THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY [Main Title]

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  • Title: THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 399
  • Other titles: THE BRITISH REGIMENTS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: One or more battalions of the Durham Light Infantry in the rear areas of the Western Front, autumn 1917.
  • Description: The battalion on parade is inspected by its commanding officer (not seen). Men repack their kit after an open-air kit inspection. Some of the men sit resting and eating in the open; one reads the 'Daily Mail', others smoke or play 'house' (see notes). The mail is handed out but the men seem indifferent (possibly staged) reading "all the news from Blighty". The brigade commander (not clearly seen) and his staff come out of a château and get into an ornate horse-driven coach. A posed group of a Lewis machine gun platoon. A further posed group of six NCOs who have "been out since 1914".
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1917-12
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: War Office Cinema Committee (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Durham Light Infantry (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: operations, British military - routine (object name) journalism and record, British - press (object name) society, British military - sustenance (object name) recreation, British military - casual (object name) communications, British military - postal (object name) weapons, British - smallarm: Lewis machine gun (object name) buildings, French - historic: château (object name) 01/3(4-15).7 (event) France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 354 ft; Running time: 6 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Summary: see also IWM 388 and the rest of the series. The game of 'house' or 'housey-housey', a form of bingo, was the only game officially permitted to soldiers at the time Technical: the can holding the positive version of this film is marked as the P 2 version, but appears to be the only version currently in existence Remarks: valueless as a record of a specific battalion, but containing some attractive material
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 399

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register