How I Filmed the War (WWI Centenary Series)

Geoffrey H. Malins

Description

""In the following chapters I have merely aimed at setting down, in simple language, a record of my impressions, so far as I can recall them, of what I have seen of many and varied phases of the Great Drama which has now been played to a finish on the other side of the English Channel. Most of those recollections were penned at odd moments, soon after the events chronicled, when they were still fresh in mind, often within range of the guns.
It was my good fortune for two years to be one of the Official War Office Kinematographers. I was privileged to move about on the Western Front with considerable freedom. My actions were largely untrammelled; I had my instructions to carry out; my superiors to satisfy; my work to do; and I endeavoured to do all that has been required of me to the best of my ability, never thinking of the cost, or consequences, to myself of an adventure so long as I secured a pictorial record of the deeds of our heroic Army in France.""
This book is part of the World War One Centenary series; creating, collating and reprinting new and old works of poetry, fiction, autobiography and analysis. The series forms a commemorative tribute to mark the passing of one of the world's bloodiest wars, offering new perspectives on this tragic yet fascinating period of human history. Each publication also includes brand new introductory essays and a timeline to help the reader place the work in its historical context.

Informations

• Publié par: Read Books Ltd.
• Date de parution: 14 juillet 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528765558
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

HOW I FILMED THE WAR
When I was in France I made arrangements with my friend Mr. Low Warren, at that time Editor of the Kinematograph Weekly, to arrange the manuscript I sent him for publication in book form .
The manuscript has in no way been altered in any material respect, and is in the form in which I originally wrote it .
GEOFFREY H. MALINS .
Copyright 2013 Read Books Ltd. This book is copyright and may not be reproduced or copied in any way without the express permission of the publisher in writing
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
CONTENTS
Introduction to the World War One Centenary Series
A Timeline of the Major Events of World War One in Europe
Memoirs, Diaries and Poems of World War One
We Shall Keep the Faith by Moina Michael (1918)
HOW I FILMED THE WAR
PART I
CHAPTER I
A Few Ords of Introduction
CHAPTER II
With the Belgians at Ramscapelle
I Reach the First Line Belgian Trenches-And become a Belgian Soldier for the Time Being-A Night Attack-An Adventure whilst Filming a Mitrailleuse Outpost-Among the Ruins of Ramscapelle-I Leave the Company and Lose my Way in the Darkness-A Welcome Light and a Long Sleep-How Little does the Public know of the Dangers and Difficulties a Film Operator has to Face
CHAPTER III
With the Goumiers at Lombartzyde
A Morning of Surprises-The German Positions Bombarded from the Sea-Filming the Goumiers in Action-How these Tenacious Fighters Prepare for Battle-Goumier Habits and Customs-I Take the Chief s Photograph for the First Time-And Afterwards take Food with Him-An Interesting and Fruitful Adventure Ends Satisfactorily
CHAPTER IV
The Battle of the Sand-dunes
A Dangerous Adventure and What Came of It-A Race Across the Sand-dunes-And a Spill in a Shell-hole-The Fate of a Spy-A Battle in the Dunes-Of which I Secured Some Fine Films-A Collision with an Obstructive Mule
CHAPTER V
Under Heavy Shell-fire
In a Trench Coat and Cap I again Run the Gauntlet-A Near Squeak-Looking for Trouble-I Nearly Find It-A Rough Ride and a Mud Bath-An Affair of Outposts-I Get Used to Crawling-Hot Work at the Guns-I am Reported Dead-But Prove Very Much Alive-And then Receive a Shock-A Stern Chase
CHAPTER VI
Among the Snows of the Vosges
I Start for the Vosges-Am Arrested on the Swiss Frontier-And Released-But Arrested Again-And then Allowed to Go My Way-Filming in the Firing Zone-A Wonderful French Charge Over the Snow-clad Hills-I Take Big Risks-And Get a Magnificent Picture
PART II
CHAPTER I
How I came to make Official War Pictures
I am Appointed an Official War Office Kinematographer-And Start for the Front Line Trenches-Filming the German Guns in Action-With the Canadians-Picturesque Hut Settlement Among the Poplars- Hyde Park Corner -Shaving by Candlelight in Six Inches of Water-Filming in Full View of the German Lines, 75 yards away-A Big Risk, but a Realistic Picture
CHAPTER II
Christmas Day at the Front
Leave-taking at Charing Cross-A Fruitless Search for Food on Christmas Eve-How Tommy Welcomed the Coming of the Festive Season- Peace On Earth, Good Will To Men to the Boom of the Big Guns-Filming the Guards Division-And the Prince of Wales-Coming from a Christmas Service-This Year and Next
CHAPTER III
I get into a Warm Corner
Boxing Day-But No Pantomime-Life in the Trenches-A Sniper at Work-Sinking a Mine Shaft-The Cheery Influence of an Irish Padre-A Cemetery Behind the Lines-Pathetic Inscriptions and Mementoes on Dead Heroes Graves-I Get Into a Pretty Warm Corner-And Have Some Difficulty in Getting Out Again-But All s Well that Ends Well
CHAPTER IV
The Battlefield of Neuve Chapelle
A Visit to the Old German Trenches-Reveals a Scene of Horror that Defies Description-Dodging the Shells-I Lose the Handle of My Camera-And then Lose My Man-The Effect of Shell-fire on a Novice-In the Village of Neuve Chapelle-A Scene of Devastation-The Figure of the Lonely Christ
CHAPTER V
Filming the Prince of Wales
How I Made a Hide-up -And Secured a Fine Picture of the Prince Inspecting some Gun-pits-His Anxiety to Avoid the Camera-And His Subsequent Remarks-How a German Block-house was Blown to Smithereens-And the Way I Managed to Film it Under Fire
CHAPTER VI
My First Visit to Ypres and Arras
Greeted on Arrival in the Ruined City of Ypres by a Furious Fusillade-I Film the Cloth Hall and Cathedral, and Have a Narrow Escape-A Once Beautiful Town Now Little More Than a Heap of Ruins-Arras a City of the Dead-Its Cathedral Destroyed-But Cross and Crucifixes Unharmed
CHAPTER VII
The Battle of St. Eloi
Filming Within Forty-five Yards of the German Trenches-Watching for Minnies -Officers Quarters- Something Begins to Happen-An Early Morning Bombardment-Develops Into the Battle of St. Eloi-Which I Film from Our First-Line Trench-And Obtain a Fine Picture
CHAPTER VIII
A Night Attack-and a Narrow Escape
A Very Lively Experience-Choosing a Position for the Camera Under Fire-I Get a Taste of Gas-Witness a Night Attack by the Germans-Surprise an Officer by My Appearance in the Trenches-And Have One of the Narrowest Escapes-But Fortunately Get Out with Nothing Worse than a Couple of Bullets Through My Cap
CHAPTER IX
Fourteen Thousand Feet Above the German Lines
The First Kinematograph Film Taken of the Western Front-And How I Took It Whilst Travelling Through the Air at Eighty Miles an Hour-Under Shell-fire-Over Ypres-A Thrilling Experience-And a Narrow Escape-A Five Thousand Foot Dive Through Space
CHAPTER X
Filming the Earth from the Clouds
Chasing an Enemy Aeroplane at a Height of 13,500 Feet-And What Came of It-A Dramatic Adventure in which the Pilot Played a Big Part-I Get a Nasty Shock-But am Reassured-A Freezing Experience-Filming the Earth as we Dived Almost Perpendicularly-A Picture that would Defy the Most Ardent Futurist to Paint
CHAPTER XI
Preparing for the Big Push
The Threshold of Tremendous Happenings-General -- s Speech to His Men on the Eve of Battle-Choosing My Position for Filming the Big Push -Under Shell-fire-A Race of Shrieking Devils-Fritz s Way of Making Love -I Visit the White City -And On the Way have Another Experience of Gas Shells
CHAPTER XII
Filming Under Fire
The General s Speech to the Fusiliers Before Going Into Action-Filming the 15-inch Howitzers-A Miniature Earthquake- The Day is Postponed-Keeping Within The Limits -A Surprise Meeting in the Trenches-A Reminder of Other Days-I Get Into a Tight Corner-And Have An Unpleasantly Hot Experience-I Interview a Trench Mortar-Have a Lively Quarter of an Hour-And Then Get Off
CHAPTER XIII
The Dawn of July First
A Firework Display Heralds the Arrival of The Day -How the Boys Spent Their Last Few Hours in the Trenches-Rats as Bedfellows-I Make an Early Start-And Get Through a Mine-shaft into No Man s Land -The Great Event Draws Near-Anxious Moments-The Men Fix Bayonets-And Wait the Word of Command to Go Over the Top
CHAPTER XIV
The Day and the Hour
A Mighty Convulsion Signalises the Commencement of Operations-Then Our Boys Go Over the Top -A Fine Film Obtained whilst Shells Rained Around Me-My Apparatus is Struck-But, Thank Goodness, the Camera is Safe-Arrival of the Wounded- Am I in the Picture? they ask
CHAPTER XV
Roll-call After the Fight
A Glorious Band of Wounded Heroes Stagger Into Line and Answer the Call-I Visit a Stricken Friend in a Dug-out-On the Way to La Boisselle I Get Lost in the Trenches-And Whilst Filming Unexpectedly Come Upon the German Line-I Have a Narrow Squeak of Being Crumped-But Get Away Safely-And later Commandeer a Couple of German Prisoners to Act as Porters
CHAPTER XVI
Editing a Battle Film
The Process Described in Detail-Developing the Negative-Its Projection on the Screen-Cutting-Titling-Joining-Printing the Positive-Building Up the Story-It is Submitted to the Military Censors at General Headquarters-And After Being Cut and Approved by Them-Is Ready for Public Exhibition
CHAPTER XVII
The Horrors of Trones Wood
Three Times I Try and Fail to Reach this Stronghold of the Dead-Which Has Been Described as Hell on Earth -At a Dressing Station under Fire-Smoking Two Cigarettes at a Time to Keep off the Flies-Some Amusing Trench Conversations by Men who had Lost Their Way-I Turn in for the Night-And Have a Dead Bosche for Company
CHAPTER XVIII
Filming at Pozi res and Contalmaison
Looking for Thrills -And How I Got Them-I Pass Through Sausage Valley, on the Way to Pozi res-You May and you Might -What a Tommy Found in a German Dug-out-How Fritz Got Some of His Own Back-Taking Pictures in What Was Once Pozi res- Proofs Ready To-morrow
CHAPTER XIX
Along the Western Front with the King
His Majesty s Arrival at Boulogne-At G.H.Q.-General Burstall s Appreciation-The King on the Battlefield of Fricourt-Within Range of the Enemy s Guns-His Majesty s Joke Outside a German Dug-out-His Memento from a Hero s Grave-His Visit to a Casualty Clearing Station-The King and the Puppy-Once in Disgrace-Now a Hospital Mascot
CHAPTER XX
King and President Meet
An Historic Gathering-In which King and President, Joffre and Haig Take Part-His Majesty and the Little French Girl-I Am Permitted to Film the King and His Distinguished Guests-A Visit to the King of the Belgians-A Cross-Channel Journey-And Home
CHAPTER XXI
The Hush! Hush!-a Weird and Fearful Creature
Something in the Wind-An Urgent Message to Report at Headquarters-And What Came Of It-I Hear