Description
Object description
Amateur film shot by British consular official while serving at the British Embassy in Saigon during the Vietnam War records family scenes and occasional evidence of conflict, and subsequent visits to Beirut, Jerusalem prior to the Six Day War and Ethiopia, where the Emperor Haile Selassie is filmed.
Content description
Time Commentary
Viet Nam 1965-1967
Note. The security situation deteriorated from early 1966 and local leave in
Viet Nam became impossible. Movement around Saigon was increasingly restricted which reduced the scope of filming.
0.00 Title
0.31 Saigon Zoo (Bears, Tigers &Elephants) Taken in early 1965.
TM& JTM in pram.
0.36 Traffic in Bd Thong Nhut near British Embassy
1.28 TM & JTM with Mrs Lan Hogg
1.50 Saigon River
2.19 At the My Canh Floating Restaurant with the Hoggs. In June 1965 this
was the site of a Viet Cong atrocity in which many were killed.
2.35 Doc Lap Palace (then incomplete) and traffic.
2.50 Departure of the Hogg family from Tan Son Nhut (TSN) Airport
by Air France Boeing 707 for Paris. The Airport was a joint
Civil/military site. Service transport aircraft (DC3/4 & C123)
are shown in the film.
4.58 Visit to Dalat (Central Highlands) in early 1965. This was
marred by an bomb at TSN which disrupted internal air
travel. The film shows this pleasant hill station showing
the Market with its abundant produce and an excursion to the
Water Falls at Prenn where there was a small zoo with bears and
Elephants and JTM in Breton costume and the Lake in the
Evening. The final episode shows the Air Viet Nam DC 3 in
which we returned to Saigon.
10.20 Saigon Central Market and traffic.
10.30 In the garden of our home at 216 rue Cong Ly.
11.09 JTM with Vietnamese friends
11.31 Chapel at Hopital Grall.
11.33 At the Park.
12.14 At Home. Vietnamese New Year.
12.54 At the National Memorial and Zoo. Honey Bears.
13.10 JTM with coconuts from the tree in our garden.
13.36 Sequence in Black & White. Saigon traffic and street life taken
from our car. Includes shipping in the Saigon River.
18.20 At home. In the Market. Walking home. Streets in bad condition.
19.15 Tea in the Garden and coconut harvest by off-duty soldiers
related to the servants. They were paid in nuts.
20.26 JTM being attended by servants.
21.25 Colour recommences. Garden life. JTM with Vietnamese
friends.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
22.16 City Lights
23.09 At the Zoo (again) Elephants & Honey Bears. The latter were
very dangerous.
24.05 In the Garden; paddling pool and JTM's French friend. Flame
trees which came into bloom just before the monsoon.
25.05 An excursion through the city and the Bien Hoa Highway
following a hearse in our new Austin 1100.
26.25 In the garden. The Market: Hotel de Ville and the black market.
28.00 In the garden.
30.15 The British coaster El Nabeel and other ships moored in the Saigon River.
31.47 A Shell tanker moored on the Nha Be River.
32.03 Mowing the Lawn.
32.38 JTM in the paddling pool.
34.24 Football. British Embassy vs a Toothpaste Co. The late David
Mumford (1944-1992).
35.15 Children's Party.
36.17 Village life, buffalos and paddy fields.
36.20 American military base with Huey helicopters (Bien Hoa
highway).
36.56 National Day Parade (1 November 1966). The traffic flow on the
rue Cong Ly was reversed for the vehicles leaving the parade
route along Bd Thong Nhut.The conventional might of the Army
of the Republic of Viet Nam and it allies is well shown with its
display of vehicles (both regular and specialised), tanks (M47),
APCs(M113), artillery (75mm pack howitzers, 105mm and
155mm howitzers, M109 155mm and M107 175mm SP Howitzers)
and Hawk missiles. Troops include Commandos, frogmen and
engineers. The flypast consists of DC3s, Skyraiders, F5 fighters,
B57 Canberra bombers and Huey helicopters. The civilian
contribution was the Fire Brigade.
42.15 Cam Ranh Bay (Central Viet Nam). An enormous anchorage
used by the Russian Baltic Fleet on its way to defeat by the Japanese in 1905 and by the French. However its isolation from settled areas and poor communications meant that it was very little used. The Americans established a large base there and assured security by excluding the Viet Namese! My journey there was a rare excursion out of Saigon on official business when I had to discharge the Master and crew of a Tank landing Ship registered in the Bahamas for total incompetence. The view is panoramic showing the magnificent scenery. The Bay was larger than the harbour at Hong Kong. This footage was taken in December 1966. In 1972 the Americans withdrew to be succeeded by the Russians who stayed there until the collapse of the USSR in 1991.
FILM TAKEN DURING MID TOUR LEAVE (NOVEMBER 1965-JANUARY 1967)
(Episodes taken in Old Jerusalem taken in November 1965 preceded the Six Day War of June 1967 when the city was occupied by the Israelis).
43.10 Panorama of the Old City from the Place of the Ascencion to the
Dome of the Roc and back to the Church of the Ascension and its
accompanying Mosque.
44.46 Garden of Gethsemane.
44.59 The Walls of Jerusalem seen from the above Garden.
45.03 Garden of Gethsemane again.
45.22 The Russian Church of St Mary Magdelane.
45.23 The Church of All Nations.
45.44 Panorama of Bethlehem.
46.12 The Shepherds' Field (reputed sight of the Appearance of Angels
who announced the Birth of Christ).
46.18 Views of Bethlehem.
46.44 Valley of Kedron and panorama of the approaches to Jerusalem.
46.59 Entry to Jerusalem.
47.05 St Anne's Church and the Pool of Siloam.
47.33 Entry to the Via Dolorosa.
47.36 Departure by air for Beirut. The Viscount airliner parked by the
runway accommodated a group of Irish Catholic pilgrims led by
the then Archbishop of Armagh, Cardinal Conway. During our
visit we encountered them often
47.55 Beirut. Panoramic View of Seafront (the Sparrow Rock).
48.15 Roman Arch and Museum.
48.25 Panorama of the Harbour and the St George's Hotel.
49.02 Views of the Hotel Quarter (including the Pheonicia) and
the Seafront. (This area was devastated in the Civil War
1975-1988 but has been restored).
49.36 Panoramic view of the seafront and mountains.
50.00 On the way to the Airport.
LONDON DECEMBER 1965
50.20 The lights of the West End (Oxford Street; Selfridges; Piccadilly
Circus and Trafalgar Square).
VIENNA DECEMBER 1965
52.26 Christmas Lights.
52.40 St Stephen's Cathedral, the Graben, the Hofburg (T&J).
53.29 Duck resting on a pond in the Volksgarten.
53.33 Lights on the Kaertner Strasse. (Hotel Sacher).
HONG KONG AUGUST 1966
54.02 Across the Harbour. Views of shipping including US Destroyers
and the Star Ferry.
56.39 Nathan Road, Kowloon and the Shamrock Hotel at night.
Aberdeen Fish Restaurant.
57.30 Leaving Kai Tack Airport and flying over Hong Kong and islands.
British frigate (? Whitby Class) patrolling the coastline.
A STOP OVER IN SINGAPORE EN ROUTE TO LONDON.
JANUARY 1967.
58.40 At the harbour. Panoramic view of City, Shipping and the General
Post Office. RJM &JTM.
59.40 Orchard Road.
1.00.03 CK Tang, a leading store.
UNITED KINGDOM 1967-1968
1967
1.00.20 PJM & JTM in Dinsdale Gardens (London SE 25).
1.00.38 Panoromic View of Loch Lomond (Scotland)
1.01.35 Sheep & Scenery near Loch Long and Helensburgh
1.02.01 Paul in pram (at Dinsdale Gardens)
1.02.33 An excursion to London Zoo (Pandas, Elephants, Polar and Brown
Bears at Maplin Terrace, Giraffes and Dromedaries).
1.04.0 Beachy Head.
1.04.21 Paul in bath (Jacqueline observing) and in the lounge (Dinsdale
Gardens).
1.04.43 A walk in Addington Park Gardens.
1968
1.05.15 Stirling Castle (with Grandmother Arcari).
1.05.41 Panorama over Falkirk and the Wallace Memorial. Bannockburn.
1.05.53 The Trossachs.
1.06.40 136 Kingswood Drive, Glasgow. TM & Paul in front garden
1.07.02 A visit to Chessington Zoo (in the rain).
1.07.26 Holiday at Milford on Sea, Hampshire. The sea-side.
1.07.40 An excursion by car to the New Forest. Ponies and pigs.
1.08.46 Sea-side (again).
1969
STRASBOURG, FRANCE.
1.09.22 Views of the City and Cathedral.
1.10.15 Celebration of the 14th of July parade along the Avenue de la
Foret Noire. Fly-past by Mirage fighters. March-past by the Foreign Legion, the Infantry, the Navy (unused to marching) and Air Force.
Display of AMX 13 tanks, Jeeps with 106mm recoiless rifles, AMX VCI APC, AMX SP 105mm guns, specialised vehicles, the Gendarmerie Nationale and the Fire Brigade (Note: very similar to the Vietnamese parade).
1.12.38 Fireworks over the City. The spire of the Cathedral is visible.
1.13.53 A weekend at Aufrahn in the Vosges as guests of the Oster family.
(20/21 July). The First Landing on the Moon took place on the 21st.
Paul makes a brave attempt to climb a fence.
1.14.50 A trip on the canals and the Rhine. River traffic including barges,
the river cruise ship Britannia and speed boats.
1.16.06 Excursion to the Vosges. Mists over the hills and a ski resort.
1.17.14 Paulette's country wedding. She was a member of the local staff
of the Consulate.
1.17.24 A Christmas Excursion to La Petite Pierre. Snow and sledging.
1.20.35 The Christmas Circus at Strasbourg.
1970
1.21.0 A self-catering holiday in a villa at Freconrupt near Shirmeck in
the Vosges. (July). JTM & PJM collect the milk. Panorama of
Shirmeck and Natzwiller (where there was an extermination camp
during the 2nd World War).
1.21.25 A summer cruise through Strasbourg and the Rhine.
1.23.53 A visit by car to the small towns and villages in Alsace. Long
Panorama of Strasbourg. Wissembourg; memorial.
1.24.00 Obernai (eating ice-cream). Vineyards, farms, The Hotel de Ville.
1.25.54 The bridges between Strasbourg and Kehl (in Germany). Traffic on
The Rhine and gliders above.
1.26.32 A family walk in the Vosges.
1971
ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
1.27.03 (March) Arrival of the East African Airways VC10 at Addis Ababa
with family on board. Ethiopian Airlines DC3 in foreground.
1.27.15 Aspects of the countryside. Taken in early May. NB. It took several
months for our car (a Hillman Hunter Estate Car) to reach Addis
Ababa by sea to Djibouti and by rail from there and until its arrival
we were confined to the city (such as it was).
1.27.27 The Koka Dam
1.28.05 The Villa in the Dessie Road. The children play in the garden.
1.28.50 A visit to the Embassy Bungalow at Langano in the Rift Valley.
NB. The lake consisted of mineral water which tasted nasty but
did not support snails which transported bilharzia a chronic blood
disease found in most rivers and streams in Ethiopia. Princess Anne stayed at this site during her tour in November 1973.
1.31.08 A walk in the country near Addis with the Reeces. A panorama of
Mounts Furer and Jerer (to the south of Addis).
1.32.16 A country road.
1.32.18 Swimming at Ambo ( 80 miles west of Addis). A mineral bath
at the Ras Hotel.
1.32.47 A panorama of the countryside on the road between Ambo and
Addis.
1.33.10 Views from the air of the magnificent river and mountain scenery
taken between Addis and Lalibella. I was accompanying a British
Parliamentary Delegation touring Ethiopia.
1.33.06 Lalibella Airstrip. The group arrives. The Ethiopian Airlines DC3
Takes off to return to Addis.
1.35.10 Arrival at the Hotel and the guests on the Terrace
1.35.19 A view of the Church complex and a panorama of the area.
1.35.43 A Church and Lord Henley talking to an Ethiopian priest.
1.35.55 Weaving of cloth; bowl for offerings.
1.37.05 Birds circling hotel.
1.37.31 Return to Addis. The Tissisat Falls from the air.
1.37.55 Swimming at the Ras Hotel, Ghion (again a mineral pool).
1.38.45 The Embassy Horse Show. Present were Crown Prince Afsa Wossen
HH Ras Asrate Kassa (murdered in 1974), Alan Campbell, the
British Ambassador, Mrs Campbell (presenting a prize) and Stephen Wall struggling with a donkey. Stephen subsequently served as British Ambassador to Portugal and the European Union, was Knighted and was later appointed to the Cabinet Office as adviser to the Prime Minister on European Affairs. Took premature retirement in July 2004.
1.39.15 Animal life at Lake Abyata (Rift Valley) including vultures,
donkeys, pelicans, eagles and other birds.
1.41.32 Swimming in Lake Langano. Speedboats.
1.42.15 Bird life at Langano.
1.42.15 Scenery on the road to Gondar north of Addis.
1.43.14 The Lion's Den at the Old Palace.
1972
1.43.40 A British Army Sioux Helicopter operating from the grounds
Of the British Embassy, Addis, as part of a joint Anglo-Ethiopian
Civil works programme in the Central Highlands. JTM and PJM
look on.
1.45.00 Biblical threshing of grain.
1.45.10 Asmara. Haile Selassie Avenue and the Governor General's Palace.
1.45.30 Paul climbing during a Sunday afternoon walk near Addis.
1.45.45 Emperor Haile Selassie opens a bridge built by the Royal Engineers
near Gondar. Present are Alan Campbell, British Ambassador,
who welcomed the Emperor.
1.47.06 Jacqueline's First Communion.
1.47.0 Road race in the centre of Addis taken from the Information Office.
(June – during the rainy season).
Note. At this point the editing of this film has become confused. The journies to Asmara and Dire Dawa took place before the road race and the visit to the New Palace occurred in May 1974 shortly before commencement of the Revolution
which overthrew the Emperor and eventually led to his murder in 1976.
1972-1974
1.48.12 The road to Harar (with a view the city).
1.48.37 The Market at Dire Dawa.
1.49.02 The return journey from Harar. Views of villages – mud huts -
and Churches. Scenery showing a mixture of agriculture and
wilderness. Animals including oryx (a large long-horned antelope
which inhabits arid regions in Africa and the Middle East).
Jacqueline's First Communion (out of order).
1.51.30 The 1973 Famine in Ethiopia when I accompanied the Ambassador
(Mr Willie Morris) on a fact finding tour of Wollo Province. Seen are vultures feeding on dead cattle and the victims begging for food from
passing vehicles.
1.52.25 Light aircraft operated by Missionary Societies.
1.52.30 Ostriches in the desert.
1.52.52 A family visit to the New Palace at Addis Ababa in May 1974. The grounds contained a selection of animals (lions, bears, cheetahs, antelopes, oryx and Zebra) and small tukuls (huts) where the Emperor reputedly lived. Paul crosses a bridge. Note. We were not allowed to enter the Palace; from what we could see through the windows many rooms looked untended with the furniture covered in drapes. This tour was organised by the Ethiopian Tourist Organisation (a Government body). It was probably the last visit before the 1974 Revolution.
1.54.40 An out-of-focus panorama of the scenery to the south of Addis.
1.55.0 A view of Massawa on the Red Sea and a camel at the salt pans.
1.55.20 The Falls at Tississat (Blue Nile) during the dry season.
1.56.50 A tribe of Baboons and donkeys.
1.57.02 Gondar Castle and a large Church.
1.57.24 The main road thorough mountain passes with vehicles.
1.53.39 Camel train at Makalle. The camels had ascended the escarpment from the Danakil desert loaded with bars of salt gathered by the Danakil to be sold to the salt dealers. This was a primitive traffic showing the depth of poverty.
1.58.16 The Castle at Makalle (where we stayed a night) and the road to
Asmara, capital of Eritrea.
A STOP OVER IN ROME IN JUNE 1972.
1.58.40 St Peter's Cathedral and other parts of the City including the Castel
St Angelo.
SCOTLAND SUMMER 1974
2.00.59 A trip on the Clyde. The oil rigs were held ready for the oil bonanza.
ZURICH, SWITZERLAND 1975
2.01.06 Spring . The Sechselauten Fancy Dress Parade. Wealthly
Inhabitants dress up in exotic costume with bands and a large bonfire.
ENGLAND 1976
2.02.21 Summer. A family visit to Stonehenge. In those days the public
had full access to the site.
2.03.43 Winter at 17c Radcliffe Road.
1978
2.04.50 Summer Holiday at Polurrian, Cornwall. Sky and beach.
2.05.48 Jacqueline swimming in hotel pool.
2.05.49 Paul swimming (same place).
2.06.03 Air Show at RNAS, Culdrose. Fly past and displays by Swordfish,
Folland Gnat, Sikorsky and other Helicopters, parachutists,
Hercules transports, Red Arrows display (Gnats), RN Historic
Flight (Swordfish (again), Firefly (destroyed at Duxford in July
2003), Sea Fury). Gnats (again), Spitfire, Helicopter display.
Sea Hawk. Helicopter fly-past. Sea Prince. Sikorsky Helicopter
S55.
2.10.20 Winter. Paul in the snow.
1979
2.10.55 Summer. Roses in bloom.
2.11.05 Annual Sports at St John's Beaumont.
2.11.42 Polurrian Hotel. Coast line, Mullion Cove and sunset.
2.12.29 Jacqueline in Hotel pool.
2.12.51 Seacoast and waves.
2.13.30 Garden roses again.
2.14.02 Jumbo jet over 17c Radcliffe Road.
2.14.07 Shuttleworth Autumn Airshow. Gloster Gladiator, Puss Moth,
Spitfire, Sopwith Camel, Bristol Fighter, Tiger Moth, DH Rapide.
2.16.06 17c Radcliffe Road again.
1980
2.16.18 Panorama of Johannesburg from the Carlton Tower including
the Brixton and Hillbrow TV Towers.
2.17.58 Paul & Jacqueline in the pool at Houghton.
2.18.24 Mine dancing Exhibition at Kloof Mine (6 April 1980).
2.21.03 Krugersdorp Nature Reserve. Baboons, Giraffe, Lions, Zebra,
Eland, Rhinos, baboons (again).
2.23.03 The pool at 207 Oxford Road.
2.24.18 A Sunday trip to the Magaliesberge, near Pretoria. The
Hartbeespoort Dam and hang gliding.
2.25.23 In flight on a British Airways Boeing 747 Jumbo Jet. Landing at
Jan Smuts Airport, Johannesburg. Air Zimbabwe Boeing 707 in
foreground.
2.26.37 Sunrise over the Rand.
2.27.28 Kruger National Park. (Thomson's Gazelle; baboons; small and
large birds; giraffes; monkeys; elephants at a distance; wild boar;
elephants drinking; wildebeest and wild boars; rhino; elands;
rhino on land and in water. Close-up of elephant – taken from the car).
2.31.40 Umhlanga Rocks Resort, 20 kilometres north of Durban (Natal).
2.32.20 Paul surfing in the Indian Ocean.
2.32.55 South African Air Force helicopter on patrol.
2.33.02 Hotel (again)
2.33.16 Gold Mines at Johannesburg. Pouring of gold and mine railway.
2.33.35 Pool at 207 Oxford Road and family barbecue.
2.34.05 Jacarandas
2.34.30 African builders working on a new house. Pool again.
A Journey to Cape Town by Road.
December 1981- January 1982
2.34.56 Capetown. Table Mountain from Bloubergstrand.
2.35.02 Cape Town Castle.
2.35.45 Panoramic view from Table Mountain of Lion Rock, the Atlantic,
Robben Island and the City
2.36.06 Descent from Table Mountain by cable car. Views of mountains and
City.
2.38.22 Cape Point. Views and wildlife (dangerous baboons) and lighthouse.
2.39.40 Matjiesfontein. Hotel Milner and the railway. London bus and the
mainstreet.
Holiday in Natal – August 1982
2.40.50 Jacqueline and Paul playing tennis at Mont aux Sources Hotel (once
once owned by Tom Casement, brother of Sir Richard).
2.41.20 Scenery at the Mont aux Sources Ampitheatre (unhistorical
Setting of the film 'Zulu' (1964)).
2.40.0 Paul and Jacqueline riding.
2.44.50 In the Hotel pool and gardens
2.45.21 The Voortrekker Memorial, Pretoria
2.45.49 Valley of a Thousand Hills, Natal.
2.46.48 Umhlanga Rocks. The Beach. Thelma & Jacqueline take a walk.
2.47.50 Aircraft flies over the beach.
2.48.12 Paul surfing.
2.48.29 Inanda Wildlife Park. Contents include a Cheetah, ostriches, zebra,
eland and vildebeest.
2.49.56 Sugar cane fields.
2.50.25 Snow in Johannesburg (September 1981 –out of chronology)
2.52. oo Air Show at Lanseria. Fiesler Storch, helicopter, Chipmunk,
Stimson Voyager, Spitfire Mk IX ( "5553"
/KAX – crashed on April 15, 2000 at Swartkop), Impala jet trainers,
South African Airways Airbus. (October 1981-out of chronology)
2.55.38 Pretoria. Jacaranda City and panorama from Union Buildings.
2.57. 41 TM
Holiday in the Natal Drakensberg August 1983
2.58.06 Cathedral Peak: Nguni Huts.
2.59.25 Macro pictures of credit card, watch and large insect.
2.59.55 TM & RJM reading on the stoep of their bungalow.
3.00.10 Spionkop; British Graves of the South African War and panorama.
Holiday in the Eastern Transvaal Drakensberg. April 1983
(out of chronology)
3.01.39 Long Tom Pass and panoramic view of the uplands.
3.03.01 Walking in the forest near Mount Sheba.
3.03.33 The View from Mount Sheba Hotel.
3.03.41 Pilgrims Rest from Mt Sheba. A gold mining settlement founded in 1873.
3.04.00 Paul taking a photograph.
3.04.13 Paul and TM walking.
3.04.18 Pilgrims Rest – main street and panorama.
3.04.56 Mountain views.
3.05.14 Blyde River Canyon and Dam. World's End & the three Rondavels.TM.
3.06.18 Paul riding.
3.07.14 A visit to the Lion Park near Johannesburg, May 1984.
Springbok, Zebra, Ostrich, Vildebeest. Lions(walking,
Lying down, sleeping, playing and prowling. All photograpy from car.
3.10.12 Swimming pool during the rainy season.
3.10.39 Florida Lakes; sailing and windsurfing.
3.11.18 Macro: Lizard
3.11.23 Sunrise
3.11.30 Macro: Stick Insect.
3.11.55 Sunrise: East Rand (Kelvin Power Station).
3.11.00 Barbecue with the Palmers (Magaliesberg Resort).
3.13.52 Paragliding.
3.14.47 Wild Animals at the Resort. (Giraffes etc).
3.15.45 TM diving & swimming.
3.18.55 Sunset
Return to the United Kingdom (1984)
3.19.54 Portsmouth: Frigates & HMS Victory. Shipping on the
Solent. Cruise ships, Hovercraft, yachts, War Memorial, Minesweepers & Airship (probably taken during trip from
Portsmouth to Cherbourg – June 1986).
Journey to the Highlands and Islands (June 1985)
3.22.21 Ferry from Oban to Mull and seascape.
3.22.31 Boarding the Ferry.
3.23.31 Oban from the Ferry. Seascapes and Light House. Castle
Duart on Mull. Leaving the Ferry at Craignure. Small ferry
From Iona arriving at Fionnphort.
3.25.20 Ferry to Harris and Lewis from Uig (Skye). Seascape at
Butt of Lewis. Windsurfing on Loch Rannoch.
3.26.05 Airship over 17b Radcliffe Road (late Summer 1985).
3.27.20 Hovercraft and a Catamaran at Portsmouth. Sally Line
Ferry in the Channel.
3.28.00 Barbecue at 17 Bridle Road and the garden (?1988)
3.28.08 Winter View of Garden and Bridle Road (1991).
3.28.58 Oscar (1993).
3.30.40 End of film.
Physical description
8mm