Title:SAINT OMER, SPANISH VISITORS AND CHRISTMAS SCENES, 1917 [Allocated Title]
Film Number:IWM 153
Other titles:
Summary: I. Recreational clubs for British soldiers in the town of St-Omer, Western Front, late 1917.
II. Spanish civilians being escorted over the old Vimy Ridge battlefield, Western Front, late 1917.
III. British soldiers behind the lines on the Western Front celebrating Christmas, 1917.
Description: A wooden house, the "Church Army Club and Military Church", with British and American troops wandering in front of it. Two permanent buildings, the Roberts Club (named after Field Marshal Lord Roberts) and the Monro Club (named after General Sir Charles Monro), both for servicemen. All the buildings are in St-Omer.
A British officer escorts the party, whose names (from the shotsheet) are José Clare, Luis Clare, André Triand, Manuel Azaña and Pierre Ynglanda, over the deserted remains of the battlefield.
British soldiers at Christmas buying turkeys and ducks from a French farm. One, with a sprig of mistletoe, kisses a French girl at the farm. Other British soldiers with an American (?) liaison officer march through the snow, and others rest in a snow-covered field. Scottish troops led by their pipe band march through the snow. British soldiers cut mistletoe down from a tree.
Production Details: War Office Cinema Committee (Production sponsor)
Topical Film Company (Production company)
McDowell, J B (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Clare, Jose (person)
Clare, Luis (person)
Triand, Andre (person)
Azaña y Diaz, Manuel (person)
Ynglanda, Pierre (person)
British Army (regiment/service)
British Army (regiment/service)
British Army (regiment/service)
Keywords: recreation, British military - general (object name)
buildings, British - military: church (object name)
buildings, British - military: club (object name)
delegations, Spanish international - goodwill (object name)
society, British military - friendship (object name)
recreation, British military - general (object name)
celebrations, British - popular: Christmas (object name)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
01/3(4-15).7 (event)
Saint Omer, Pas-de-Calais, France (geography)
Vimy Ridge, Pas-de-Calais, France (geography)
France (geography)
Winter (concept)
