French anti-aircraft guns in action in France. A plane in flight. French soldiers put the guns in place. Soldiers operate the anti-aircraft guns. A railroad gun in view. French soldiers stand on artillery. (World War II period).
French refugees leave France. Two refugees move along a field with their belongings in a hand cart. Several men move in a group. A family travels in a van. A French child sleeps while traveling. A French woman weeps. A woman carried on a stretcher.
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.
General Maurice Gamelin visits General Gort at British General Headquarters in France. Men stand at a railway station. Railroad cars in the background. A train arrives on the railroad tracks. General Maurice Gamelin and other French officers at the railway station. Several cars on the street. People stand and watch as the cars pass.
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