King George V's visit to the British Army in France and Belgium, 1st-9th December 1918.

The King (in Field Marshal's uniform) with the Prince of Wales, General Sir William Birdwood and other officers inspects graves, including that of General Maxwell, on the Ypres ridges on 8th December. On 5th December the King and Prince, along with Prince Albert and General Sir Henry Horne, are cheered through the streets of Stambruges by men of 175th Brigade, 58th (London) Division. Lieutenant-Colonel G Powell, the brigade commander, is present. On the following day the King, Horne and the Prince inspect an old battlefield, probably the ruin of Monchy-le-Preux church from the Battle of Arras. On 1st December the royal party drives over an old battlefield road, possibly the Maubeuge-Avesnes road, in the damp and overcast. On the next day the King walks through a crowd of jostling soldiers, very informal, possibly men of 21st Division at Le Quesnoy. On 8th December the King meets men of 15th (Scottish) Division at the crossroads at Thumaide. He leaves his car by the roadside and is taken by Birdwood to meet the divisional commander, Major-General H L Reed, who introduces him in turn to his staff, and to men of the division. The men include some Indian troops working with the RGA train attached to the division. The Infantry are lined up leaving a narrow tunnel of cheering soldiers for the King to walk down. On 7th December the King inspects 8th Division in the main square at Tournai, meeting Major-General W Heneker the divisional commander, the Bishop of Tournai and the town mayor. Birdwood is also present. They pose for a group photograph. The Prince of Wales's car, the last of the convoy, is shown leaving the town. The royal party tours the Cloth Hall at Ypres on 8th December. Finally, probably on 9th December, the King inspects a very large shore gun emplacement at Zeebrugge.

Notes

Title: this is taken from the shotsheet