WITH THE INDIAN TROOPS AT THE FRONT PART I

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: IWM 202-1).

Synopsis

Units of the former Indian Corps, just after its disbandment, in rear areas before their departure from France, November and December 1915.

The officers' mess, a building away from the battle zone, of 58th (Vaughan's) Rifles, with officers entering and leaving. Pan over a group of soldiers from 57th (Wilde's) Rifles. An outdoor "durbar" (orderly room) for 47th Sikhs - some officers sit while three new soldiers are paraded before them and perform the ritual of…

 

Context

With the Indian Troops at the Front was released in two sections in January 1916, as part of the first series of official war pictures. Its production was the result of protracted negotiations between an influential group of news film companies, known as the Topical Committee of the Kinematograph Manufacturers’ Association, and the War Office. The government was initially reluctant to cooperate with commercial film companies, but by August 1915 it finally granted permission for…

 

Analysis

With the Indian Troops offers rare footage of the Indian troops serving on the Western front. While it did not play to Indian audiences – as Girdwood claimed was the primary intention for his earlier film expedition – it did demonstrate to British audiences the role of Indians, and imperial troops, within the war effort.

The film brings together the varied material of Indian troops filmed during Malins and Tongs’ first official filming expedition,…

 

Works Cited

‘Official Pictures of the British Army in France’, Bioscope, 6 January 1916, 89.

Hiley, Nicholas, ‘Hilton DeWitt Girdwood and the Origins of British Official Filming’, Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television 13.2 (1993), 129–148.

‘Official War Films Now Coming into Own’, Kinematograph and Lantern Weekly, 9 March 1916, 3.

‘Is there a Boycott of the Official War Films?’,…

 

Titles

  • WITH THE INDIAN TROOPS AT THE FRONT PART I
Series Title:
OFFICIAL PICTURES OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE - FIRST SERIES
 

Technical Data

Year:
1916
Running Time:
9 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
522 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
War Office
 

Countries

 

Themes

 

Events