French people in District Town Hall (Mairie du XXe Arrondissement) in Paris, France, at start of World War 2. . Women try on the gas masks. Men of National Guard of France (Garde Mobile) fit gas masks on the faces of people. Several gas mask cans on a table. Boxes in the background. People come out with gas mask cans. A child stands at the entrance.
In the tense two weeks before Britain's declaration of war against Germany in World War 2, (occuring on September 3, 1939) the Evening Standard Newspaper of August 21, 1939 reports that the Premier sees the King; the Cabinet is to meet; Members of Parliament assemble to hear Chamberlain speak; and the Pope will broadcast peace pleas. Londoners are seen gathered in the areas around the Houses of Parliament. A woman carries a placard reading "Churchill." (She pushes it in front of the camera.) Rolls Royce limousines carrying cabinet ministers enter gates at Parliament courtyard. Bobbies contain peaceful crowds without difficulty. Occupants of one limousine are dressed in Arabian garb. Newspaper vendor displays headlines of Evening Standard reading: "Britons told to leave Germany." Cars carrying dignitaries continue into the Parliament courtyard. Several photographers snap photos as the cars pass them. A shot of the Elizabeth Tower at the north end of the Houses of Parliament, with the Great Clock clearly visible. The tower, clock and great bell (Big Ben) are often collectively referred to as"Big Ben." Routine busy commercial traffic moving on the street past Parliament. View from a high vantage point of double-decker buses moving past the Parliament courtyard, where crowd stands by the fence. Another official car enters the courtyard.
British Army officer leads British Cabinet officials on tour of the wartime front in France, during December, 1939, in the so-called "Phoney War" at outset of world War 2. A British Naval officer accompanies them. The weather is foggy. Next, a closeup reveals that among the officials is British foreign minister, Lord Halifax (Viscount Halifax). The group converses as they are escorted about the British Expeditionary Force areas of operation. Momentary glimpse of General Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, Commander of II Corps in the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Views of extensive fortified trenches, and a sign reading: "Canadian Front Line, 1917." Change of scene shows contingent of Canadian troops marching in a town. Their commanding officer salutes as they pass. Standing with him, is a French officer in battle helmet. Local French civlians watch the troops on parade. More soldiers march past in background, behind the French spectators. Scene shifts again, to the civilian officials being escorted on tour of the area. Camera focuses on the Canadian War Memorial, at Vimy Ridge, and then pans to the touring group arriving there.
Camera focuses on destroyed buildings in aftermath of German bombing during the Battle of France in World war 2. School boys rummage through a stack of debris. Smoke rises from a smashed automobile at a roadside. Local people beginning to evacuate, hauling their belongings in horse-drawn wagon. Closeup of a damaged trolley track, in center of city street. Smoke rising at end of street and towers of a church or Government building seen in background. Firemen direct water from a hose at a burning building. Camera pans over smoke rising from rubble and shows fire burning the interior of a building. More views of destroyed and burning buildings
Refugees flee from advancing German forces during Battle of France in World War 2. Refugees fill a street transporting their belongings on bicycles and in horse-drawn wagons. A British Expeditionary Force soldier walks past them on the sidewalk. Camera pans to destroyed and burning buildings in the city. View from behind refugees as they move away. An automobile follows behind them. closeup of smoldering debris. Broken manequins beside destroyed clothing shop. A man stamps out some smoldering material, with his feet. Fire raging in a building. Cobblestones missing from street in front of burning building. Smoke from fires obscures view of street. Uniformed French soldiers remove some furniture from a burning building. More views of burning buildings, including one showing flames and heavy smoke billowing from top of a building.
Wounded soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) being carried aboard a British ship for evacuation from Boulogne during the Battle of France in World War 2. Ship in the background. Ambulances stand on the port. Wounded soldiers are carried on stretchers. Other soldiers carry belongings of the wounded.
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