Mobilisation
P: British Pathé. Fr 1914

Mobilization of troops in France and Russia during World War One (August 1914)

“High angled shot of Paris street with soldiers marching, watched by crowds on pavement. Small group of French Cavalry rides by. Closer shot showing cheering, waving crowd, a few officers riding horses and carrying bouquets wave to civilians. High angled shot crowd of men packed into a narrow street, some are clamouring around building on right, then stacks of newspapers are handed out and passed around the crowd – newspapers announcing outbreak of war? Same scene shown from another angle, crowd of men & boys see camera & wave.
Shot from top of train coach of masses of men walking along platform. Shot of young men posing, some inside train coach some in front, some on top. The train has graffiti scrawled on it – they appear to be departing for military training / the front. Pan over barges moored along River Seine in Paris – these are being requisitioned by the military.
Train stopped on railway track, soldiers are walking around in front, preparing for departure, civilians also stand along tracks waiting. The soldiers wear baggy trousers and hats – look Russian, possibly Cossacks? Same location, shot of train moving. Cut to another troop train. More soldiers riding open freight wagons along with gun carriages. Another train passes, a few soldiers wave from freight wagons. Cut to another shot soldiers waving from passing train.
Various shots troops (French?) boarding ship. Shots of soldiers carrying / wearing a lot of army equipment, they are walking towards ship and up gangway.”
British Pathé

1er août 1914, la mobilisation générale est décrétée en France (Extraits)
P: Unknown. Fr 1914
Print: Section Cinématographique de l’Armée (SCA)

“Ce moment primordial du conflit ne sera pas immortalisé par la Section Cinématographique de l’Armée (SCA), qui ne voit le jour qu’en mai 1915. Des images existent néanmoins dans un film tourné le 13 août 1914 à Bordeaux, acquis plus tard par la SCA, montrant le départ d’un bataillon du 344e régiment d’infanterie. Elles sont complétées par des images filmées à Paris, vraisemblablement en août 1914, figurant dans un film réalisé après la guerre et dans une scène jouée par des marins en 1917 à Brest.”
SCA

>>> August 1914, here the German film Sturmzeichen