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Summary: I. French newsreel item of the arrival of a token Russian force near Athens, Greece, June 1917.
II. French newsreel item of the Somme area. Sappers bury an unexploded shell and detonate it by wire. A demonstration of a flamethrower in a trench system. Western Front, June 1917.
III. French newsreel item of the award of the Legion of Honour to Captain Guynemer, the French ace pilot, Western Front, June 1917.
IV. French newsreel item of farm work in central France, June 1917.
V. French newsreel item of schoolchildren in Paris celebrating US Independence Day, waving US flags and cheering for the camera, 4th July 1917.
Description: A passenger ship brings the Russian contingent to the Piraeus, the port of Athens. French (or Russian ?) soldiers wearing sun helmets start their march from the Piraeus to Athens, establishing posts on the way.
A marchpast by the groundcrew at the aerodrome, followed by a portrait shot of Guynemer. A visiting general (no clear picture) inspects the aerodrome's Spad 13s and decorates Guynemer with the Legion of Honour. The troops again march past, led by their band. An additional, unexplained, scene of an explosion in open country.
Farmers harvest the hay and load it into wagons. Cattle are fenced in a field by barbed wire. Three farmers plough with "American" mechanical tractors.
Production Details: Section Cinématographique de l'Armée Française (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Guynemer, Georges Marie Ludovic Jules (person)
Imperial Russian Army (regiment/service)
French Army (regiment/service)
French Army (regiment/service)
French Army, Air Corps (regiment/service)
Keywords: operations, Russian military - movement: ship (object name)
demolition, French - safety (object name)
weapons, German - shell: [unexploded] (object name)
weapons, French - CBW: flamethrower (object name)
ceremonies, French - event-related: investiture (object name)
aircraft, French - combat: Spad 13 (object name)
agriculture, French - arable (object name)
agriculture, French - animal (object name)
transport, United States civilian - agricultural: tractor & [French] (object name)
celebrations, United States - popular: Fourth of July (object name)
celebrations, French - popular: Fourth of July (object name)
society, French - friendship (object name)
31/3(495) (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
31/3(44) (event)
31/3(44) (event)
Greece & Athens, Central Greece <Piraeus, the> (geography)
Somme, France (geography)
France (geography)
France (geography)
Paris, Département de Ville de Paris, France (geography)
Children (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: None
Subtitle language: French
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 534 ft; Running time: 9 mins
HD Media:Yes
Notes: Title: this is taken from the shotsheet
Production etc: see Notes to IWM 508-10
Date: the release date comes from the official French records. The discrepancy between this and the 4th July item is unexplained
Subtitles: the subtitles on this film are flashframes
Remarks: in this and the previous issue, the French do seem to be overplaying their willingness to receive their new American ally, not to mention their relief at the USA's entry into the war
