Mediterranean Cruise; Home Guard 3rd Anniversary Parade
16mm film Colour;Black & White Silent 1930s-1943 13:07
Summary: Footage includes the P&O Naldera cruise around the Mediterranean in the 1930s and the Home Guard 3rd Anniversary Parade ('X' Sector) at Wembley on 16 May 1943, which the Middlesex 13th Battalion attended.
Title number: 351
LSA ID: LSA/448
Description: A compilation of two films, one recording a holiday cruise, the other exercises by the Home Guard. The first film begins with views from a P&O cruise around the Mediterranean on the ship 'Naldera', visiting Tangiers in Morocco, the Rock of Gibraltar, Marseilles and Malta. The passengers are filmed on deck admiring the views, promenading and playing quoits. At sea off Tangiers men in boats below are filmed offering leather poufs for sale, before another boat takes people ashore where a mosque minaret, a snake charmer, the souk, and a tourist in an 'ethnic' hat are film. At Gibraltar there are views of the rock silhouetted and of ships in the port as well as a biplane seaplane landing. At the Port of Marseilles there are shots of many other large ships, the docks, and the loading of coal on to the Cruise Ship. At Malta there are views from the Castle out to sea, a man milking a goat, goats in the street and a Catholic procession through the town. The second film follows members of the Middlesex Home Guard, in group MX 13. The film shows Home guard exercises, beginning with men cautiously moving down a road, followed by scenes of others throwing grenades before charging forward in attack. There follows a film record of the third anniversary parade of 'X' Sector at Wembley Stadium on the 16th May 1943. Guardsmen march on parade to Uxbridge Station and then on to Wembley Stadium. The Guardsmen are filmed marching within the largely audience-less Wembley Stadium, and saluting senior officers on a raised platform.
Credits: Director: B.L. Twinn
Further information: The P&O ship 'Naldera' (featured in the first film in the compilation) was withdrawn in 1938, indicating that the film was shot in that or a previous year. The ship made journeys on the mail service between the UK and Australia/the Far East. The trip depicte dhere is presumably a section of that longer voyage. The film director, B.L. Twinn, was a Corporal in the 13th Middlesex Signals Unit.
Keywords: Second World War (1939-1945)
Locations: United Kingdom; England; London; Hillingdon; Uxbridge, United Kingdom; England; London; Brent; Wembley
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