ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – KNIGHT WITHOUT ARMOUR (1937)

 

“Knight Without Armour” is a historical drama, screenplay by Tom Mankiewicz based on the novel by James Hilton and Directed by Jacques Feyder.

The story revolves around A.J. Fothergill (Robert Donat), a fluent Russian speaker, who is recruited as a British agent and sent to spy on the Bolshevik revolutionary movement in 1913, shortly before World War I started.

He plays his part so well that he's captured as a revolutionary and imprisoned in Siberia and is held their until the 1917 uprisings when the revolutionary forces free the political prisoners and Fothergill now has to try and make his way home to Britain.
In a parallel story aristocrat Alexandra (Marlene Dietrich) is shocked one morning when she wakes up to find her servants have fled because the Russian Revolution had come to town, and she realises she has to leave her home as the Bolsheviks are executing Czarist’s without hesitation.

It’s after that how she comes to cross paths with Fothergill, and amid the turmoil of the civil war between the red and white armies, they try to flee Russia.

FOREIGN FIELDS

 

In the flower of youth cut down

Pals in regiments from every town

Sent to fight in the Nations name

Sent to die to the General’s shame

On foreign fields a generation falls

Heroes for whom the last post calls

Heroes sent to fight across the seas

Names now whispered on the breeze

Gathered as the bell of tribute tolls

Now call with pride the honor rolls

ISANDHLWANA

 

In eighteen hundred and seventy nine

The British marched in ordered line

A January morning on the eleventh day

Over the Buffalo River they made their way

The British force Lord Chelmsford led

As on Zulu land his troops did tread

The Zulu king sees this as an act of war

With broken word and broken law

Lord Chelmsford then his force divided

General Pulliene to make his camp decided

At Isanhlwana the British camp was made

Pickets and defenses set against a Zulu raid

But after eleven days in the Zulu’s land

The British had to make their stand

The warriors then the camp surround

After exploiting any weakness found

The Zulu impi many thousands strong

Defeat the British in the ensuing throng

Over seventeen hundred souls are lost

As after the battle they count the cost

Also countless numbers of Zulu’s dead

How many wives and children left unfed?

An organized army of foot and horse

Suffers the worst defeat by a native force

ALL-TIME CLASSIC MOVIE FAVOURITES – THEY WERE NOT DIVIDED (1950)

“They Were Not Divided” is a World War II drama, written and Directed by Terence Young.

The movie begins in a World War II at Caterham Barracks training depot of a British Guards Armoured Regiment where recruits from many walks of life learn to survive the strict discipline and training before going into battle in tanks.

The story features Philip Hamilton (Edward Underdown) and David Morgan (Ralph Clanton) in their interactions with their comrades like Smoke O'Connor (Michael Brennan) and Major “Bushey” Noble (Michael Trubshawe) and their respective personal relationships, Wilhelmina (Helen Cherry) and Jane (Stella Andrew).

Once the training is over the film follows the Guards as they leave England on D-Day and follows them as the Allied front progress’s deeper into Europe.

There is a cameo appearance by the real Regimental Sergeant Major Brittain, who was famous in the British Guards Regiments.

 

This film particular significance for me as my father was a Sherman Tank Driver with the Guards Armoured Division and “They Were Not Divided” mirrored the path he took into Europe.

THE HAWKER SIDDELEY HARRIER

 

The Hawker Siddeley Harrier

Is more popularly known

As the “Harrier Jump Jet”

And was the first operational

Vertical take-off aircraft

Its unique abilities

Made it easier to disperse

An attack squadron

Away from vulnerable sir fields

The Harrier is quite simply

The most remarkable

Aircraft ever made

IN TIMES OF PERIL

 In times of peril

And personal plight

Backs against the wall

Stay strong and fight

But keep your integrity

Do things right

With merciful compassion

Fight the good fight

And in the end

Adversity will take flight

And victory be attained

By right over might

HMHS GLENART CASTLE

The Glenart Castle

Was steaming home

On a cold February night

In 1918

The hospital ship

Headed for safe haven

Her lights green

Clearly visible

Against the dark horizon

Red lamps lit her side rail

Her masthead light burned bright

Fishermen could see her

Red Cross light

Then a torpedo struck her

In the number two hold

In eight minutes

She was gone

With 162 souls