WAR OFFICE OFFICIAL TOPICAL BUDGET 310-2 [Main Title]

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  • Title: WAR OFFICE OFFICIAL TOPICAL BUDGET 310-2 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: NTB 310-2
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: I. General Pétain honours an infantry regiment. II. General Feraud inspects bicycle troops. III. French Minister of Labour attends a fête at Nesle to celebrate its recent liberation. IV. Prince Alexander of Serbia visits the front. V. Continuation of episode on the festivities at Nesle.
  • Description: I. 'GENERAL Pétain. The French Commander-in-Chief receives a bouquet from a school girl. Decorating the Flag of the 410th Regiment of Infantry.' A woman approaches Pétain and gives him a written paper - he responds by kissing her on both cheeks, and she seems suitably overcome. The schoolgirl is also kissed and her bouquet accepted. Pétain and his retinue inspect regiment. MS as the great man pins a medal onto the regimental flag, then kisses the standard bearer on both cheeks and shakes his hand. The inspection continues. II. 'WITH THE FRENCH ARMY. General Feraud inspects a section of cyclists attached to the 1st division of cavalry.' CU rear view of the General as he pins a medal on regimental standard of 26th Chasseurs. March past by infantry and mounted troops. III. 'CELEBRATING THEIR LIBERATION. M. Viviani and M. Leon Bourgeois, Minister of Labour, attend the Fete at Nesles (sic) and address the inhabitants on their liberation from the German rule.' LS over the heads of a crowd of soldiers to stage where a woman in French national dress gives a speech. Rear MS of a man talking to the crowd from stage - he is holding aloft and shaking a bunch of papers from which sections float free. Crowd scene - the actress seen earlier hands a programme (?) to an elderly man. M. Bourgeois (?) addresses the crowd. IV. 'PRINCE ALEXANDRE (sic). The Serbian Prince visits the 1st Serbian Army in the field.' A Serbian officer points out something of interest to the Prince, who looks through binoculars. Prince Alexander chats with an officer. The Prince and his staff depart on horseback - as the camera pans across at the end of the sequence, the country is seen to be wooded and very mountainous. V. 'FRENCH NATIONAL FETE. English officers distributing chocolates to the children of the liberated provinces.' An English staff officer distributes sweets to local children, then attempts to calm the ensuing melée. Actress talks with British officers. British and French officers buy programmes. A French soldier peers through a slide viewer. Actresses stand by a building ready in their costumes - a pierrot (?) appears to be peering out of a window at the beginning of the shot - pan continues over the crowd, which seems to be made up mainly of soldiers.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: NTB 310-2
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (NTB 310-2)
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1917-08-04
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: War Office (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Pétain, Philippe (person) Feraud (General) (person) Viviani, René (person) Bourgeois, Léon Victor Auguste (person) Alexander I, King of Yugoslavia (person) French Army, Infantry Regt 410 (regiment/service) French Army, Div, Cavalry, 1 & [bicycle troops] (regiment/service) Serbian Army, Army 1 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ceremonies, French - event-related: honouring of 410th Infantry Regiment (object name) delegations, French national - state: Petain visits 410th Infantry Regiment (object name) ceremonies, French - display: inspection of troops (object name) transport, French military - 2/3 wheel: bicycle (object name) celebrations, French - liberation: Nesle (object name) recreation, French civilian - social: fete (object name) delegations, Serbian national - state: Prince Alexander visits Serbian troops (object name) celebrations, French - liberation: Nesle (object name) society, British military - friendship: sweets for French children (object name) recreation, French civilian - social: fete (object name) Nesle, Somme, France (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: 287 ft; Running time: 3 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    NTB 310-2

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