Summary: Gurkha and British troops during the Third Battle of Gaza, Palestine Front, November 1917.
Description: Gurkhas in a trench prepare for the assault and attack. They are probably 3/3rd Battalion, the Gurkha Rifles, 75th Division, before the fall of Gaza on 18 November 1917. This is followed by a sequence of 8-inch howitzers being taken over a bridge at Belah, unlimbered, and fired. A sequence giving the view through a telescope shows a heliograph and mounted sentries on the move. The inside of the pumping station at Shellal. A press for printing British Army maps of the Palestine Front. Some West Indians, part of 1st Battalion, British West Indies Regiment (?), loaned to XXI Corps on 75th Division Front, marching down a road. There are brief views of officers on a hill surveying with binoculars and signalling, an outside view of the pumping station, and a final view of British troops in dug-outs on a hillside, possibly 1/5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment, 75th Division but possibly men of 60th (London) Division instead. Finally stores being landed from a ship using surf boats, perhaps at Gaza.
Production Details: Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Topical Film Company (Production company)
Jeapes, Harold (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Egyptian Expeditionary Force (regiment/service)
British Army, Div 75 (regiment/service)
British Army, Div 60 (?) (regiment/service)
British Army, British West Indies Regiment, 1st Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Devonshire Regiment, Bn 1/5 (regiment/service)
Indian Army, Egyptian Expeditionary Force (regiment/service)
Indian Army, 3rd Gurkha Rifles, 3rd Battalion (regiment/service)
Keywords: weapons, British - gun: 8-inch howitzer (object name)
operations, British military - preparation (object name)
operations, British military - sortie (object name)
combat, British - artillery bombardment (object name)
buildings, Palestinian - military: printing works (object name)
communications, British military - direct: heliograph (object name)
buildings, Palestinian - military: pumping station (object name)
supplies, British, movement [RA] - misc (object name)
ships, Palestinian civilian - harbour: surf boat (object name)
equipment, British - navigational: map (object name)
01/3(569).42 (event)
Turkey & Gaza, Palestine (geography)
Turkey & Belah, Palestine (geography)
Turkey & Shellal, Palestine (geography)
desert (concept)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Silent
Soundtrack language: None
Title language: None
Subtitle language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 990 ft; Running time: 17 mins
