James Ernest Elder Wills (1900–1970) was a British person who had a lengthy career in the film industry.He mainly worked as an art director, but he also worked in other roles, including director.Films he was involved in include Tiger Bay, The Quatermass Xperiment, and The Men of Sherwood Forest.He was a colonel during the Second World War who worked in i.s.r.b. designing and building camouflaged explosive devices for agents operating against the Germans and Japanese.
Was a scenic artist at Drury Lane prior to entering films as an art director in 1927.
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The film Against the Wind (1948) was based on his wartime experiences.
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During WWII, he was in the British Army (note the gap in his film work from 1937-1948) where he rose to the rank of Colonel. His talents, particularly as an art director were noted and made good use of. He ran the camouflage and special devices section at The Thatched Barn in Barnet where he led a team that made all sorts of strange and cunning devices. These included concealed radio transmitters, booby traps hidden in animal dung (camel for the desert, horse for Europe, elephant for the Far East), exploding milk bottles, cigarettes, pens etc. These were used by agents of S.O.E. (Special Operations Executive) and left where they would be picked up (or stepped in) by the enemy.
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