Summary: I. French newsreel item showing Serbian First Army on the Salonika Front, September 1917.
II. French newsreel item showing General Berthelot decorating Rumanian soldiers in Rumania, September 1917.
III. French newsreel item on a historical fête in honour of Joan of Arc held behind the lines near the Chemin des Dames by French soldiers, Western Front, September 1917.
IV. French newsreel item on recreation for troops resting from the Western Front, September 1917.
V. French newsreel item on the award of a standard to 1st Chasseur Battalion, Western Front, September 1917.
VI. French newsreel item showing soldiers attending a mass in the ruins of a church near the front lines, Western Front, September 1917.
Description: Colonel Stoistitch checks his maps at a command post in the mountains. 155mm guns bombard the Bulgarian positions opposite, while Serbian officers observe the effects of the fire.
As head of the French military mission in Rumania, Berthelot presents the Médaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre to a number of Rumanian soldiers. Only one award is shown, followed by six soldiers with decorations in a group. A Rumanian regimental standard of the 'icon' type is also decorated - shown in close-up supported by rifles.
The fête is held by men from a resting division. A number of them have dressed up in fifteenth century costume, on foot and horseback, and parade past their curious and amused fellow soldiers.
Some soldiers are taken by their transport lorries to the beach, on the Channel coast. Having got past the wire defences they swim in the sea. The beach shelves only very slightly. Inland another division, possibly Moroccan, holds its sports. These include Graeco-Roman wrestling, a running race, a bicycle race, a horse-race with fences and a boxing match.
In very foggy conditions, in a formal ceremony, the battalion is presented with a standard (probably a previously-used historic banner, it shows considerable battle damage) in recognition of the battalion's recent fighting exploits.
Production Details: Section Cinématographique de l'Armée Française (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Stoistitch (Colonel) (person)
Berthelot, Henri Mathias (person)
Serbian Army, Army 1 (regiment/service)
French Army, [military mission] (regiment/service)
Romanian Army (regiment/service)
French Army (regiment/service)
French Army (regiment/service)
French Army, [colonial troops] (regiment/service)
French Army, Chasseur Bn 1 (regiment/service)
French Army (regiment/service)
Keywords: combat, Serbian - artillery bombardment [D] (object name)
weapons, French - gun: 155mm & [Serbian] (object name)
ceremonies, French - event-related: investiture (object name)
ceremonies, Rumanian - event-related: investiture (object name)
arts, Rumanian military - heraldry: standard (object name)
recreation, French military - theatre (object name)
society, French military - historical (object name)
recreation, French military - general (object name)
recreation, French military - sport: athletics (object name)
ceremonies, French - event-related: presentation (standard) (object name)
religion, Christianity - military, French (object name)
buildings, French - religious: church & [wrecked] (object name)
First World War, Salonika Front & 9/1917 (event)
31/3(498) (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
Greece & Salonika area, Macedonia (geography)
Rumania (geography)
Marne, France (geography)
France (geography)
fog (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: 475 ft; Running time: 8 mins
