CHAPTER XXIX

BEFORE ST. QUENTIN

The "Hindenburg" Line--A Diabolical Piece of Vandalism--Brigadier H.Q. in a Cellar--A Fight in Mid-air--Waiting for the Taking of St. Quentin--_L'Envoi_ 292

ILLUSTRATIONS

FILMING THE PRELIMINARY BOMBARDMENT OF THE "BIG PUSH," JULY 1ST, 1916 _Frontispiece_

TO FACE PAGE

WITH A GROUP OF BELGIAN OFFICERS AT FURNES, BELGIUM, 1914 12

ON SKIS IN THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS JUST BEFORE THE FRENCH ATTACK, FEBRUARY AND MARCH, 1915 12

USING MY AEROSCOPE IN BELGIUM, 1914-15 22

HOW I CARRIED MY FILM IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE WAR IN BELGIUM AND THE VOSGES MOUNTAINS 40

THE STATE OF THE TRENCHES IN WHICH WE LIVED AND SLEPT (?) FOR WEEKS ON END DURING THE FIRST AND SECOND WINTER OF WAR 52

OUR DUG-OUTS IN THE FRONT LINE AT PICANTIN IN WHICH WE LIVED, FOUGHT, AND MANY DIED DURING 1914-15, BEFORE THE DAYS OF TIN HATS 52

CHOOSING A POSITION FOR MY CAMERA IN THE FRONT LINE TRENCH AT PICANTIN. WITH THE GUARDS. WINTER, 1915-16 56

THE PRINCE OF WALES TRYING TO LOCATE MY "CAMOUFLAGED CAMERA" 62

THE PRINCE OF WALES LEAVING A TEMPORARY CHURCH AT LA GORGUE, XMAS DAY, 1915 62

ON THE WAY TO THE "MENIN GATE" WITH AN ARTILLERY OFFICER TO FILM OUR GUNS IN ACTION 76

TAKING SCENES IN DEVASTATED YPRES, MAY, 1916 80

IN YPRES, WITH "BABY" BROOKS, THE OFFICIAL STILL PHOTOGRAPHER, MAY, 1916 84

WITH MY AEROSCOPE CAMERA AFTER FILMING THE BATTLE OF ST. ELOI 90

IN THE MAIN STREET OF CONTALMAISON THE DAY OF ITS CAPTURE 96

LAUNCHING A SMOKE BARRAGE AT THE BATTLE OF ST. ELOI 96

IN THE TRENCHES AT THE FAMOUS AND DEADLY "HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT," AFTER A GERMAN ATTACK 109

IN A SHELL-HOLE IN "NO MAN'S LAND" FILMING OUR HEAVY BOMBARDMENT OF THE GERMAN LINES 122

GEOFFREY H. MALINS, O.B.E., OFFICIAL KINEMATOGRAPHER TO THE WAR OFFICE 132

BOMBARDING THE GERMAN TRENCHES AT THE OPENING BATTLE OF THE GREAT SOMME FIGHT, JULY 1ST, 1916 138

MY OFFICIAL PASS TO THE FRONT LINE TO FILM THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, JULY 1ST, 1916 138

THE PLAN OF ATTACK AT BEAUMONT HAMEL, JULY 1ST, 1916 146

OVER THE TOP OF BEAUMONT HAMEL, JULY 1ST, 1916 146

IN THE SUNKEN ROAD AT BEAUMONT HAMEL, JUST BEFORE ZERO HOUR, JULY 1ST, 1916 154

IN A TRENCH MORTAR TUNNEL, DURING THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, AT BEAUMONT HAMEL, JULY 1ST, 1916 154

THE OPENING OF THE GREAT BATTLE OF THE SOMME, JULY 1ST, 1916 162

THE ROLL CALL OF THE SEAFORTHS AT "WHITE CITY," BEAUMONT HAMEL, JULY 1ST, 1916 168

FAGGED OUT IN THE "WHITE CITY" AFTER WE RETIRED TO OUR TRENCHES, JULY 1ST, 1916 168

THE GERMANS MAKE A BIG COUNTER ATTACK AT LA BOISSELLE AND OVILLERS, JULY 3RD AND 4TH, 1916 176

MEN OF SCOTLAND RUSHING A MINE CRATER AT THE DEADLY "HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT" 176

FILMING THE KING DURING HIS VISIT TO FRANCE IN 1916. HE IS ACCOMPANIED BY PRESIDENT POINCARÉ, SIR DOUGLAS HAIG, GENERAL JOFFRE AND GENERAL FOCH 184

HIS MAJESTY THE KING, WITH PRESIDENT POINCARÉ, IN FRANCE, 1916 206

HER MAJESTY, THE QUEEN OF THE BELGIANS, TAKING A SNAP OF ME AT WORK WHILE FILMING THE KING 218

THE PRINCE OF WALES SPEAKING WITH BELGIAN OFFICERS AT LA PANNE, BELGIUM 218

THE FIRST "TANK" THAT WENT INTO ACTION, H.M.L.S. "DAPHNE." SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1916 222

THE BATTLEFIELD OF "GINCHY" 224

RESERVES WATCHING THE ATTACK AT MARTINPUICH, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1916 224

OVER THE TOP AT MARTINPUICH, SEPT. 15TH, 1916 228

TWO MINUTES TO ZERO HOUR AT MARTINPUICH, SEPT. 15TH, 1916 228

THE HIGHLAND BRIGADE GOING OVER THE TOP AT MARTINPUICH, SEPTEMBER 15TH, 1916 234

LORD KITCHENER'S LAST VISIT TO FRANCE 256

FILMING OUR GUNS IN ACTION DURING THE GREAT GERMAN RETREAT TO ST. QUENTIN, MARCH, 1917 268

THE QUARRY FROM WHICH I CRAWLED TO FILM THE GERMAN TRENCHES IN FRONT OF ST. QUENTIN, 1917 290

OUR OUTPOST LINE WITHIN 800 YARDS OF ST. QUENTIN 302

## PART I

HOW I FILMED THE WAR

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