INSPECTION OF VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS AT BEDFORD, MARCH 1918, BY FIELD MARSHAL VISCOUNT FRENCH [Main Title]

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  • Title: INSPECTION OF VOLUNTEER REGIMENTS AT BEDFORD, MARCH 1918, BY FIELD MARSHAL VISCOUNT FRENCH [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 174
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: Field Marshal Viscount French's inspection of the Volunteer Training Corps battalions of Number Nine District, Eastern Command, 10 March 1918.
  • Description: French as GOC Home Forces with the VTC battalions commanded by Brigadier-General W G Carter. French is on foot with his staff. Firstly he inspects a battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment drawn up on parade, addresses the officers and presents an award to a private. Then he and his staff wait on a suburban road as the four battalions of the district, from the Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire, Herefordshire and Huntingdonshire regiments, march past. A number of the men wear civilian clothes or New Army navy-blue greatcoats instead of khaki. The film ends with a Union Jack fluttering in a breeze.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1918-03-10
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor) Raymond, H C (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: French, John Denton Pinkstone (person) Carter, William G (person) British Army, Volunteer Training Corps (regiment/service) British Army, Eastern Command (regiment/service) British Army, Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (regiment/service) British Army, Northamptonshire Regiment (regiment/service) British Army, Herefordshire Regiment (regiment/service) British Army, Huntingdonshire Regiment (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: delegations, British national - military (object name) equipment, British - personal: greatcoat (New Army blue) (object name) 31/3(41) (event) GB, England & Bedford area, Beds <Number Nine District, Eastern Command> (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 513 ft; Running time: 9 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Summary: According to the Bedfordshire Times and Independent of 15 March 1918, Field Marshal Viscount John French, C-in-C Home Forces, visited and inspected the Volunteer Training Corps battalions of Number Nine District, Eastern Command on Sunday 10 March 1918, accompanied by General C. Macready, Adjutant-General to the Forces. Colonel J. Hill, C.B, led the battalion which marched along De Parys Avenue and Burnaby Road, to the field of Bedford School. Taking the salute during the inspection were Howard Whitbread (Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire) and Major F. Stevens (chairman of the Bedfordshire Territorial Association). The Mayor of Bedford was also present. [Information provided by former IWM staff member and Bedfordshire Regiment historian, Steve Fuller). Cameraman: the store ledger identifies Raymond as the cameraman. If this is correct he must have been on leave in England and called in for this particular assignment.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 174

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