More Men Wanted

An MP's stirring speech moves the crowd to rapturous applause and the occasional tear at a recruitment rally for Kitchener's New Army.

It’s hard to tell if the crowd's exuberant response in this Topical Budget newsreel story is the result of Edward Hemmerde MP's oratory skills, genuine patriotic fervour, or the presence of a camera. Well-dressed gents pull out pocket handkerchiefs to discreetly wipe their eyes, while the less bashful injured lads on the front row grin and cheerfully wave their crutches in the air.

The New Army was originally an all-volunteer force, set up on the recommendation of Secretary of State for War Horatio Kitchener following the outbreak of WWI. Recruitment rallies like the one shown in this film would become ever more important, as the initially huge numbers of volunteers dwindled when news of the true horrors of the Front began to filter through.