THE BEDFORD REGIMENT (sic) [Main Title]

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  • Title: THE BEDFORD REGIMENT (sic) [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 388
  • Other titles: THE BRITISH REGIMENTS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: A battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment resting in the rear areas of the Western Front, autumn 1917.
  • Description: An open air church parade with the battalion drawn up in hollow square. The battalion marches back to its billets led by its band. A posed group of men "who have been with the battalion since 1914". A further posed group of officers and men of the battalion who have received decorations. (Both groups indistinctly filmed.) Men draw sacks of rations from a dump. Mail is distributed to the men.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1918-02
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: War Office Cinema Committee (Production sponsor) Topical Film Company (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Bedfordshire Regiment (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: operations, British military - routine (object name) religion, Christianity - military, British (object name) communications, British military - postal (object name) 01/3(4-15).7 (event) France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 316 ft; Running time: 6 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Summary: following the policy change in spring 1917 the British abandoned their previously successful 'big battle' film format in favour of a more intimate approach. The BRITISH REGIMENTS series, begun in autumn 1917, was a consequence of this change, concentrating on the routine life of specific battalions out of the line. The censorship rules meant that the battalion number could not be given, only the regimental name. The effort put into this type of film by the few cameramen available meant that very little film was taken of actual fighting during autumn 1917, and the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) is consequently poorly covered in film. The battalions which are identifiable are the regular battalions of their regiments (ie usually 1st or 2nd Battalion) and it appears that this may have been the case for all the battalions filmed. Production: these films were released in three large groups in December 1917, and January and February 1918. An undated WOCC programme for the films from the first two groups of this series (together with a number of other films "representing the activities of the Empire's forces at the Front") confirms that the regimental films were shown in pairs, with no particularly logical basis apparent: in the programme, THE YORK AND LANCASTER REGIMENT is paired with THE HUSSARS; THE DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY with THE EAST KENT REGIMENT (THE BUFFS); THE KING'S (LIVERPOOL) REGIMENT with THE ROYAL BERKSHIRE REGIMENT; THE WEST YORKS REGIMENT with THE ROYAL WEST KENT REGIMENT; THE MIDDLESEX REGIMENT with THE CHESHIRE REGIMENT; THE BEDFORD REGIMENT with THE NORFOLK REGIMENT; THE NORTHANTS REGIMENT with THE KING'S OWN YORKSHIRE LIGHT INFANTRY; THE SUFFOLK REGIMENT with THE ESSEX REGIMENT. These pairings generally survive (sometimes with the order reversed) in the IWM numbering sequence. Two paragraphs in the programme mentioned above read: "An introductory sub-title will appear at the commencement of those subjects representing some of the FAMOUS REGIMENTS IN FRANCE, which will give a resumé of the Brilliant Achievements of each regiment during the Great War. These particulars, which are now being passed by General Headquarters, will greatly add to the interest of a series that is bound to find a big popularity among the public." There is no trace of such titles on any of the prints held by the Imperial War Museum. However, a letter to the Museum from the Archivist of the Honourable Artillery Company in 2006 included a copy of an entry from the War Diary of the 1st Battalion for 16 January 1917 reading "Order received from Brigade that a statement of the engagements in which the Battalion has taken part during this war was to be forwarded by noon to the Brigade in order that the Battalion might be filmed - one Battalion from each Brigade being chosen." Although the HAC is not one of the Units represented in the material held by the IWM, this entry suggests when and how the Army planned the series and gathered material for the proposed titles. Remarks: a complete failure as a historical record. In the case of this film, neither the scenes filmed, the camerawork nor the captioning in any way distinguish this battalion from any other in the Army of the time and this is generally true of all the films in the series. The object was probably to encourage relatives of men serving in the various regiments to watch in the hope of seeing men they knew. See Roger Smither's article," 'Watch the picture carefully, and see if you can identify anyone': recognition in factual film of the First World period "; Film History Vol 14, Number 3/4, 2002 pp 390-404.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 388

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
Register