This film is part of Free
Troops Leaving Port Elizabeth Jetty
British soldiers freshly in South Africa
Overview
The supposed photographer of this sequence - Edgar Hymans - was a South African theatrical manager and showman. Having received a camera from Charles Urban, Hyman's films were owned and shown by the Warwick Trading Company. However, Hyman had ambitions to be an exhibitor of films as well as a cameraman.
This film bears a resemblance to early 'come and see yourself on screen' films - as the column of soldiers moves through the crowd, the camera captures even the finest details. Perhaps Hyman was filming a crowd in the hope of luring an audience to a screening.
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