WWII Camouflage Techniques “THE BIVOUAC AREA”
One of a series of films about camouflage produced during WWII, THE BIVOUAC AREA describes how airplane surveillance of roads can make it difficult to conceal the location of convoys and their bivouac (a temporary camp without tents or cover, used especially by soldiers.). For this reason, a close examination of any potential bivouac area must be made. At 2:24, a truck convoy moves in close column on a road, making it a sitting duck for enemy aircraft. The recommended procedure is seen at 2:50, with trucks spread out by a hundred yards or more. At 3:20, the convoy moves on a dirt road and maintains camouflage discipline — not straying off the road and creating new tracks. At 4:00, troops brush up flattened grass to further conceal truck movement. At 5:10, a halftrack is moved to adjust the shadows that it throws, and at 5:55 a vehicle’s headlights are covered in leaves to prevent reflections. At 8:00, a truck is entirely covered by natural foliage and properly concealed from the air. At 10:00, examination of aerial photographs is shown, demonstrating that the camouflage is working, since the enemy cannot detect any difference in the photos from the air.
