World War One Footage

July 27, 1909. Orville Wright and Lt. Frank P. Lahm, the first Army passenger, test the "Wright Flyer" during trials at Fort Myer. Notable dignitaries present include President and Mrs. Taft, Major Squier, Major Saltzman. Wright and Lahm set the world's endurance record of one hour 12 minutes and 40 seconds. Shot list included. MS of small group standing at door of hangar. Crowds around hangar. Opening doors of hangar. Dignitaries greeting each other. MS of soldiers removing doors from hangar. Pushing plane sideways out of hangar. Soldiers turning plane around. LS of pulling plane out to field. MS preperation of aircraft for take off. Lt. Lahm sitting at controls, Wright standing in front and releasing ropes. Lt. Lahm and Orville Wright take seats in plane. LS of men standing beside catapult and in front of buildings. Men pulling up weight of catapult. LS of catapult from front of plane. MS of catapult from behind plane. LS of taking off. MS of plane taking off. Plane in flight. Plane circles around field, over buildings. LS headquarters building in background. LS of flying field. Plane in flight. Plane landing. LS of plane on field after flight. Moving plane off field. Army personnel grouped around the Wright aircraft. CU of plane. Wright getting out of plane.

On tests conducted by the Air Service. Reel 1, Gen. Mitchell poses aboard the mine planter Schofield. Phosphorus and explosive bombs hit the Alabama. Adm. R. B. Coontz confers with officers aboard the transport Henderson. Shows the Pennsylvania and the cruiser Olympia. The German battleship Ostfrlesland is sunk by various types of bombs. Reel 2, planes lay smoke around the New Jersey; it is bombed and sunk. The battleship Virginia is bombed and sinks.

On the Army transcontinental trip In 1919. Reel 1, Sec. of War Baker and Rep. Julius Kahn dedicate the Zero Milestone In Washington, D.C. Trucks leave Camp Meigs, Md.; cross the Juniata River at Chambersburg, Pa.; climb the Blue Ridge Mts.; pass through East Palestine, Ohio; and traverse the Lincoln Highway in Ill. and Ind. An overturned truck is righted near Fulton, Ill. The Mississippi is crossed at Clinton, Iowa. Trucks are pulled from mud in Nebraska. Reel 2, trucks are winched from quicksand near North Platte, Neb. The Continental Divide Is crossed In Wyoming. Trucks pass through alkali dust in Wyo. A truck breaks through a wooden bridge and is extricated. The convoy departs from Fort Bridger, Wyo., and halts for a meal in Utah. Sagebrush is chopped and used to fill wheel ruts in the alkali road bed. Reel 3, the Great Salt Lake Desert is entered at Granite Point, Utah. A meal is prepared in the trailmobile kitchen. Trucks are pulled through wet sand in Nevada, climb the Sierra Nevadas, stop in Kybury, Calif., for dinner, parade through Sacramento, and ride from Oakland to San Francisco on ferries. Mayor Rolph greets Army officials.

Shows flooded farm areas, breaks in levees, derailed boxcars, rescues by rowboat and motorboat, partially destroyed buildings, flooded streets, and debris and dead animals in city streets after flood waters had receded. Ohio National Guard troops detrain at Dayton and establish martial law, guarding post offices and the city morgue where bodies of flood victims are brought.

Reel 1 shows ground and aerial views of Archangel and Backoritza; city officials; U.S. troops debarking; unloading and carrying flour from the Gorfe-Castle; children delivering milk; market scenes; ceremonies at a Red Cross hospital; Bolshevik prisoners working on a road; 310th Engrs. operating a sawmill; Russians clearing farm land; and troops operating street cars. Reel 2, Armenian Gen. Torcum presents colors to Brit. Gen. Poole. Brit. Gen. Ironside reviews U.S. troops. 310th Engrs. construct a barracks. The Brit. hospital ship Kalyan docks. Gen. W.P. Richardson leaves the Canada and is greeted by Col. G.E. Stewart. Gens. Richardson and Ironside inspect civilian guards. Soldiers leave a hospital. Troops attend Thanksgiving (1918) services. Reel 3 shows a religious procession; the Canada breaking ice on the Divina River; troops skating and tobogganing; and Gen. Richardson and troops in reindeer sleighs. Gen. Ironside and Col. Stewart review 339th Inf. troops. Russians mount a 6-inch gun on a railroad car. U.S. troops drill, skirmish, and practice football. Russian artillery maneuvers on the frozen river. Reel 4, Engrs. strengthen blockhouses; telegraph lines are strung; Allied troops man trenches and patrol woods; and Russians drill with railroad guns. Gens. Ironside and Richardson decorate 339th Inf. troops. Reel 5, Polish troops are inspected. Troops, including the 310th Engrs., pass in review and embark for the U. S. Shows a funeral procession and Memorial Day (1919) parade in Archangel. Gens. Ironside and Richardson speak at services in an Allied cemetery. Gen. Richardson attends a picnic.

This silent film includes footage from several different sources. It shows trench warfare on Germany's two fronts, and artillery, tanks, airplanes, and cavalry in action. Notable scenes include the Kaiser inspecting German troops and Gen. von Hindenburg reviewing a parade in Berlin, Red Cross personnel treating Germans wounded in France, German submarines battling British Q-boats, Emperor Francis Joseph reviewing a parade in Vienna, Archduke Francis Ferdinand's funeral, and the Lusitania leaving a New York port, as well as its wreckage on the Irish coast. Note: Titles in film copy are shortened.

Scope & Content: Reel 1, Gen. Pershing poses at Lucey, France. The liner Leviathan leaves Hoboken, N.J. Troops dance and stage boxing matches aboard the freighter Wilhelmina and the transport Tenadores. Guns aboard the destroyer Little are fired and depth charges are dropped from the destroyer Whipple. The Leviathan enters the harbor at Brest. 306th F.A. troops entrain for the front. 39th and 58th Inf. troops advance under artillery support near Montfaucon. 308th Inf. troops run through maneuvers at Gondrecourt. 16th Inf. troops advance behind tanks near Seicheprey. 110th Engrs. blow up barbed wire at Aux Bois. 35th Div. troops cross the destroyed defenses. Reel 2, 18th Inf. troops receive aid at Exermont. 139th Inf. troops man trenches near Verdun. 128th inf. snipers man posts at Michelbach, Germany. Troops throw hand grenades in training. 7th F.A. units fire gas shells into the enemy lines. Thiaucourt and Rambucourt are shelled by the Germans. A German observation plane crashes and the pilot is captured. 5th, 21st, and 130th F.A. guns are fired. Reel 3, the 103rd inf. "goes over the top" near Torcy. 305th and 306th Inf. units march toward Longueval. Pershing decorates 42nd Div. troops at Bagneux. A German plane is shot down by antiaircraft fire after setting an observation balloon afire. 6th F.A. batteries lay down a barrage near Exermont. 168th Inf. troops crawl into "no man's land." 7th F.A. guns fire near Beaumont. Reel 4, railroad and naval guns are fired behind the lines. 128th F.A. units fire French 75's. British tanks maneuver at Langres. 103rd F.A. guns shell an ammunition dump at Ostel. DH-4 airplanes are prepared for flights at Bergues and Clermont. 148th Aero Squadron planes fly in formation and bomb German lines at Essoudon. 5th, 149th, and 150th F.A. guns fire at German trenches illuminated by searchlights. Shows dead Germans and captured positions. 4th Inf. troops enter Bacharach, Germany. 105th F.A. troopsrejoice at Etraye, France, after receiving news of the Armistice.

Reel 1 shows freighters sinking after a U-boat attack; Pres. Wilson at his desk and in the U.S. Congress declaring war on Germany; recruits arriving at a reception center and drilling; 29th Div. maneuvers and a review at Camp McClellan; Gen. Pershing aboard the transport Baltic; 1st Div. troops boarding the liner Leviathan at Newport News, Va.; depth charges being dropped from a destroyer in a convoy; Pershing conferring with Gen. Joffre; Fr. refugees clogging roads; 2nd Div. troops entering trenches and firing railroad guns; and 103rd Inf. troops attacking. Reel 2, a Ger. airplane crashes after setting an observation balloon afire 35th Div. artillery shells Sultzeren. Pershing views the battlefield. An artillery barrage is laid down and troops begin the St. Mihiel Offensive. Civilians welcome troops at Mont Sec. Troops advance under artillery support in the Meuse. Argonne sector. Eddie Rickenbacker enters an airplane and flies over Ger. lines. An ammunition dump explodes. Buzancy is shelled. Shows Armistice celebrations in New York and Paris; Pershing decorating troops; and the 42nd Div. passing in review.

FILM REPORT: Mall parking lot, Washington Memorial and U.S. Capitol. Crowd gathers, people are seated. William H. Taft, Robert Moten and Warren Harding address crowd. Harding is escorted out.

On the British Army. Reel 1, supplies are unloaded at a railhead. Brit. and Australian troops take positions. Artillery shells are unloaded and taken to gun positions in horse carts. Weapons are checked, loaded, and fired. Wounded ride sleighs to the rear. Reel 2, rations arrive at the trenches. Troops travel communicating trenches to the front. Scottish and Brit. troops begin the attack. POW's are herded to the rear and searched. Antiaircraft guns strafe Ger. planes. Reel 3 shows troops resting; ruins in Beaumont; captured positions; Brit. tanks; supply trains and troops advancing; artillery firing.

Reel 1, horses are watered near Neufchateau. 6th F.A. units advance near Void. Shows the 18th Inf. and 6th F.A. in Menilla-Tour. Shows ruins in Seicheprey and Hamonville. The 18th mans trenches and responds to a gas alarm. Communications lines are strung. 7th F.A. units fire French 75's near Beaumont. Trenches are cleaned after shelling. Cooks prepare a meal and serve troops in trenches. Reel 2 shows German flamethrowers. 2nd Field Signal Bn. troops dig trenches for cables. 16th Inf. troops dig trenches. Supplies arrive at Beaumont. German prisoners are questioned. The 1st Engrs. and 18th Inf. troops quarry rock, lay a hospital foundation, assemble a prefabricated building, and camouflage a building. Shows supplies stacked at Gondrecourt. 7th F.A. horses are loaded on freight cars. 5th F.A. troops set up antiaircraft guns. 28th Inf. troops draw gas masks. Reel 3, ammunition trains are unloaded. Fr. Madagascar troops sing and dance. Gens. Pershing, Summerall, and Bullard meet; Gens. G.B. Duncan and Russell confer. Sec. Baker and Pershing arrive at Gondrecourt. Baker, Pershing, and Gen. Liggett review 16th and 18th Inf. units. Clemenceau decorates U.S. troops. 26th Inf. troops leave for rest camps. 1st Engrs. enter Toul.

Summary: On the British Army. Reel 1, artillery shells Ger. defenses; Ger. shells land in a village. South African units storm trenches Scaling ladders are prepared. Troops attack under an artillery barrage. Prisoners carry Brit. wounded to the rear. Reel 2, engrs. lay railroad track. Ammunition is carried over a pontoon bridge across the Scope. The enemy shells positions at Monchy; shows ruins of the town. Reel 3, engrs. construct bridges and roads. Australian artillery bombards the enemy. Artillery units, supply trains, and tanks move up under fire. Monchy is occupied. War news is read to French civilians.

Reel 1, athletes board the transport Great Northern. Pershing and Pres. Poincare arrive at the stadium in Paris. Pershing inspects and reviews Allied troops. Shows Henry White, Hoover, Robert Lansing, Gen. H.T. Allen, and Adm. H.S. Knapp in the grandstand. Athletes enter the stadium. Pershing dedicates the stadium. Reel 2, Gens. Pershing, Hunter Liggett, and Harbord arrive at Pershing Stadium. Italian aviators fly planes. Shows running and jumping contests. Pershing gives awards to Gen. Paul A. Wolf and other participants.

Reel 1, 117th Engrs. and 165th Inf. troops construct barracks near Croismare, march through Croismare, and eat in trenches near Blemerey. Gen. Menoher confers with Fr. Gen. Bazelaire. A mule-drawn supply train arrives at Ancerviller. 167th Inf. troops leave the town. The 151st F.A. Reg't opens fire. The 167th returns from trenches. Soldiers read a newspaper and receive pay. Reel 2, Gen. Menoher attends a burial at Domjevin; and, with Fr. Gens. Gaucher and Bazelaire, decorates 165th Inf. troops. War Sec. Baker visits 166th Inf. hq. at Domjevin and an aid station. Baker and Gen. Menoher inspect 166th Inf. units at Benamenil, tour the ruined city of Domjevin, and attend a funeral at Croismare. Reel 3, 151st F.A. troops practice firing. 166th Inf. officers inspect trenches. Dispatch riders transmit firing orders from a G.H.Q. to artillery units. 150th F. A. troops fire at a German plane near, Reherry. Troops in trenches adjust gas masks. The 149th F.A. draws ammunition. The 150th F.A. fires at German trenches at Reherry. The 168th Inf. advances near Badonviller beneath artillery support. German shells burst around 149th F.A. guns. 151st F.A. officers inspect damage caused by enemy fire on Pexonne. 117th Engineers repair trenches. 117th Field signal Bn. troops string telephone wire. 168th Inf. troops inspect damages to the German trenches at Badonviller.

Reel 1, Gen. Pershing, Field Marshal Haig, and Amb. Davis confer. Gens. Harbord, Headlam, Lassiter, Hines, Biddle, and Brewster congregate. Pershing decorates Brit. Gens. Fowke, Furze, Goodwin, MacDonogh, Clarke, and Butler. Pershing greets Winston Churchill and the Prince of Wales. U.S. troops pass in review. Haig, Pershing, Davis, Biddle, and others arrive at the Guildhall. King George and Queen Mary arrive at the royal reviewing stand. Pershing salutes the royalty as he passes the stand. Marshal Foch dismounts after passing the stand. Reel 2, French troops, Belgian troops led by Gen. Bourremans, Italian troops led by Gen. Montuori, Australian troops, British troops led by Gen. Haig, British sailors and marines led by Adm. Beatty, and British war workers pass the reviewing stand. King George, Queen Mary, Queen Alexandra, Foch, and Pershing pose after the parade. Crowds wait in the rain at Buckingham Palace to see the royalty.

117th Field Signal Bn. troops ride motorcycles and inspect a portable machine shop. 165th and 167th Inf. troops practice with bayonets. 165th Inf. units form skirmish lines and attack trenches. 167th Inf. units pass in review before Col. MacArthur. 165th Inf. troops fire French 75's in practice and contest French soldiers in disassembling the guns. 166th Inf. troops fire Stokes trench mortars. Supplies are loaded on trucks at Rolampont depot. 149th and 151st Machine Gun Bn. troops and French units run relay races at Villierssur-Suize.

Boy Scouts and veterans of the Civil, Spanish, and World Wars decorate graves. Addresses are made in the old amphitheater. Gen. Miles leads a parade from the White House to Arlington. Sec. of War Baker and Gen. March speak as the new amphitheater is dedicated. Gens. John A. Lejeune and Hanson E. Ely and veterans and soldiers of the 2nd Division decorate graves and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Feb. 12, 1920.

The 10th and 42nd German Divisions (artillery and infantry units) are evacuated from Aumetz, Luxemburg, marching from the city. French troops enter Sedan and citizens celebrate. U.S. troops of the 16th Division enter Bouligny. Shows abandoned German equipment and a munitions factory and ammunition dump formerly operated by the Germans.

French 155's are loaded and fired. Firewood is cut. The 1st Engineers and the 2nd Field Signal Bn. march from the camp. The 1st Engineers construct a bridge. Everett Colby, Julius Lincoln, E.F. Trefz, Roscoe Mitchell, John Lord, and Daniel Read (members of the Commission for Relief in Belgium) visit the camp; witness a demonstration of a 37-mm gun; examine an airplane; view bayonet and hand grenade practice; and review the 16th and 18th Inf. Reg'ts marching in snow.

Reel 1, Pres. and Mrs. Wilson are greeted at the railroad station by Pres. Poincare and Premier Clemenceau. The Wilsons, Pershing, Robert Lansing, and Henry, White ride to the Place de la Concorde. Reel 2, Wilson, Poincare, Lansing, Pershing, Gen. Bliss, Clemenceau, and Gen. Harts gather at the Murat Mansion. The Presidential party, including Amb. Sharp, proceeds to the Hotel de Ville. Wilson and Pershing acknowledge cheers.

Supply trains pass through Nantes and Gondrecourt. 26th Inf. troops man trenches near Gypse Hill. 6th F.A. units fire French 75's. Hot food is prepared and brought into the trenches. Wounded are brought into an aid station at Einville by ambulance and stretcher bearers. 1st Div. troops are buried at Einville. 16th, 18th, 26th, and 28th Inf. Reg't troops march toward rest areas.

Reel 1 shows E.M. House and aides at his Paris office. Premier Clemenceau and Marshal Foch leave No. 10 Downing Street. Shows views of the hotels Elysees-Palace, Crillon, and Ritz in Paris. Adm. Benson and Henry White leave the Crillon. Premier Orlando and Baron Sonnino of Italy, Lloyd George and David Balfour, Gen. Tasker Bliss, Robert Lansing, Pres. and Mrs. Wilson, Adm. Grayson, Clemenceau, Pres. Poincare, Min. of For. Affairs Pichon, and Arthur J. Balfour arrive at the Quai d'Orsay, Paris, to open the peace conference. Reel 2 shows Japanese Amb. Matsui; Henry White, Foch, Lansing, Arthur Balfour, Adm. Benson, Gen. Bliss, and others at the Quai d'Orsay. Poincare departs. Pres. and Mrs. Wilson arrive. Clemenceau leaves. Sec. of the Navy Daniels and Adm. Benson arrive at the Ritz. Pres. Wilson, Dr. Wellington Koo, Ignace Paderewski, and the Greek delegate Venizelos arrive at the Crillon. King George V is greeted at a Paris station by Pres. Poincare and rides through the streets. Poincare greets King Albert and Queen Elizabeth of Belgium at the station. The royalty ride in a procession. Victor Emmanuel III arrives by train.

On celebrations in France. Reel 1, Ger. delegates leave their hdqrs. at Compiegne on Nov. 8. Fr. troops cheer Foch's train at Rethondes on Nov. 11. Gen. Wahl receives the armistice news at the front. Shows celebrations of the 64th Inf., 5th and 92nd Divs., 340th and 102nd F.A. French civilians greet 6th Inf. troops near Remoiville. Negro soldiers guard prisoners. The 28th Div. greets Ger. troops near Dampvitoux. 105th F.A. troops celebrate at Etraye. Reel 2 shows celebrations in Paris: a snake dance on the Avenue de l'Opera, crowded streets, street lamp lightings, and parades.

Telegraph cables are installed in Wilson's Paris hdqrs. He and Adm. Grayson play shuffleboard on the liner George Washington. Pres. Poincare, For. Min. Pichon, Robert Lansing, Amb. Sharp, and Fr. Gen. Berdoulat greet the Wilsons, Col. House, Gens. Liggett and Bliss, and Adm. Grayson at the Gare des Invalides, Paris. The Presidential party visits the cathedral at Rheims. Wilson, Adm. Grayson, and Marshal Foch lay wreathes in a cemetery at Suresnes. The Wilsons attend the races at Long-champs.

Presentation of Tentative Treaty Terms to the German Delegates: Trianon Palace Hotel, Versailles