Hidden deep within the 10,516 items listed in the “Moving Images Relating to Military Activities, 1947–1964,” RG 111-ADC, are 15 films that cover World War I subjects. Of the 516 titles listed in the catalog for RG 111-M, I count 78 that relate to World War I. This record group is also home to two films by the Committee on Public Information’s epic propaganda effort, Pershing’s Crusaders and America’s Answer. For those interested in genealogy, if you had a family member who served in the 27th, 28th, 29th, 30th, 32nd, 33rd, 35th, 36th, 37th, 40th, 41st, 42nd, 78th, 80th, 83rd, 84th, 89th, 91st, or 93rd Army Divisions during the war, there’s a divisional history film for each that will give you a fairly good idea of what life was like for them “over there.” So, let’s take a few minutes to investigate some other film collections that contain World War I–related footage.īefore we do, I’d like to offer an addendum regarding the RG 111-M series. I should have used the term “many” not “most.” In fact, there are an additional 1,000 titles listed in the National Archives Catalog. I also recommend Audrey Amidon’s article “Shooting World War I: The History of the Army Signal Corps Cameramen, 1917–1918,” which was posted in the National Archives’ Unwritten Record blog ().Īs I noted some time ago in my Prologue article “Battlefilm: Motion Pictures of the Great War” (Summer 2008), most-but not all-of the moving images of World War I held in the National Archives are cataloged under the “Historical” (RG 111-H) and “Miscellaneous” (RG 111-M) series (together 488 titles) produced by the Army Signal Corps. īecause of their dedication, you may now view more than 200 titles (and that number is growing) posted at the National Archives YouTube channel ( ).

You may read all about it in Criss Kovac’s informative article “Saving the Moving Images of World War I” (Prologue, Fall 2014). The Motion Picture Preservation Lab did a superb job ensuring high-quality transfers. Army Signal Corps Historical Collection, Record Group (RG) 111-H, was selected as the main focus of this multiyear effort. Lentz, 111-SC-155763, RG 111)ĭue to the vast volume of available films, the U.S. 1st Class Charles Ritchie of the 90th Division operates his motion picture camera in Bernkastel, Prussia, Germany, on February 1, 1919.

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