GENERAL DE GAULLE RETURNS TO FRANCE AFTER HIS FOUR-YEAR EXILE (PART 1) [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: GENERAL DE GAULLE RETURNS TO FRANCE AFTER HIS FOUR-YEAR EXILE (PART 1) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: A70 45-4
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Anxious to assert the authority of his provisional government in the newly-liberated area of France, General de Gaulle arrives in Normandy with a team of military and political advisers.
  • Description: Watched by RN officers and army Beach Group personnel, General de Gaulle lands on 'Juno' Beach at Graye-sur-Mer on a 199th GT Company RASC DUKW. Seen disembarking with him are Admiral d'Argenlieu (Free French navy chief), General Koenig (Commander-in-Chief of the French Forces of the Interior) and M Vienot (de Gaulle's foreign minister). On hand to meet de Gaulle's party is Major Sanderson from 21st Army Group HQ. De Gaulle is seen talking to Commandant de Boislambert, with Colonel de Chevigne (?), Vienot, Koenig and d'Argenlieu listening. He then leaves for Montgomery's HQ at Creully in a jeep driven by Major Sanderson; with him are Vienot and Bethouart. Lieutenant-Colonel Humphrey, OC No 7 Beach Group, salutes in the background as the four men set off from the beach.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-06-14
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor) Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company) Walter, Ernest Henry1919Family origin: Barry, Glamorgan, South Wales (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: D'Argenlieu, Georges Thierry (person) Bethouart, Marie Emile Antoine (person) De Chevigne (Colonel) (person) Boislambert, de (Commandant) (person) Gaulle, Charles André Joseph Marie de (person) Humphrey (Lieutenant Colonel) (person) Koenig, Pierre (person) Sanderson (Major) (person) Vienot, Pierre (person) British Army, Beach Gp 7 (regiment/service) Free French Forces, Forces Francaises de l'Interieur (regiment/service) British Army, Army 21 (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Army Service Corps, General Transport Coy 299 (regiment/service) Royal Navy (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: armour, United States - amphibious: DUKW & [British] (object name) delegations, French international - military: De Gaulle visits Normandy beaches (object name) operations, British military - amphibious (object name) Juno Beach, Graye-sur-Mer, Calvados, France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Footage: 70 ft; Running time: 1 min
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Summary: see with A70 45-1 to 3, 5, 46-11 for footage showing de Gaulle's visit to Normandy and with A70 34-1, 40-1, 46-10, 49-1 and 2, 57-11 for ciné material showing other VIPs - Churchill, HM King George VI - paying similar visits. The identity of one or two of de Gaulle's entourage is speculative. General Koenig - the hero of Bir Hacheim - was commander of all Free French forces in Britain. Remarks: good footage. Best seen with the items of ciné material listed above, notably A70 45-5 which contains complementary, almost identical footage. Documentation/associated material: for a bibliography, refer to the publications listed in A70 45-1.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    A70 45-4

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