British Pathe

Sir Anthony Eden

Nazi storm troopers at night time rally with flares and lights. Ethiopian troops with guns (Abyssinia). Emperor Haile Selassie. C/U faces of Abyssinian soldiers. Line of soldiers, they are tribesmen wearing white robes and holding rifles. Tribesman with gun stands with other...

Sir Anthony Eden

Nazi storm troopers at night time rally with flares and lights. Ethiopian troops with guns (Abyssinia). Emperor Haile Selassie. C/U faces of Abyssinian soldiers. Line of soldiers, they are tribesmen wearing white robes and holding rifles. Tribesman with gun stands with other soldiers in uniforms. "It was appeasement of Fascist Italy in 1938 that caused his resignation". Anthony Eden walks out of No 10 Downing Street. Train draws into station. Soldiers stand on the platform and Union Jack flags are hung. Eden gets of the train and raises his hat. He is greeted by Soviet Foreign Minister Maxim Litvinov. (This is Eden's March 1935 visit to Moscow - he is Lord Privy Seal (35/27)). Eden and Litvinov walk along platform and get into car. The car drives off. Hitler and Mussolini meet. Signing of the Munich Pact by Neville Chamberlain. German troops cross border point. Adolf Hitler standing in open car giving Nazi salute. C/U looking down barrel of large piece of artillery. The gun fires. Large artillery piece fires. View up at Big Ben. Crowds outside Houses of Parliament. Eden walking into gates of Palace of Westminster.

Eden visiting troops - they are digging trenches in a snow storm. He walks with officers and joins the men drinking tea from a mobile tea van. (The voice over suggests this is at the front. It is more likely to be footage of Eden visiting Canadian troops in England (40/24)). RAF (Royal Air Force) pilots run to their fighter planes. Planes take off. Eden walks into St. Stephen's entrance of the Houses of Parliament. Herbert Morrison walks in. Ernest Bevin walking along. Wartime engine manufacture in a factory. Women working in a factory. Large ship. Eden walks up steps onto ship he is greeted by General Freyberg. Large number of Canadian troops clap. C/U Eden. Eden speaks to the troops. They give him three cheers (This appears to be part of Anzacs in Egypt 40/16). Tanks and troops fighting in the desert war in North Africa.

Winston Churchill giving speech from back of truck in North Africa, standing next to him is Anthony Eden (probably from 43/46). Troops clap. Eden speaking from microphone. Churchill wearing pith helmet leans against inside of truck. Troops give three cheers.

Train arrives at snow covered station in Russia, the Union Jack Flag is flying. Eden, wearing a furry hat is greeted by Vyacheslav Molotov. (Dark shots). Eden and Molotov inspect smashed tank. Eden is shown frozen remains of dead German troops.

Eden gives speech in United States of America. "We no less than you and our partner, China, have a score to settle with the Japanese. Nor shall we cease fighting until their evil growth in the Pacific has been cut back. We shall be with you in this until the end". The listeners applaud. Aerial shots of Iranian mountains. Exterior shot of the building housing the Teheran Conference. Indian troops stand at guard. Eden standing outside with advisers. C/U Winston Churchill sitting in chair wearing uniform. Eden comes to join him. Pan to Franklin Roosevelt (American President). Over FDR's shoulder can be seen Russian Foreign Minister Molotov. Camera moves across to show Joseph Stalin. The camera pulls back to show the whole group. (Also visible are Averell Harriman and Sarah Churchill)

Anthony Eden on stage at the opening of the Stage Door Canteen, London in 1944 (44/72). Eden stands in front of a piano. He gives a jokey speech, the crowd laugh.

Exterior shots of Yalta. Stars and Stripes, Hammer and Sickle and Union Jack flag fly together. Unidentified man, Molotov and Anthony Eden, Foreign Secretary. Russian troops march past. Franklin Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Vyacheslav Molotov and others in line up. Exterior of Yalta conference. Eden and colleagues walk in. Cars pull up. Soviet soldier salutes. Joseph Stalin walks in. Victory Parade in London attend of World War Two. Soldiers and sailors march past.

People marching in Europe. Person swirls flag. Views of Strasbourg, France. Exterior of Council of Europe building. Eden and others walk into Council of Europe Chamber. L/S chamber. Children taking part in sack races and running races in Leeds, Yorkshire. (47/55). Anthony Eden signs autographs for young girl (This is apparently at Roundhay Park). Massed ranks of young people do physical exercise.

Eden receiving honorary degree in 1952 at Columbia University (New York City) (UN4415A). 1951 - Eden seated at desk in office speaking to camera. (1951/101). "I want to start by reducing the existing tension between East and West, and then I want us to take certain of the specific problems and solve them, problems that now divide the world...We want our relations with all people to be based on consent and free understanding".

Aeroplane called 'The Independence" taxis. Troops come to attention. Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden disembark and are greeted by President Harry S. Truman. (52/04). Large crowd gathered in front of damaged building in Berlin. Eden inspects troops.

Eden walking through lots of stills cameramen. He shakes hands with American President Dwight D. Eisenhower (also known as Ike). Lots of camera flash bulbs pop. C/U the two men shake hands and smile. Car pulls up outside the Caxton Hall. Eden steps out for his wedding. Crowds outside look on, some are using mirrors to watch over the heads of others. Eden and Clarissa Churchill (now Mrs Eden, she is Winston's niece) walk down the steps arm in arm. Crowds outside cheer as they come out into the sunlight. A woman gives Eden a small gift. The couple move through large crowds to their car. (52/67)

A motor launch comes along the River Thames towards the Embankment. Marshall Tito (Josip Broz Tito) Yugoslav leader arrives for visit. He is greeted by Prince Philip (Duke of Edinburgh), Winston Churchill (back to camera) and Anthony Eden (back to camera). Eden was acting in his role as Foreign Secretary. (53/19)

B.O.A.C. aeroplane (British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC)) on wet runway. Eden speaking at microphone. He was returning from the United States of America after an operation. Eden speaks "It's grand to be home again after so long an absence, and my surgeon who operated on me told me yesterday that all was well, I would have to have a further period of convalescence, put on some weight, and there was nothing else to worry about." He does look ill. (UN 2545A)

Views of Geneva. Vyacheslav Molotov gets into car. Chinese minister Chou En-Lai and aides out of building into car. Eden and aides out of building, he shakes hands with someone - probably French Premier Pierre Mendes-France (?). (This is the Geneva conference on the Civil War in Indochina). (Probably scenes from 54/57K)

Votes poured out of ballot box on to table for counting. Crowds outside in the dark. Newspaper headlines "It's The Tories Again", "Tories Romping In". This is the 1955 General Election and Eden has become Prime Minister (from 55/43). Eden out of car. Waves to crowds.

Steam train pulls into station. Bank of photographers. Nikolai Bulganin and Nikita Khrushchev meet with Eden on platform. (Probably 56/32). They walk through crowds off platform.

C/U artillery piece towed behind truck in parade. Tank in parade. Colonel Gamal Abdel Nasser in open car parading through crowded streets in Egypt. London 16 power conference on Suez Crisis. Eden arrives at Lancaster House (56/67). C/U American Secretary of State John Foster Dulles. Mr Dmitri Shepilov and Jacob Malik of the Soviet Union take their seats at the conference table. L/S delegates at Conference table. L/S aircraft carrier at sea. M/S aircraft on deck of carrier, other naval vessels in background. C/U operator uses light to signal. Funnel of sunken ship in Suez Canal. British troops get out of launch. British troops talking to Egyptian civilians. British Military Police carrying young child. Eden and Lady Clarissa Eden walk down steps from B.O.A.C. (BOAC) plane. Large crowd of photographers at the foot of the steps. He is greeted by, among others, R. A. Butler (Rab Butler).

Cabinet ministers leave No 10 Downing Street (including Alec Douglas-Home, Selwyn Lloyd, Duncan Sandys). Crowds look on. Anthony Eden leaving No 10. Car pulls out of Downing Street. (57/05).

The liner "Rangitata" at the quayside in the Royal Albert Docks, London. L/V. Passengers going aboard. Sir Anthony Eden walking to the microphone. Side view sound cameras. C/U. Eden speaking "Thank you very much for all your kindness to me during my period of office. I wish my successor all good fortune. God's speed to you all. Goodbye." (Over Eden's shoulder can be seen Edward Heath). Sir Anthony and Lady Eden walking towards ship from the customs sheds, surrounded by Press and officials. C/U. Sir Anthony Eden's son, Nicholas. Pan Sir Anthony and Lady Eden walking to the foot of the gangway. Group of girls waving. Eden standing on the gangway he turns and waves, surrounded by the Press. L/V. Crowds on the quayside waving. L/V. Liner moving away from quayside. Liner "Rangitata" moving slowly down the Thames. (57/07). The Edens are leaving for a trip to New Zealand. The voice over describes Eden as "one who had tried always for understanding and settlement in world affairs". Produced by Associated British Pathe.

Note: Instructive documentary about the political life of Sir Anthony Eden. Made as an obituary so misses out any of the problems we know about now such as the antagonism with Churchill and complicity with Israel and France in the capture of the Suez Canal. There sadly is no paperwork that can be found at the moment. Eden died in January 1977.

Note 2: Sound is out of sync running a few frames ahead of the picture.