Whether or not Bosche had seen movement I don't know, but suddenly a group of four 5·9 came crashing over. Everybody ducked—wise plan, rather, out here—they fell and burst about fifty yards behind us. I awaited the next lot; they came very shortly and fell in almost the same place.
"Before he shortens the range," I thought, "I'll move," and suiting the action to the word I moved out towards the Bois de Savy and was half-way there when another lot burst in my direction. This time I made for the Bois de Holnon, and fortunately the shells ceased.
As I reached the furthest side of the Bois de Savy several tear shells came whistling over and burst just behind me. Needless to say I had fallen flat, and, as I arose, the sweet smell of tear gas made itself evident. Not intending to risk a repetition of my previous experience at Beaumont Hamel, I closed my eyes and ran like—well, you couldn't see me for dust.
Yard by yard we continued to press back the enemy. For me the film story of the taking of St. Quentin is an obsession. It holds me as a needle to a magnet. And in this section, at the present, I remain—waiting and watching.
My leave is fast running out, and I am nearing the end of my story. In all the pictures that it has been my good fortune to take during the two and a half years that I have been kept at work on the great European battlefield, I have always tried to remember that it was through the eye of the camera, directed by my own sense of observation, that the millions of people at home would gain their only first-hand knowledge of what was happening at the front.
I have tried to make my pictures actual and reliable, above all I have striven to catch the atmosphere of the battlefield, and whilst I have dwelt as little as possible upon its horrors, I have aimed at showing the magnificent spirit which imbues our fighting men, from the highest in command to the humblest unit in the ranks.
I am proud to think that the task of doing this has been mine, and in doing it, I have tried "to do my bit" for the land that gave me birth.
THE END
INDEX
A
Albert, 172
Albert, King of the Belgians, 217
Alexander of Teck, Prince, 217
Amiens, 254
Andrew Paul, Mayor of Bierne, 289, 290
Anzacs, the, 211
Armentières, 108
Arras, 83, 108, 293
Aubers Ridge, 114
Australians, the, 197, 198
B
Babin, M. Gustave, of L'Illustration, 299
Bailleul, 52
Bapaume, 250
Basle, 41
Beaumont Hamel, 124, 129, 165, 208, 245, 265, 303
Bécourt Wood, 172, 176, 197
Belfort, 42
Belgians, Queen of, 217, 218
Bernafay Wood, 186, 188
Besançon, 42, 47
Biaches, 254
Biel, 41
Bierne, 277, 284, 289
Bizantin-le-Grand, 190
Bois de Holnon, 294, 303
Bois de Savy, 300, 303
Boulogne, 205-7, 253, 254
Bouleaux Wood, 240
Bouvais, 295
Bovincourt, 270, 271, 274, 275, 277, 279-84, 289
Brie, 263, 267, 269, 272, 274, 276
Brooks, Lieut., Official "Still" Photographer, 259-65, 275
Burstall, General, 218
C
Calais, 219-221
Cambrai, 259
Canadians, the, 52-60, 218
Camoy Valley, 184
Caulaincourt, 294
Cavan, Earl of, 63, 76, 77
Clarendon Film Co., the, 5
Contalmaison, 199, 201-203
D
Delemont, 41
Delville Wood, 238
Dieppe, 48
Dijon, 47
Dinorah, S.S., the, 48
Dixmude, 31
Dunkirk, 111
E
Estrées, 259, 271, 276
F
Fayet, 300
Festubert, 108, 114
Foch, Gen., 215
Folkestone, 251
Foscaucourt, 259
Foucacourt, 276
Francilly-Selency, 300
Fricourt, 171, 208, 209, 212
Fromelles, 114
Furnes, 6, 8, 13, 15, 21, 29, 30, 38
G
Gaumont Co., the, 5
George V—
his approval of Somme film, 177
arrival at Boulogne, 206, 207
attends Divine Service, 217
on Battlefield of Fricourt, 208-211
being filmed, 216
his departure from France, 220, 221
greets Sir H. Rawlinson, 208
at hospitals, 212
inspects Canadians, 218
meets M. Poincaré and Gen. Joffre, 215, 216
and puppy, 212, 213
visits King of the Belgians, 217, 218
George, David Lloyd, Prime Minister, 177, 216, 217
Givenchy, 108
Gommecourt, 123
Gouerment, 122
Goumiers, the (Algerian Arabs), 15-17, 21
Guards' Division, the, 61, 63, 65-71, 76-79, 234, 241
Guillemont, 135, 234, 236, 238
Gully Ravine, 136
H
Haig, Field-Marshal Sir Douglas, 207, 208, 214-16
Haucourt, 277
Hawthorn Redoubt, the, 141, 159
Hill 60, 113
Hill 63, 56-58
Hindenburg, General, 293
"Hindenburg Line," the, 259, 292, 293, 298
Hohenzollern Redoubt, the, 108
Holon-Selency, 300
J
Joffre, General, 214-216
Josephine, Princess, 218
Jury, Mr. Will, 176
K
Keppel, Sir Derek, 207
Kinematograph Trade Topical Committee, the, 51
"King George's Hill," 209
Kitchener, Earl of, 206
L
La Bassée, 65, 72, 114, 115
La Boisselle, 171
La Gorgue, 61
La Maisonnette, Château of, 255
Lancashire Fusiliers, the, 127, 152, 157
Lancers, 17th, the, 214
Lens, 293
Lesboeufs, 234, 239, 245
London Scottish, the, 122, 234
Loos, 104, 108, 114
Lueze Wood, 238
M
Malins, Lieut. Geoffrey H., o.b.e.—
appointed Official War Office Kinematographer, 51
arrested in Switzerland, 41
at Battle of St. Eloi, 85-92
on battlefield of Neuve Chapelle, 72-79
with Belgian Army, 6-13, 30-39
in bombardment of Furnes, 31
with Canadians, 52-60
his description of preparation of film, 178-182
experiences in aeroplane, 107-120
films Battle of the Somme, 121-177
with Goumiers, near Nieuport, 15-21
with Guards' Division, 65-71
his life before the War, 5
narrow escapes of, 93-106, 142-146
at Pozières and Contalmaison, 196-204
and Prince of Wales, 77, 207, 212
at Ramscapelle, 32-34
reported dead, 38
spends Christmas at the Front, 62-64
and Tanks, 222
on tracks of retreating Huns, 254-303
in Trones Wood, 183-195
views battle of sand-dunes, 22-29
visits ruins of Guillemont and Mouquet Farm, 234-250
on Vosges Mountains, 40-48
on Western Front with the King, 205-221
at Ypres and Arras, 80-84
Mametz, 171
Martinpuich, battle of, 234
Messines, 52, 54, 113
Middlesex Regt., the, 152
Mons, 136
Mons en Chaussée, 269, 272
Montaubon, 186
Morval, 234, 239, 245
Mouquet Farm, 245, 247, 248
N
Neuve Chapelle, 72, 73, 108, 114
Nieuport, 15, 31
Nieuport Bain, 22, 23
Norfolks, the, 234
North Staffordshire Regt., the, 206
Northumberland Fusiliers, the, 218
O
Oost-Dunkerque, 22
Ostend, 111
P
Peronne, 254-258
Perrontruy, 41
Petite Douve, 56, 58, 60
Plœgsteert, 108, 114
Plœgsteert Wood, 53, 56
Plœgstrathe, 52
Poincaré, President, 214-216
Pouilly, 279, 294
Pozières, 197, 198, 201-203, 211, 245
R
Ramscapelle, 6, 12, 31-33
Rawlinson, General Sir H. S., 136, 208
Remiremont, 42
Richebourg, 108
Richebourg St. Vaaste, 55
Royal Engineers, West Riding Field Co., 136
Royal Fusiliers, the, 136, 137, 152
Royal Welsh Fusiliers, the, 65
S
St. Dié, 40, 42, 43, 47
St. Eloi, 108, 113
St. Eloi, Battle of, 89-92, 218
St. Quentin, 259, 267, 293, 294, 296-303
Savy, 300
Somme, River, 255, 263, 265-267, 275, 294
Somme Battle, film of, 176-178, 183, 223
Stamfordham, Lord, 207
Suffolks, the, 234
T
Tanks, the, 225, 229-233, 237, 240
Tardeau, M. Eugène, of Echo de Paris, 299
Thiepval, 245
Thompson, Major, 207
Tong, Mr., 51, 52, 64
Trones Wood, 184, 186, 190, 192, 241
U
Uhlans, the, 32
V
Vernilles, 132
Villerete, 300
Villers-Carbonel, 259-266, 276
Vimy Ridge, 293
Vosges, the, 40, 47, 51
Vraignes, 270, 275, 277, 281
W
Wales, Edward, Prince of—
his anxiety to avoid camera, 77, 212
attends service on Christmas Day, 63
cheered by Tommies, 211
and General Foch, 216
in German trench, 210, 211
inspects gun-pits, 77
meets King George at Boulogne, 207
takes leave of King George, 220
Wigram, Lieut.-Col. Clive, 207, 216, 219
Y
Ypres, 55, 75, 80-83, 111, 112, 253
printed by william brendon and son, ltd.
plymouth, england