FRENCH REFUGEES DISEMBARK AT SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: FRENCH REFUGEES DISEMBARK AT SOUTHAMPTON DOCKS [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: BTF 78
  • Other titles: RAILWAYS IN BRITAIN, 1935-1976 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: French refugees disembarking at Southampton, displaced by the conflict in Europe. There is also a record of evacuees departing by train from Folkestone Station, and British military vehicles going into storage at Southampton Docks. The film begins with the Royal train arriving into Waterloo Station, London.
  • Description: (14-19 May 1940) The Royal train arrives into Waterloo, being hauled by a Southern ‘T9’ class 4-4-0 locomotive (No.119). Evacuees are being let onto the Folkestone Station concourse by railway staff, checking tickets as they carry bags of luggage up from a lower level. The evacuees are accompanied by their parents, or Civilian Evacuation Volunteers (?), and are aged approximately 7-10 years old. They all have gas mask boxes and name tags attached to their clothes. Shots of the evacuees before they disembark show some were upset to be leaving. The scene then cuts to the evacuees waiting in carriages to depart whilst the Civilian Evacuation Volunteers (?) wait on the platform for the train to depart. (1 min 04 sec) CH33 (19 May 1940) Continuing on from CH33, a train load of evacuees disembark from the station platform at Folkestone. As the train begins to move away from the platform the evacuees’ lean out from the carriage windows and wave to their parents, and the Civilian Evacuation Volunteers (?), on the platform. As the final carriage passes, the station sign for “FOLKESTONE CENTRAL” is revealed on the building behind. (2 min 08 sec) CH34 (20 May 1940) Refugees from France disembark from the SS NEWHAVEN vessel onto the dockside at Southampton. One of the passengers is carried off by stretcher, but most are able to carry bags of luggage. British Army personnel stand by as they disembark. (3 min 21 sec) The refugees are then moved into storage sheds for processing. All wear white tags on their clothing and some are being assisted by British service personnel. Above them are signs for an “ARP SHELTER” and the “SOUTHERN RAILWAY SPECIAL TRAIN FOR LONDON WATERLOO”, as they fill out documentation at writing desks. A canteen area has been set-up and Red Cross nurses are present to carry out health inspections. The refugees feature in close-ups, appearing to be well dressed and in good health. They are a mixture of men, women and children. The sequence ends with more of the refugees disembarking onto the dockside. (4 min 15 sec) CH35-36 (20 May 1940) British Cruiser Mk III, Cruiser Mk V and Light Tank Mk VIC tanks are driven in a row down a street towards the Southampton Docks storage sheds (No. 104 and 105). They are followed by some AEC Marshal 3-ton trucks, also going into storage. The end of the sequence shows one of the tanks having its petrol extracted to make it safe for storage. (6 min 52 sec) CH37 (21 May 1940) The tanks featured in CH37, some motorcycles, two “ENTERTAINMENT BRANCH – CINEMA DIVISION” vans and some military trucks are in rows inside a storage shed at Southampton Docks. Inside storage shed 103, freight from the various stockpiles of wooden crates and other resources are driven out to the dockside on motorised pallet trucks. The freight is then lifted in cargo nets onto waiting vessels by dockside crane. (8 min 13 sec) CH38 (20 May 1940) The scene cuts back to refugees being processed in shed 107, Southampton Docks, having just arrived into port (see CH35-36). (10 min 14 sec) CH38A
  • Alternative Title: RAILWAYS IN BRITAIN, 1935-1976 [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: BTF 78
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (BTF 78)
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1940-05
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Southern Railway Film Unit (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 989ft ; 10 min 35 sec
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    BTF 78

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