RECRUITING FILM FOR THE 12TH (COUNTY OF LONDON) BATTALION, LONDON REGIMENT (RANGERS) [Allocated Title]

A recruiting film made sometime in the first twelve months of the First World War encouraging men from the Holborn District of London to join their local Territorial Force (TF) Regiment by showing some of its activities.

START 10:00:00 Titles 'THE "RANGERS" (12TH BATTALION LONDON REGIMENT. THE OLD GRAY'S INN CORPS NOW AT CHENIES ST., TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD'. Intertitle 'The headquarters'. A single shot showing several non-commissioned officers standing around smoking cigarettes in conversation with one another at the entrance to the Chenies Street Headquarters of the 12th (County of London) Battalion (note the recruiting posters on the building); a man in a suit and straw boater pauses to look at the recruiting posters on the wall of the headquarters and is approached by one of the NCOs (a Sergeant). A uniformed police constable strolling by on his beat stops to find out what's going on before continuing on his way. The Sergeant steers the civilian into the entrance of the headquarters. Intertitle 'Recruits being attested'. A single shot filmed inside the Drill Hall in Chenies Street showing four young men volunteering for service with the the London Regiment; they are seen standing in a row with interlinked arms alongside a recruiting Sergeant listening to an officer read out the oath of allegiance to King George V. They each kiss a copy of the Bible and then hand it to the recruiting Sergeant who puts it down on the table in front of them. Intertitle 'Clothed and kitted within two hours'. A single shot inside the drill hall showing three new volunteers being issued with a field cap, a greatcoat and a tunic as well as other items of army clothing by members of the battalion, watched by the quartermaster sergeant (?) standing next to a table where uniforms ready for issue have been placed. Intertitle 'Return From drill'. A single shot consisting of a view down Chenies Street towards Gower Street showing the band of the 12th Battalion (?), London Regiment, marching at the head of approximately sixty four members of the Rangers led by two officers and four senior NCOs. The procession is followed by some children on the pavement. Two London taxi cabs bring up the rear. Intertitle 'Being paid'. A single shot filmed inside Chenies Street Drill Hall showing members of the Rangers battalion on pay parade and two NCOs and an officer standing behind a table where the battalion pay clerk is seated with documents in front of him. Five soldiers step forward in turn, salute, receive a small envelope containing their pay from the officer whilst the pay clerk notes his name, salutes again and leaves. 10:03:07 Intertitle 'A performance by the Rangers (sic) fine band'. High angle panning shots over all thirty four members of the military band with the band leader and conductor in the middle as they perform to a small number of civilians in a street. Intertitle 'THE FINISHED SOLDIER - JOIN THE "RANGERS" AND "DO YOUR BIT. THE FIRST BATTALION IS AT THE FRONT. THE SECOND BATTALION IS AT IPSWICH. THE 3RD BATTALION IS AT TADWORTH TRAINING FOR THE 1ST AND 2ND'. A line of riflemen (probably from the 3rd/12th London Regiment) mainly wearing greatcoats crouched low in a ditch behind a hedgerow being ordered by two officer instructors to keep moving. The location is probably Tadworth near Epsom in Surrey. Two officers dressed to keep the damp at bay watch the exercises from the edge of a wood. Scenes showing a platoon-sized detachment of riflemen wearing field caps and greatcoats deploying in close order inside a wood and a signaller using a flag to send a message. A section of riflemen breaks cover and advances in open order across a field. The rest of the platoon form up at the edge of the field and then retire into the wood. The section seen earlier advancing across the field retreats past haystacks back to the wood. Riflemen lying on the ground and kneeling in close order work the bolts of their Lee Enfield SMLE Mk 1 rifles to suggest that they are in action although it is clear that their weapons are not loaded. Concluding intertitle 'THE RANGERS IS YOUR LOCAL TERRITORIAL BATTALION. SHOW YOUR PLUCK AND PATRIOTISM. DON'T LEAVE YOUR PALS IN THE LURCH; THEY ARE FIGHTING FOR YOU. FALL IN AND HELP THEM'.

END 10:06:11

35mm