FOR THE EMPIRE [Main Title]

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  • Title: FOR THE EMPIRE [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 714
  • Other titles: MARTYRED BELGIUM (on copy held) [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Incomplete copy of a film combining propaganda with an appeal for the British people to buy War Bonds, April 1916.
  • Description: (Missing is an opening sequence showing the tearing up of the treaty guaranteeing Belgian neutrality.) 'Martyred Belgium' is the title introducing 'scene 2'. Britannia posed beside the figure of 'Belgium' and her dead children. "What are others doing for us?" A soldier sets out for war leaving his parents in a country cottage. Muddy conditions on the Western Front are shown. A letter from the front pleads "for God's sake don't let us down". French troops train in the snow of the Vosges area. A ward for convalescent soldiers in a big hospital, "what others are suffering for us". The parents in the country cottage read in the newspaper of their son's death. Two upper-class parents hear the same news, as does a young mother with a baby and two young children, and the widow of an aristocratic naval officer, beside his portrait. The cities of France and Belgium - Rheims, Arras, Ypres - are shown ruined, but central London is untouched. A destroyer and a battle-cruiser on patrol symbolise protection. But ships must be paid for. Soldiers are shown receiving their pay. A munitions shop at work is shown. "One hand grenade can put out of action four or five persons... and six grenades cost 15/-." A War Bond costs 15/6d, which will buy six grenades or 124 rounds of ammunition. The Chancellor, R McKenna, is quoted urging people to buy the bonds, and a man is shown at the Post Office doing so. (A closing sequence also appears to be missing.)
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (IWM 714)
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1916-04-20
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Wellington House (Production sponsor) Gaumont (Production company) Welsh, Thomas (Production individual) Pearson, George1919-05-162009Family origin: Notts (Production individual) Le Bas, Hedley (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Indomitable (regiment/service) French Army (regiment/service) Post Office (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: propaganda, British - practical (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: B Class (object name) ships, British naval - battleship: Indomitable (object name) destruction, French military - area: artillery bombardment (object name) destruction, Belgian military - area: artillery bombardment (object name) weapons, British - grenade: Mills bomb (object name) ceremonies, British - customary: pay parade (object name) industry, British - munitions (object name) medical, British military - hospital: [+] (object name) 31/3(41) (event) Arras, Pas-de-Calais, France (geography) Rheims, Marne, France (geography) Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium (geography) GB, England & London, SW <Westminster Bridge> (geography) GB, England & London, SW <Houses of Parliament> (geography) Colnbrook, Berkshire, England, UK (geography) Vosges, France (geography) snow (concept) Children (concept)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 467 ft; Running time: 8 mins
  • Notes: Production: originally catalogued as MARTYRED BELGIUM; correctly identified following the appearance of the article by Nicholas Hiley cited below Distribution: FOR THE EMPIRE appears to have been used in at least some cinemas as the supporting programme to THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME. For example, a newspaper advertisement for the Palladium in Southampton promotes screenings of BATTLE OF THE SOMME as 'the most Thrilling Pictures of the War' then says 'Also an extremely interesting Patriotic Film, entitled FOR THE EMPIRE, issued by order H.M. Treasury.' (Information supplied by Dr Michael Hammond, Southampton University.) Summary: the film uses the British pre-1972 system of money. One pound contained 20 shillings (s) each of 12 pence (d). Conventionally sums such as fifteen shillings could be written 15/-. Following a screening in 2004, Colnbrook, Berkshire was suggested as the location for the Post Office seen at the end of the film.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 714

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