Leslie Mitchell Surveys the War Time Situation at Home and Abroad: French Frontier Defences

Series

Series Name
British Movietone News

Issue

Issue No.
542
Date Released
23 Oct 1939
Date submitted
20 Oct 1939
Stories in this Issue:

Story

Story No. within this Issue
8 / 8
Section Title
Leslie Mitchell Surveys the War Time Situation at Home and Abroad
Summary
MOVIETONE CARD TITLE: French Army in the Alps. DESCRIPTION: The French Alpine Defence use mules to transport equipment over mountainous paths. SHOTLIST: Soldiers mine the road and at the foot of the Briancon Citadel, General Thierry reviews the mountain artillery. In one small village, the soldiers help the villagers to thrash corn and the flags of the chasseurs are blessed by Bishop Grumel. Equipment is carried up the mountain paths with the help of mules. While waiting for the war to commence in this sector one of the soldiers has constructed an ingenious weathercock. General Cyvoct inspects the defence works while double machine guns and heavy artillery are ready in their emplacements. Later before representatives of the French Press (Tharaud, Bourcier, Dumas, Kessel, Tardieu, Elsey and Lamaziere) General Requin presides at the trooping of the flag ceremony. After this. Captain Quenot and others are decorated and congratulated. Then the General reviews his troops. Motor cyclists ride on the highest road in Europe which is 3,000 metres up. Interior of church with service and candles on the altar.
Keywords
Buildings and structures; Weapons; Agriculture; Motorcycling; Transport; Ceremonies; Newspapers; Animals; Military; Religion and belief
Footage sources
France
Card file number
37633
Credits:
Commentator
Leslie Mitchell
Length of story (in feet)
85
Story extras:
Film clip

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How to cite this record

'Leslie Mitchell Surveys the War Time Situation at Home and Abroad: French Frontier Defences', British Movietone News Issue No. 542, 23 Oct 1939. https://learningonscreen.ac.uk/newsonscreen/search/index.php/story/10355 (Accessed 16 Jul 2025)