VISIT OF THE HON W F MASSEY AND SIR J WARD TO THE WESTERN FRONT 30 JUNE-2 JULY 1918 [Main Title]

W F Massey and Sir Joseph Ward, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of New Zealand, visit the New Zealand Division near the Bois de Warnimont, St-Léger sector, Western Front, 30 June-2 July 1918.

Massey and Ward are seen with the acting divisional commander, Brigadier-General F N Johnston (Major-General Russell was on sick leave in England) and accompanied by Brigadier-General G S Richardson, Commander NZEF (UK). They attend a church parade and address to 1st Brigade, the Engineers and the NZ (Maori) Pioneer Battalion. For the camera's benefit Ward gives a cigar to a giant Maori pioneer (Hemi) and they talk and smoke together. An inspection of the 2nd Brigade (the commander, Brigadier-General R Young, is visible), the divisional Artillery, the Squadron of Otago Mounted Rifle Regiment and the NZ Cyclist Battalion. At the 3rd NZ Rifle Brigade, accompanied by the brigade commander Colonel Stewart, they watch a demonstration of an aeroplane dropping a message and Ward takes part in a wireless demonstration. They inspect No 4 NZ Field Ambulance and talk to patients. They give speeches to the Rifle Brigade, the Entrenching Group, and to a reinforcement draft at the New Zealand Infantry and General Training Depot at Etaples. Finally, the divisional Machine Gun Battalion gives them a demonstration of setting up a Vickers machine gun at high speed. A posed shot of the battalion arranged in tiers behind the two men, while Massey, grinning broadly, menaces the camera with the Vickers and Ward acts as his loader.

35mm