PICTORIAL NEWS (OFFICIAL) 342-2 [Main Title]

Log in to create clips, download free screeners and save clips/films in Collections. Click here to find out more.

  • Title: PICTORIAL NEWS (OFFICIAL) 342-2 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: NTB 342-2
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: I. 'THE CHARGE. Inspiring spectacle of French Cavalry at the gallop.' II. A spectacular fire in Redding, California. III. The King and Queen visit Reading. IV. Chinese Labour Battalion celebrates their New Year.
  • Description: I. French cavalry passes through a town in the rain - the column attracts the attention of a small dog drinking from a roadside puddle. LS of cavalry drawn up in a grassy field - a detachment gallops past the camera, preceded by buglers and accompanied by two enthusiastic dogs, one of them the drinker seen earlier. II. 'AN INFERNO OF FLAME. Most spectacular fire of recent years wipes out the town of Redding on the Pacific Coast.' LS of the Redding Hotel and nearby offices well ablaze in a strong wind. Hoses are being played on the building, but with little apparent effect. The building starts to collapse. III. 'KING AND QUEEN AT READING. Their Majesties inspect Sutton's war seeds and Huntley and Palmer's war biscuits.' The royal couple are shown through a long room where women are packing army ration biscuits. They stop as their escort picks up a biscuit for the King's closer attention. Cut to the seed room of Sutton's Royal Seed Establishment where women are packing paper bags. The King examines the seeds. 'KING AND A HERO'S CHILD. His Majesty shakes hands with little Master Beasley after presenting his Mother with his fallen father's medal.' The King and Queen walk through Reading Hospital grounds past nurses and convalescent soldiers. Watched by an audience of soldiers, they talk with a (just honoured ?) soldier in a wicker invalid chair - a photographer has set up his camera among the audience. King awards DCM and Military Medal to Sergeant W Dykes of the Royal Scots Greys who has lost his right arm. The widow of Second Lieutenant A W Beasley, Royal Berkshire Regiment, comes up with her small son to receive her late husband's Military Medal. The King shakes hands with the boy, who salutes him smartly - this amuses the King, who shakes his hand again, to be rewarded with another salute. The Beasleys turn to leave and are directed towards the Queen, who seems sufficiently thawed by the boy's charm to shake his hand. IV. 'THE CHINAMAN'S NEW YEAR. Quaint frolics of the Chinese Labour Battalion on the Western Front.' A modest Chinese New Year procession passes through a French village, watched by Chinese and British troops - the floats are stylised boats. The crowd follows on after the procession has passed. Four Chinamen caper about on stilts before onlookers.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: NTB 342-2
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (NTB 342-2)
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1918-03-18
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: War Office (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: George V, King (person) Mary, Queen (person) Dykes, W (person) Beasley, A W (person) French Army, [cavalry] (regiment/service) Royal Seed Establishment (regiment/service) Huntley & Palmers (regiment/service) British Army, Chinese Labour Corps (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: operations, French military - movement: horse (object name) destruction, United States: fire in Redding (object name) society, United States - precautionary: fire fighting (object name) ceremonies, British - state: investiture (object name) delegations, British national - state: George V visits Reading (object name) industry, British - food: biscuit factory (object name) industry, British - general: seed packing factory (object name) medical, British civilian - hospital: Reading Hospital (object name) celebrations, Chinese - popular: New Year (object name) society, Chinese - ethnic (object name) Redding, California, United States of America (geography) Reading, Berkshire, England, UK (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: 312 ft; Running time: 3 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    NTB 342-2

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register