ANNALES DE LA GUERRE 42 [Main Title]

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  • Title: ANNALES DE LA GUERRE 42 [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 508-42
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: I. French newsreel item of members of the BEF of 1914 on their way to be entertained by George V at the Albert Hall, London, Christmas 1917. II. French newsreel item of US troops helping with Christmas celebrations in France, 1917. III. French newsreel item on a counterbalanced girder bridge over a small river so built that one man can raise or lower it by hand, Western Front, December 1917. IV. French newsreel item on an American civilian mission to visit the graves of the first US troops killed in France, December 1917. V. French newsreel item of General Puipeyroux (?) reviewing 3rd Colonial Division, Western Front, December 1917.
  • Description: The men, some in uniform and others in civilian clothes, drive in a fleet of cars through central London to the cheers of the watching crowds. (King George is not shown.) According to the caption there are 700 veterans altogether. At Thann people emerge from a cathedral after a mass, walking into the surrounding snow. The cathedral has a lot of supporting scaffolding. Some children play in the snow and one salutes the camera. At Saint Maixent American soldiers have organised a Christmas tree. A bugler summons the children and "Uncle Sam" arrives by car to give them presents, along with ladies dressed as "Marianne" of France whom he joins on a dais. A US Army string band (guitars, violins and banjos) plays for the camera. "Uncle Sam" holds up a small child in his arms. In Noyon French nursing sisters and soldiers distribute toys to the local children. The unidentified members of the mission approach the graves, which are neatly laid-out and divided off by wooden fencing. A sign indicates that the men were killed on 3rd November 1917 (probably from one of the Railway Engineer companies working near the front). The men of the division first pick up and strap on their equipment. The general reviews them on horseback, and decorates some of the men. He watches the divisional marchpast. Finally a close-up of one of the soldiers wearing his full display of six medals.
  • Alternative Title:
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: IWM 508-42
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM (IWM 508-42)
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1917-12-29
  • Production Country: France
  • Production Details: Section Cinématographique de l'Armée Française (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Puipeyroux (General) (person) British Army (regiment/service) United States Army & American Expeditionary Force (regiment/service) French Army (regiment/service) French Red Cross (regiment/service) French Army, Div, Colonial, 3 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: celebrations, British - popular: Christmas (object name) celebrations, French - popular: Christmas (object name) celebrations, United States - popular: Christmas (object name) religion, Christianity - ceremonial, French (object name) buildings, French - religious: cathedral & [damaged] (object name) society, French - friendship (object name) society, French - charity (object name) society, United States military - friendship (object name) society, United States military - charity (object name) recreation, United States military - music (object name) engineering, military, French (object name) casualties, United States graves - formal (object name) delegations, United States national - goodwill (object name) delegations, French national - military (object name) equipment, French - personal: pack (object name) ceremonies, French - event-related: investiture (object name) 31/3(41) (event) 31/3(44) (event) 01/3(4-15).7 (event) 01/3(4-15).7 (event) 01/3(4-15).7 (event) GB, England & London, WC (geography) Thann, Haut-Rhin, France (geography) Saint Maxent, Somme, France (geography) Noyon, Oise, France (geography) France (geography) Children (concept) Winter (concept) snow (concept) camera (concept)
  • 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: 683 ft; Running time: 11 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 508-42

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