mins
A satirical take on the healthcare service announcements of the 1960s and 70s.

Every Moment Counts Every Moment Counts
Animation & Artists Moving Image 2023 9 mins
A short animation that offers a window into the world of childrenβs palliative care.