OLD BILL AND SON - rushes [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: OLD BILL AND SON - rushes [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: MGH 2
  • Other titles: BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN FRANCE [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Unedited film of British Army disembarking, travelling in convoy, preparing defences and off-duty in Northern France is background actuality for feature production.
  • Description: Reel 1. Camera in fixed position records seemingly endless passage of British Army vehicles driving on the right along a straight road on a dull wintry day. Vehicles include Bren carriers, trucks transporting troops and towing artillery and a Light Tank Mk VIB. Final sequence shows three soldiers wearing gasmasks advancing on turkeys in a French farmyard, a comic scene heralding the approach of Christmas. Reel 2. Man with pipe holds up camera slate indicating Legeran Films, Take A-25, B-P. Long tracking shot outside single storey houses in French village where young girl and elderly peasant couple stand looking at camera. Sign for Sunlight Soap stands in window (presumably for British soldiers). Take A-26: fixed camera records passage of British Army trucks through French village, past three women on opposite side of road. Take A-26: Canadian War Cemetery No 2 1914-1918 sign outside cemetery. Reel 3. Camera in fixed position records passage of British Army vehicles (as in Reel 1). Same church tower and town visible in background as in Reel 1. Vehicles include line of Light Tank Mk VIBs, trucks whose soldier occupants mostly acknowledge the camera and motorcyclists. Brief shot shows camera car on far side of road with numberplate (1832 NAB) and three civilians and one British Army officer (probably War Office cinematographer Captain Harry Rignold) standing next to camera equipment cases. Another camera angle shows convoy of vehicles continuing. Trucks cross railway crossing. Next sequence taken after snowfall: trucks stationary and passing, loading coal onto barges on canal. Soldiers wash NAAFI plates. Other soldiers playfully hold up French children. Trucks enter town. Take A-3: soldiers make pavĂ© road in country, while another lights a fire under a cauldron. Elsewhere soldiers rush into a farmyard, frightening geese and hens, before taking up position behind sandbags. Same action repeated via different route. Pan from French farmhouse and peasants to British bunker. Snow-covered road, with British Army trucks and concealed gun emplacement. Reel 4. Armstrong Whitworth Dragon Mk IIIA artillery tractors tow guns along snow-covered road. Two French government posters announce requisition of cars and immediate call-up of certain categories of reservists. British Army vehicles pass through snow-covered town. Take 15-A: vehicles pass through town. Reaction shots of British Army audience enjoying stage (not seen) performance; soldiers cheer then put on coats and leave. French children enjoy Christmas party arranged for them in Arras by Army Public Relations staff (Captain Bacon and very short Major McCormack visible); corporal laces up 16mm projector. Brief shot of snow-covered French square (Arras ?) before return to Christmas Party (cameraman Lieutenant Massey Collier stands beneath interlinked British and French flags on wall of festively decorated hall). Reel 5. Take A-5: more reaction shots of British Army audience enjoying stage performance, filmed from stage. Officers and men clap and laugh (directed) and join in singing. Elsewhere soldiers peel potatoes indoors. Take A-28: British soldiers, including some in berets, disembark from ship in Channel (French) port. More views of PR Christmas Party for French children, with Lieutenant Massey Collier (?) talking to young guests. More views of British Army audience enjoying stage performance. Reel 6. Soldier crouches behind Bren gun, then loads it. Two corporals drink from can. Road repair party at work. Soldiers with shovels proceed along muddy track past French farmhouses. Soldiers eat and rest in wood. Camouflaged gun position in wood. Soldiers make cement. Take A-10: field gun in camouflaged position is elevated. Lewis gun protects airfield, with several biplanes visible in distance. Gun team emerge rush from hut marked No 10 Downing Street and topped by German helmet to man Lewis gun. Gloster Gladiator of 615 Squadron (based at Vitry-en-Artois from 13-12-1939 to 12-4-1940) is wheeled past. More views of soldiers in wood. Soldiers fork root crops from huge pile into truck marked Pas de Calais. Take A-21: camera in French town records passage of cars and cyclists, and two British soldiers crossing road. Take A-22: camera elsewhere in town records passage of cars and British Army trucks. Advertisement sign for Suze. Reel 7. Camera records passage of French civilians and British civilians, and occasional vehicles. Take A-24: another street view shows French horse and cart passing, as well as British soldiers. Cars stop and occupants invariably stare at camera. Troops in trucks pass along country road, then get out of trucks before three Fairey Battles pass low overhead. Back in snow-covered town soldiers emerge from building and march off through streets. Large carthorse and British Army trucks pass through town. Reel 8. Channel ferry (SS Maid of Perth ? of London) comes alongside in French port and British soldiers disembark before departing by train. French soldier in foreground waves at departing troops. Reel 9. Take A-29: British soldiers pass along station platform; group includes freakishly tall man and several carrying musical instruments in cases indicating a military band. Soldiers in full kit drill. Others in full kit march down road in French town, frightening geese ahead. Take A-30: British soldiers disembark from Channel ferry in French port. Bunks stand empty in barracks hut. Scottish soldier in kilt emerges from hut to collect hot water from cauldron. Reel 10. Take A-34. Soldiers in full kit form up and march off. Soldiers emerge from barracks hut. Take A-31: Scottish soldier in kilt beside cauldron jokingly throws water over soldier. Soldiers march out of barracks on outskirts of French town, with NAAFI truck visible. More forming up, drill and marching off. Soldiers at port railway station entrain. Take A-16: exterior of Au Soleil Levant cafe. Extended tracking shot from rear of vehicle records canal running through town, parked British Army vehicles, signpost indicating Lens as 19 (?) kms distant (so canal town is presumably Arras), village and French advertisement signs, past sign indicating Faumont 4.5 kms, Lille 26 kms and road as Route Nationale 17 and into town (presumably Douai, indicated by wall advertisement and RN 17 route).
  • Alternative Title: BRITISH EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN FRANCE [Alternative Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: MGH 2
  • Sound: Sound
  • Access Conditions: NON-IWM
  • Featured Period:
  • Production Date: 1940
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Legeran Films (Production company) Dalrymple, Ian Murray1903-08-261989-03-28 (Production individual) Somlo, Josef (Production individual) Boxall, Harold (Production individual) Korda, Alexander (Production individual) Bairnsfather, Bruce1888-07-091959-09-29Having previously served in the Army prior to being trained as an artist at the Hassall School of Art, Bairnsfather was recalled for service with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment on the outbreak of war in August 1914. As the fighting lines and trenches were established, he began to sketch everyday life at the front from the humorous, and world-weary perspective of the ordinary British infantryman. (Production individual) Dalrymple, Ian Murray1903-08-261989-03-28 (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords:
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Sound Soundtrack language: English Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 10 Footage: 7076 ft; Running time: 78 mins
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  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    MGH 2

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