Title:29TH ARMOURED BRIGADE ADVANCES EAST OF GACÉ [Allocated Title]
Film Number:A70 132-5
Other titles:
Summary: 29th Armoured Brigade group spearheads 11th Armoured Division's advance towards L'Aigle and finds its route obstructed by demolitions effected by the retreating Germans.
Description: During their advance to St Andre d'Echauffour and Ste Gauburge, the 23rd Hussars make their way through the Fôret de St Evroult along a road lined with felled trees which have been dragged out of the way. Outside Ste Gauburge, the 23rd Hussars' armour and the 8th Battalion the Rifle Brigade's motorised infantry wait for their turn to cross a 'scissors' bridge laid across the Risle river, which at this point is little more than a stream. One of the Rifle Brigade's M5 half-tracks crosses over the 'scissors' bridge at the head of a queue of vehicles. In Ste Gauburge itself, the road leading to L'Aigle has been gapped at the point where it crosses the Risle; as further means of delaying the Allied advance, the Germans have placed a barbed wire barricade across the road and have left two railway waggons to block the road on a nearby level-crossing, over which runs the Le Mans-Alençon-Paris railway.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Laws, George E J1916-02-15 (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Hussars, 23 (regiment/service)
British Army, Bde, Armoured, 29 Gp (regiment/service)
British Army, Div, Armoured, 11 (regiment/service)
British Army, Corps 30 (regiment/service)
British Army, Rifle Brigade, 8th Battalion (regiment/service)
Keywords: transport, French civilian - rail: Le Mans-Alençon-Paris railway (object name)
demolition, German - denial (object name)
armour, British - funnies: Valentine bridgelayer (object name)
armour, United States - tank: M4 Sherman & [British] (object name)
armour, United States - funnies: M4 Sherman Firefly & [British] (object name)
armour, United States - halftrack: M5 (object name)
operations, British military - routine: river crossing (object name)
Orne (River), France (geography)
