Summary: I. French newsreel item of a Red Cross garden fête in Salonika, Greece, late May 1917.
II. French newsreel items of their own forces on the Western Front, late May 1917.
Description: The fête is for the various Allied contingents. The Italians and French have their national flags on display. Soldiers and civilians of various nationalities wander through the sunlight, all rather camera-conscious.
Near Soissons is the "Fort de Condé", taken by the French on 19th April, a large stone-and-brick affair with French soldiers walking through it. Also displayed is the collection of German guns captured in the process, chiefly 77mm field guns, 155mm howitzers and various mortars. General Maistre inspects an airfield at which two fighter squadrons are based, one of Nieuport 12 aircraft and the other of Spad 13s. The Spads have their engines started and begin to take off. The French Army Signal Service. One of the soldiers up a telegraph pole testing a line. Others erect another telegraph pole. A cable being laid in one of the trenches is paid out before being covered with sandbags. In a village not far from the front a more permanent cable is run out from a drum and installed underground via a manhole in the middle of the street. Spahi Cavalry in France practise manoeuvres on a beach prior to returning to their camp.
Production Details: Section Cinématographique de l'Armée Française (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Maistre, Paul (person)
French Red Cross (regiment/service)
French Army, Air Corps (regiment/service)
French Army, Signal Service (regiment/service)
French Army, [spahis] (regiment/service)
Keywords: recreation, Allied military - general: fete (object name)
defences, German - emplacement: [captured] (object name)
spoils, French (object name)
aircraft, French - combat: Spad 13 (object name)
aircraft, French - combat: Nieuport 12 (object name)
communications, French military - wire (object name)
training, French military - specialist: equestrian (object name)
First World War, Salonika Front & 5/1917 (event)
01/3(4-15).6 (event)
Greece & Salonika, Macedonia (geography)
France (geography)
Fort de Conde, Soissons, Aisne, France (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: French
Subtitle language: French
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 540 ft; Running time: 10 mins
