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  • Short Summary

    British soldiers demonstrate early type of hand grenade and bombs fired by catapult.

  • Description

    Trench warfare on the Western Front during World War One.

    British officer standing in trench fiddling with small bomb or grenade. He strikes the bomb against a block strapped to his wrist, like striking a match, and throws it. He turns and looks at camera.

    A catapult is attached to edge of trench. We see a soldier pull the sling back, attaches it to a hook and puts small bomb in it. L/S of large structure in distance. Catapult is released.

    Seems to take some time, the bomb missing the structure in distance, a cloud of smoke rises beyond it. Soldier reaches out of trench to set catapult again. The soldier smokes a cigarette during the entire bomb firing procedure.

    Modified WPA record.

  • Tags

  • Data

    Film ID:
    1662.11
    Media URN:
    70940
    Group:
    Old negatives
    Archive:
    British Pathé
    Issue Date:
    1914 - 1918
    Sound:
    Mute
    HD Format:
    Available on request
    Stock:
    Black & White
    Duration:
    00:01:14:00
    Time in/Out:
    01:10:03:00 / 01:11:17:00
    Canister:
    ON 003 G

Comments (1)

  1. Unknown user says

    Before officers badges of rank were transferred to the epaulettes they were worn on the cuff as shown. I think the officer is a major as there is only one pip and it looks like a crown. It looks like he has struck the fuse against his pip on the left sleeve to start it

    I can't see any block as in the description

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