TOPICAL BUDGET 270-2 [Main Title]

I. King Constantine of Greece visits a hospital ship.

II. Serbian artillery on the move and in action in the mountains.

III. Wheat barges are unloaded at Paris.

IV. Rugby match in New York.

V. Volunteer Red Cross nurses leave the USA to work in Allied hospitals in France.

I. 'THE KING OF GREECE. His Majesty the King of Greece visits a hospital ship.' Honour guard of Greek sailors march along quayside (each holds his Mannlicher rifle very high, the breech resting on the shoulder). HA.MS as Constantine and party come up hospital ship's accommodation ladder from boat alongside.

II. 'SERBIANS IN MACEDONIA. The immense difficulties of transport which a Serbian Mountain battery encounters in moving their guns up to the Front.' A team of six horses hauls an ammunition limber up a steep muddy slope - a rider sits astride one of each pair of horses, urging them on, and other men push on the wheels of the limber. A gun is pulled up a slope - it appears to be a 75 - followed by its ammunition limber. LS of Serbian OP in a tree in flooded country. A mountain gun (Schneider 65mm M06 ?) is fired from a covered emplacement - it is not well chocked and must be manhandled back into position after firing.

III. 'WHEAT FOR THE FRENCH ARMY. Corn being unloaded from barges at Paris. The corn is intended for the use of the French troops.' In the barge's hold men shovel wheat into a crane's bucket. The bucket discharges into a hopper which feeds the wheat into sacks. The machine-loaded sacks are topped up by hand and sealed with ties.

IV. 'RUGBY FOOTBALL IN AMERICA. Enormous crowds watch a keenly contested rugby match, played at New York.' HA.LS of rugby match in play watched by a large crowd. LS from across the stadium - encouraged by male cheerleaders, a section of the crowd hold up placards which seen together make up a square bearing a huge letter 'C' - presumably representing California, which is also spelt out in 10 pendant flags at the top of the stadium. As the crowd turn the placards over, the display changes from a dark letter 'C' on a light background to the reverse.

V. 'HELPING THE ALLIES. Red Cross nurses leaving the United States to help in the hospitals in France.' MS pan left to right over nurses dressed in the long dresses and short capes of the American Red Cross - they are standing on the gangway of their ship. Onboard, two nurses pose with a uniformed man with Red Cross armband - presumably a doctor.

35mm