Description: Some of the remaining inhabitants of Flers watch an 11th Armoured Division jeep bring in six young German prisoners and their FFI captors. Standing among the ruins at the centre of Flers, the town crier issues a formal proclamation of liberation to the large number of people who have gathered in the main street in order to welcome the British. The crews of Cromwell tanks belonging to the 2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry's 'C' squadron and elements of the 3rd RTR are given a warm welcome as they drive through the town. On the N24 bis outside Flers, an FFI cyclist brings in six prisoners, of whom several are probably Russians. An M10 "Achilles" from the 75th Anti-Tank Brigade Regiment's 117 Battery AR heads a procession of vehicles past a column of 3rd RTR Shermans gathering for an attack on the village of Ste Opportune, situated halfway between Flers and Briouze. Three 4th KSLI Universal carriers overtake a procession of refugees leaving Flers along the Rue de Paris before returning to their homes.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Grant, Ian James1917-04-16Family origin: Edinburgh, Scotland (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Forces Francaises de l'Interieur (regiment/service)
British Army, Yeomanry, Northamptonshire, 2 (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Tank Regiment, 3rd Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Shropshire Light Infantry, King's, 4th Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Bde 159 Gp (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Artillery (regiment/service)
British Army, Div, Armoured, 11 (regiment/service)
British Army, Corps 30 (regiment/service)
Keywords: celebrations, French - liberation: Flers (object name)
prisoners of war, German - movement: road (object name)
transport, United States military - utility: jeep (object name)
armour, British - tank: Cromwell (object name)
armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman & [British] (object name)
armour, United States - SPG: M10 Achilles & [British] (object name)
armour, British - carrier: Universal (object name)
Refugees (object name)
signs, military and civilian (object name)
Flers, Somme, France (geography)
Orne (River), France (geography)
Normandy, France (geography)
