Army Of Peace (1933)

🎬British Pathé – Young unemployed men live and work at the Grith Fyrd camp in the New Forest. Titles read: "The army of peace. Grith Fyrd, it is called, and the camp consists of many who are unemployed, but by no means unoccupied." On the bank of the River Avon near Fordingbridge we see various shots of the Grith Fyrd or Peace Army Camp, where "young men of all classes can develop themselves both physically and mentally". Bare chested young men cut down a tree and carry it back to the camp. Several shots of the men working in the camp, making concrete buildings, weaving rushes for shelter mats, weaving cloth for their clothes, doing woodwork and making sandals, milking goats, taking classes from other camp members, cooking, bathing in the river, drying themselves and running back for dinner. Commentator says this is neither a vocational training centre nor a holiday camp and adds "One of the main objects is to make constructive use of leisure, whether enforced or otherwise". Good footage of camp for unemployed young men during the Depression. Note: there is a letter on file from the Organising Secretary of the Camps