The Cine Technician (1939)

114 THE C I N E T E C H N I C I A N \u-. -Sept.. 1937 sized park, Naval and Military Reviews galore, Boy Scout Rallies, etc. I have seen the Prince in miner's garb descend a coal-mine in South Wales, I have seen him in many uniforms, I have seen him ride at Hunt Meets and in Point-to-Point Races, and on one occasion I had the painful pleasure of seeing His Royal Highness thrown by his horse at a difficult fence — what he said on that occasion does not come within the purview of this article. Of course, there were many times when the Prince did not wish to be photographed, and a timely hint from his private detective was invariably respected by all. I have also photographed the late King George V. and Queen Mary on innumerable occasions, but it was not always on State occasions that the best pictures were obtained. It was at the less informal ceremonies, such as visits to hospitals and factories. It often happened that the King or Queen broke away from their official guides and chatted with the poorest patient or the humblest workman, and it was for such incidents that I was always on the qui vive. For many years I followed the movements of the Royal couple, including their visits to Rome, Brussels and Ireland, and I was at Sandringham when King George's life came to a peaceful close. Sport of all descriptions is another subject that figures largely in the make-up of a newsreel. Football, cricket, boxing, tennis, yacht racing and all other forms of sport have to be taken just in a day's work. I suppose racing and football are the two most popular items. I have seen every important horse race for many years past. Last year was the first time I had missed the Derby for about thirty consecutive years, through being away on a flying tour with the late Tom Campbell Black. I had one narrow escape at Epsom some years ago. I was instructed to get what we call a "ground shot." I found a spot just above Tattenham Corner and lay down full length with my hand-cranked camera on the ground just outside the rails. As the horses thundered by I felt something whizz past ray head. My assistant told me afterwards it was a horse's hoof. I took measurements and found the neatest hoofmark was exactly 18 inches from my camera ! My picture was O.K., but I have never repeated the experiment. Nowadays such shots are obtained by automatic cameras. Of all the big races the Grand National Steeplechase is easily my favourite, especially as up till last year the exclusive filming rights were always granted to one firm, and naturally the other newsreels wouldn't stand for that, so they had to "pinch" it, and I was generally on the "pinching" side. All sorts of schemes and manoeuvres were resorted to by both sides to outwit each other, and disguises of all sorts were assumed. It was all good fun but perhaps a bit nerve-racking as the time of the race drew near, because it was only necessary to be put out of action for a few seconds as the horses passed your section for all your labours to be in vain. But I was never caught at Aintree and always got away with it. "Pinching" a Football Cup Final at Wembley is easy in comparison, because, if you get rumbled, your camera is merely kept under lock and key until the match is over. You consequently walk out of the ground looking very downhearted, proceed to an appointed place and pick up another camera and ticket, held in reserve for such an emergency, and in you go again ! I have also "covered" the Cup Final and Internationals officially. It's more comfortable, but not so thrilling ! 1 have filmed at Ascot, Goodwood, Newmarket, Doncaster, Ally Pally and many other race-courses more times than I care to remember. Jumping meetings always make good stories, provided you get plenty of falls on your film. Taking pictures on one of the big racing yachts is really good, if you can stand the sea. I have been aboard "Westward" at Cowes several times, also "The White Heather" and "Astra" at Southend and Harwich. I have attended many big fights and have been in the ring with many great champions — but only with my camera to secure "close-ups." Further, I can actually remember taking a picture of Oxford winning the Boat Race ! (This was written, of course, before this year's race). I have followed the race several times in the B.B.C. launch, but I certainly had a better view on the occasion when I followed the race in an aeroplane. I went up with the celebrated 601 squadron on an "Air Raid over London." We started from Lympne, and after some marvellous manoeuvring in and above the clouds, during which we were attacked by little fighters, we successfully reached the centre of London at a height of 12,000 feet. As I was in an open bomber I was nearly frozen with the cold. I was up for four hours on that trip, but the pictures I secured were well worth it. The camera mostly used for aerial work is an all-British automatic camera made by Newman & Sinclair. I have made very many flying trips, both at home and abroad, and I have had only one little smash, whilst flying over the Ards Circuit Motor Car Race near Belfast. We came down in a small field, overshot the mark, and crashed into a hedge, on the other side of which an express train rushed by just as we hit the hedge. A broken propeller and a few other odds and ends put a finish to flying for that day. I have photographed many aerial disasters, and perhaps the saddest sight of all was the wreck of that great airship, the R.101. I was called out of my bed early one Sunday morning, and within a few minutes I was on my way to Beauvais in France, by boat and train to Amiens, and then a dare-devil 50-mile drive in a racing car to the scene of the catastrophe. It took me a bare ten minutes to secure my pictures, and then about-turn and straight back to London. Shipwrecks and railway disasters have figured largely in my experiences. Railway smashes are always awkward jobs to tackle, mainly because the railway officials do not want any pictures taken, and your editor does want pictures, but if you can tell a good tale and have a bit of luck you can generally get all that is wanted. To cover all these events entails a tremendous amount of travelling, and I have arrived at my destination in all sorts and conditions of transport, from royal trains to hoppers' trains, luxury air liners to costers' barrows, from battleships to dinghys, but so long as you get there and get back, that is the main thing. The arrival and departure of celebrities at Dover and Southampton have kept me busy many times. The return of victorious Generals and the boys who won the victory, Kings, Presidents, film stars and many others are all fish to our net. I remember the first visit of Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to this country. It was during Ascot week. I returned from the races one evening, and as I had been doing the Paddock, I was in morning dress, spats and silk hat complete. As soon as I came into the office, the editor yelled at me : "Five o'clock train. Southampton, scoop story." And away 1 had to go. (I did manage to borrow a mackintosh and another hat !) Reading my instructions in the train, I found I had to get on board the Red Star liner "Lapland" in mid-channel and ^ci my stuff before the ship arrived at Southampton A Sketch and Standard press photographer went with me, [Continued on page 1 16)