WAR OFFICE OFFICIAL TOPICAL BUDGET 309-1 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR OFFICE OFFICIAL TOPICAL BUDGET 309-1 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: NTB 309-1
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: I. French General Maistre inspects an aerodrome. II. Open-air concert for wounded soldiers. III. Venizelos of Greece attends church service. IV. Scenes on the Western front.
  • Description: I. 'FRENCH AVIATION CAMP. General Maistre visits an aerodrome in Soissons and inspects the fighting planes.' General Maistre and his retinue walk along a line of Nieuport XVII fighters parked on a grassy field. The General stops to talk with one of the pilots. Men prepare to board a line of SPAD VIIs, and LSs as one aircraft taxies to take off. II. 'WAR ENTERTAINMENTS. A large number of wounded soldiers were entertained by a performance of "A Midsummer Nights Dream" at Hanover Lodge Regent's Park." LS as costumed actors and actresses file past. Convalescent soldiers stand looking on as fairies dance about. MS of Titania and Bottom - they embrace affectionately. Bottom, Titania and fairies approach camera. III. 'PROVISIONAL CONTROL FOR GREECE. M. Venizelos accompanied by General Danglis and Admiral Candouriotis attend service at the Church of St. Sophie at Salonika.' Greek military pass camera. Venizelos wears a top hat and morning coat - his hat lifted in salute to the crowds of onlookers, including Allied officers. IV. 'ON THE WESTERN FRONT. OUR ARTILLERY AT WORK.' LS over battery of 6-inch howitzers in flat terrain. A gun opens fire from offscreen to left, and in the background, other guns - all well dug in - also fire. 'Infantry moving up to stem the German attack.' Men rest by the roadside - it is fairly muddy. MS of soldiers marching at ease along a tree-lined road, followed by bicyclists and officers on horseback.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: NTB 309-1
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (NTB 309-1)
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1917-07-25
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: War Office (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Maistre, Paul (person) Venizelos, Eleftherios (person) Condouriotis (Admiral) (person) Danglis (General) (person) French Army, Air Corps (regiment/service) British Army, artillery (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: aircraft, French - combat: Nieuport 17 (object name) aircraft, French - combat: Spad 7 (object name) buildings, French - military: aerodrome (object name) delegations, French national - military: General Maistre visits aerodrome (object name) recreation, British military - theatre: Shakespeare (object name) arts, British - theatre: Shakespeare, William & Midsummer Night's Dream (object name) ceremonies, Greek - event-related: honouring of provisional government, Salonika (object name) religion, Christianity - ceremonial, Greek (object name) operations, British military - routine (object name) weapons, British - gun: 6-inch howitzer (object name) Soissons, Aisne, France (geography) GB, England & London, NW <Regent's Park> (geography) Greece & Salonika, Macedonia <Saint Sophia's Church> (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: 297 ft; Running time: 3 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    NTB 309-1

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
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