The Battle of the Somme was filmed by two official cameramen.  Geoffrey Malins was attached to the 29th Division opposite Hawthorn Ridge, and John McDowell was attached to 7th Division opposite Mametz. 

Some of the footage used in their celebrated Battle of the Somme film has been described as ‘faked’.  Because of the ferocity of the fighting, the problem of movement during the battle, and the limitations of the film-making technology available at that time, it was not possible to obtain the comprehensive coverage required for a feature length film.  A few scenes were therefore restaged for the camera and some footage, taken before the Battle, was added to support the action shots taken by the two cameramen.  It should be remembered, however, that the great majority of the film is genuine, that all the men in the film were British soldiers serving in France, and that filming the war was dangerous.  By the end of his first year in France Malins had been wounded twice, had been badly shaken and deafened by explosions and gassed.