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Duration 0:23

Dustbin Parade

A Halas and Batchelor cartoon on the need for scrap. The animation shows a wide range of waste items being converted into useful items. Old hot water bottles are turned into tyres, old scraps of clothing are turned into uniforms and tin cans are melted down.

Context

At the time of this film Britain and her Empire allies were standing alone against Nazi Germany. German submarines were sinking ships bringing vital supplies to Britain. Thus, re-using as many materials as possible was one way to free up space in supply ships for vital supplies, weapons and equipment.

Interesting or important points about the film

There are some interesting links between this animated film and the film “Salvage with a Smile”. Both try to explain why salvage is important by showing what can be made from salvage. The British Ministry of Information was a strong believer in the value of cartoons because they were able to show scenes which would be much more difficult and expensive to show using live action.