In 1916 Geoffrey Malins and John McDowell filmed the preparation for and early days of the Battle of the Somme. The film was released in British cinemas in August 1916 and in the following weeks it was seen by millions of people. In Canterbury it was screened at the St Georges Theatre in Lower Bridge Street.
Running for 77 minutes, the film was an early example of film propaganda as well as documentary.
Working with the IWM Film Archive over a period of two years, Steve and two others analysed the film frame by frame. Using the latest techniques, including forensic facial recognition and lip-reading experts, they were able to identify locations, units and individuals. The work of piecing together the story of the film led to the publication of a fascinating book.
This talk will not only tell the story of the film but also of the research journey that led to amazing discoveries and insights.