Seeing the New Year In
A boisterous band of Allied troops makes merry in the face of an uncertain future.
This intriguing newsreel fragment from Pathé's Animated Gazette captures a poignant moment. As a new year dawns, a band of what look like Belgian soldiers, plus a dog and a small child, enjoy a raucous campfire gathering somewhere in open countryside. Despite the circumstances, the troops refuse to have their spirits dampened, ushering in the New Year cheerily in the face of an uncertain future.
Pathé's Animated Gazette, established in 1910, was one of the earliest British newsreels, presenting "a weekly record of the world's events in motion-pictures". True to their word, Pathé filmed fairly frequently in France and Belgium during WWI, delivering images from the Front to audiences back home.
The First World War: News from the Battlefields
Rare images from the theatres of war for anxious audiences back in Blighty.
The military high command maintained a tight grip on what was permissible for audiences to see, and for the most part film cameras weren't allowed anywhere near the frontlines - partly for the safety of the film crews, but more for fear that the images they sent back could seriously damage public morale.
But such was the public demand for more information that eventually the government was forced to take notice, and in 1917 the Topical Budget newsreel was requisitioned by the War Office. Images of combat remained largely off limits, though, and instead the cameras were dispatched in search of more uplifting stories of heroism and endurance.
53 videos in this collection
Rescue Work in No Man's Land Topical Budget 332-2
Australian Troops at the Pyramids
Shower Baths in the Trenches Topical Budget 228-1
From Trinidad to Serve the Empire Topical Budget 230-2
Christmas at the Front Topical Budget 175-1
Funeral at the Front Topical Budget 210-2
Outposts of Empire: British East African Troops Entraining on an Expedition against German Territory
Red cross Dogs Topical Budget 175-1
Our Submarines Topical Budget 173-1
Gallant Defenders Topical Budget 165-2
German Prisoners Topical Budget 162-2
Fife and Forfar Yeomanry Topical Budget 164-1
King's Visit to Belgium Topical Budget 172-1
Lord Lovat's Scouts Topical Budget 164-1
Christmas Church Parade Topical Budget 175-1
Sons of the Empire Topical Budget 165-2
Ostend in War-Time
Our Naval Losses Topical Budget 168-1
The Attack on Antwerp Topical Budget 164-1
From the Fighting Top of a Battleship in Action
The British in Belgium
British Nurses in Serbia
A Patrol in the Desert
The E13 Avenged
The Eyes of the Fleet: A Destroyer Flotilla Scouting
Russia's Great Haul
Fight for the Dardanelles
Seeing the New Year In
French Machine Gun in the Wooded Country of the Argonne
War Scenes in Italy Topical Budget 197-1
Lord Charles Beresford in France
General Haig Visits General Joffre Topical Budget 229-1
Italian and Greek Troops in Action: Italians Decorated by Prince of Wales
Lines of Communication Topical Budget 306-1
Wreck of L. 39 Topical Budget 292-1
British Airships in the East
With the British Troops in Macedonia
Scenes of the First World War
Waiting and Watchful Pictorial News (Official)/War Office Official Topical Budget 344-1
Surrender of the German Fleet
General Allenby's Entry into Jerusalem
Life at Iwerne Minster in Wartime, August 7th & 8th 1918.
Freed from Turkish Bondage Pictorial News (Official)/War Office Official Topical Budget 346-1
Artillery at Alost Topical Budget 162-2
The Battle of Lebbeke
British Naval Activities after the Great British Victory of Jutland
Preparing the Rations Topical Budget 167-1
Empire Troops
History of the War: Russian Front
History of the War: Ypres
Surrender of the German High Seas Fleet
