Summary: (Free) French newsreel. No commentary, but recorded speech in item (a).
Description: a) Dramatisation of an urban Resistance network in the Ile de France. A car speeds through Paris, a man gets out, enters a basement by giving pass sign and hands over message for dictation to a girl wireless operator. FFI are ordered to "open up the road in Paris for the victorious Allied armies." Actors all wear FFI armbands.
b) General Koenig and Minister of War Diethelm review a parade of French Army recruits (unarmed) at the Place de la Concorde. To the accompaniment of a band, troops march from Les Invalides to the Champs Elysées.
c) Compilation of dramatised and actuality material gives an impressionistic view of the French Army and FFI in action against the enemy. Armoured unit moves through devastated town, jeep crosses mountain river bridge repaired by military engineers, men in snow-covered mountain region launch an attack and German prisoners are marched along a forest road. FFI leading pack mules enter a village, passing a sign warning against mines. An attack is planned. artillery opens fire and men advance through mist-shrouded woods.
d) Churchill visits the French First Army on the Vosges front, in company with de Gaulle, Diethelm, de Lattre de Tassigny and Monsabert on 13 November.
Alternative Title:
Colour:B&W
Digitised:No
Object_Number:COI 531
Sound:Sound
Access Conditions:
Featured Period:1939-1945
Production Date:1944-11
Production Country: France
Production Details:
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Churchill, Winston Leonard Spencer (person)
Diethelm, Andre (person)
Gaulle, Charles André Joseph Marie de (person)
Koenig, Pierre (person)
Lattre de Tassigny, Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de (person)
Monsabert, Joseph de Goislard de (person)
Free French Forces, Army 1 (regiment/service)
Forces Francaises de l'Interieur (regiment/service)
Keywords: animals, mammals: mule (object name)
ceremonies, French - display: review of troops (object name)
combat, French - artillery bombardment (object name)
delegations, British international - political: Churchill visits French First Army (object name)
operations, French military - sortie (object name)
transport, French military - animal packload: mules (object name)
Place de Concord, Paris, Département de Ville de Paris, France (geography)
Vosges, France (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: French
Title language: None
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 485 ft; Running time: 5 mins
