French troops at the front (1940)

View of the German cargo ship "Rostock", captured by the French ship "Elan" on February 10, 1940.

French navy sailors on board the captured ship.

The faces of the officers.

Opening of cargo ship holds.

French sailors descend into the hold for inspection.

Machine telegraph of a dry cargo ship.

An officer and a sailor descend the ladder from the upper deck.

The descent of the German flag from the mast.

The face of a French sailor.

Raising the French flag on the mast of a cargo ship.

View of the French military transport aircraft.

Loading of propaganda leaflets on the plane.

The officer puts the leaflets in a special container for spreading over the enemy positions.

Strengthening the container with leaflets under the bottom of the aircraft.

Starting the aircraft engine.

The crew checks the route on the map.

View of the tail of the aircraft.

The crew gets on the plane.

The mechanic removes the brake pads.

The plane begins taxiing to the runway.

The plane takes off.

Crew members in the cockpit.

The navigator plots a course.

Discarded leaflets fly through the air.

The crew is in their seats.

The plane lands after returning to the airfield.

Gunners run on alert to the guns on the firing position.

The calculation of the gun removes the disguise.

Preparation of ammunition for firing.

The crew takes up space at the gun.

Soldiers bring a powder charge.

The lockman checks the bolt of the gun.

The gunner adjusts the gun panorama.

Loading the gun.

The work of the calculation numbers of the firing gun.

The barrel of the gun during the shot.

The overheated gun barrel is smoking.

Armored car on the Maginot Line.

The observer watches the enemy through binoculars.

View of the fortifications on the river bank.

An effigy of a German soldier suspended from a pole.

The officers go up to the observation post.

Inspection of damage to walls and communications after enemy shelling.

Traces of shrapnel hits.

A soldier watches the enemy positions through a periscope.

Panorama of one of the sections of the German positions on the opposite bank of the river.

The soldier continues to observe.

View of the German long-term firing point (pillbox).

The officer gives orders to his subordinates.

View of one of the pillboxes on the Maginot Line.

Fortifications on the Maginot Line.

Soldiers carry boxes of ammunition into one of the bunkers.

Transport of ammunition on rails to the gun casemates.

Ammunition depot in one of the casemates.

Internal view of the mechanisms and the platform of rotation of the fortress gun.

A cartridge with ammunition.

The gunner stands at the gun aiming mechanisms.

Gun aiming.

View of the brewhouse in the underground kitchen.

The cook is stirring with a ladle in the cauldron.

Cooking for the personnel.

Delivery of pans with food to the canteen attendant.

Soldiers during lunch in the underground dining room.

The face of a soldier smoking a cigarette.

A soldier listens to the radio.

A French military unit, built on the square of one of the settlements.

The general walks along the line.

View of a part of the square.

The general awards the commander of the unit.

The soldiers hold their weapons in the "on guard" position.

The general congratulates the commander of the unit, kisses him three times.

Presentation of awards to distinguished soldiers.

The faces of the decorated soldiers.

The general reads out the order of the award in front of the formation.

The general presents the award to a young man in civilian clothes.

The face of the awarded young man.

The soldiers are standing in formation.

The general congratulates the young man.

The general presents the award to one of the soldiers.

The General congratulates the recipient.

The face of a decorated soldier.

A soldier is talking to a young man.

A woman in mourning congratulates a young man.

The general thanks the woman, shakes her hand.

Soldiers after the end of the award ceremony are in full parade down the street of the city.

Soldiers march down the street.