Although British military service records from the
1930’s are not available to the public I have managed
to piece together a possible outline of Quinnell's
service during the filming of The Four Feathers and
in early World War II.
The 1st Battalion of the East Surreys was stationed
in Khartoum during the 1937-38 time period but
many other photos from the same album were taken
in Shanghai, China around 1939-40 where the 2nd
Battalion of the East Surreys was stationed just
before the outbreak of World War II in Asia. The
portrait of Quinnell is his dress tropical white
uniform appears to have been taken in Shanghai
based upon the style of the photographic backdrop in
the photo. The dark colored uniform cords he wears
in the photo would seem to indicate that he was a
bandsman, drummer or possibly a bugler.
Quinnell was probably among the 153 officers and
other ranks of the 1/East Surreys left at Port Sudan
when their battalion returned to England and who
were subsequently picked up by the 2nd Battalion on
the outward bound trip to China and Malaya. After a
bit of digging I have come across the Roll of Honor*
listing for the “British Battalion” which was made up
of the remnants of the 2/East Surrey and the 1/Royal
Leicestershire Regiments after 20 December, 1941.
The roll lists a Drummer W. Quinnell of the 2/East
Surrey Regiment, who well be the same man who
once owned the album from which the following
photographs were taken. I have been unable to find
anyone by the name of Quinnell listed in the 1939-45
Army Roll of Honour so perhaps Quinnell survived
the war.
According to regimental histories at least seven
officers and an undetermined number of men of the
battalion found wives while in Shanghai. The 1940
Index of Army Marriages list one William Quinnell
being married in Shanghai to a Miss Ivy E. Baviau.
1930’s are not available to the public I have managed
to piece together a possible outline of Quinnell's
service during the filming of The Four Feathers and
in early World War II.
The 1st Battalion of the East Surreys was stationed
in Khartoum during the 1937-38 time period but
many other photos from the same album were taken
in Shanghai, China around 1939-40 where the 2nd
Battalion of the East Surreys was stationed just
before the outbreak of World War II in Asia. The
portrait of Quinnell is his dress tropical white
uniform appears to have been taken in Shanghai
based upon the style of the photographic backdrop in
the photo. The dark colored uniform cords he wears
in the photo would seem to indicate that he was a
bandsman, drummer or possibly a bugler.
Quinnell was probably among the 153 officers and
other ranks of the 1/East Surreys left at Port Sudan
when their battalion returned to England and who
were subsequently picked up by the 2nd Battalion on
the outward bound trip to China and Malaya. After a
bit of digging I have come across the Roll of Honor*
listing for the “British Battalion” which was made up
of the remnants of the 2/East Surrey and the 1/Royal
Leicestershire Regiments after 20 December, 1941.
The roll lists a Drummer W. Quinnell of the 2/East
Surrey Regiment, who well be the same man who
once owned the album from which the following
photographs were taken. I have been unable to find
anyone by the name of Quinnell listed in the 1939-45
Army Roll of Honour so perhaps Quinnell survived
the war.
According to regimental histories at least seven
officers and an undetermined number of men of the
battalion found wives while in Shanghai. The 1940
Index of Army Marriages list one William Quinnell
being married in Shanghai to a Miss Ivy E. Baviau.
Zoltan Korda’s 1939 production of A.E.W. Mason’s 1904 novel The Four Feathers
was the fourth of seven films versions made between 1915 and 2002. Korda’s
version differs from the novel and other filmed versions by having its action take
place during Kitchener’s Omdurman campaign of 1896 instead of the Nile
Campaign of 1884-5. Korda’s version is noted for its historical accuracy – most of
the British troops in the film were played by members of the 1/East Surrey
Regiment that were stationed in Khartoum at the time of the filming. This explains
the remarkably soldierly appearance of the British soldiers as depicted in the film.
It is also said the that c. 1896 British uniforms used in the film were selected from
old British military stores left over from Kitchener’s campaign some 40 years
before that the production crew found in Cairo. The other extras in the film
consisted of real Hadendoa tribesmen whose fathers and grandfathers had actually
fought against Kitchener at Omdurman.
The photographs shown below are only a portion of those taken from Quinnell's
album. In some cases the photographs could easily be mistaken for actual photos of
Kitchener's campaign which says much about Korda's research and on set technical
advisors - in this case Captain Donald Anderson and Lt. Col. Sterling, D.S.O., MC.
was the fourth of seven films versions made between 1915 and 2002. Korda’s
version differs from the novel and other filmed versions by having its action take
place during Kitchener’s Omdurman campaign of 1896 instead of the Nile
Campaign of 1884-5. Korda’s version is noted for its historical accuracy – most of
the British troops in the film were played by members of the 1/East Surrey
Regiment that were stationed in Khartoum at the time of the filming. This explains
the remarkably soldierly appearance of the British soldiers as depicted in the film.
It is also said the that c. 1896 British uniforms used in the film were selected from
old British military stores left over from Kitchener’s campaign some 40 years
before that the production crew found in Cairo. The other extras in the film
consisted of real Hadendoa tribesmen whose fathers and grandfathers had actually
fought against Kitchener at Omdurman.
The photographs shown below are only a portion of those taken from Quinnell's
album. In some cases the photographs could easily be mistaken for actual photos of
Kitchener's campaign which says much about Korda's research and on set technical
advisors - in this case Captain Donald Anderson and Lt. Col. Sterling, D.S.O., MC.
| Drummer William Quinnell of the 1 & 2 /East Surrey Regiment Shanghai, China c. 1939 Unknown Photographer |
| William Quinnell in civilian dress Real Photo Post Card c. 1930's Signed "Your's Truly, Bill." Unknown (probably British) Photographer |
| Note: All of the photographs shown below measure approximatly 4 5/8 inches by 2 7/8 inches (11.8 cm x 7.2 cm) and were printed by A. Kazandjian of the Gordon Studio, Khartoum. |
| Members of the 1/East Surrey Regiment arriving in Khartoum. c. 1937 |
| Members of the 1/East Surrey Regiment costumed as extras for the filming pose next to one of the production's breach loading cannon with the production encampment behind. |
| Above and below: Other shots of East Surrey's uniformed as extras for the film in the production camp. |
| Above and Below: Overviews of the Korda's production camp outside Khartoum. |
| Below: Additional shots of East Surrey extras. |
| Below: East Surrey "extras" waiting between scenes. |
| Below: Some of the Hadendoa extras between scenes - could these very swords have been carried at Omdurman in 1898? |
| Below: Motor transportation on location. Kitchener would have loved to have a few of these in 1896. |
| Below: Production scenes |
| Below: Zoltan Korda (center in fedora) confers with Hadenoda extras between shots. |
| Below: East Surrey extras at ease |
*
Unfortunately the index does not list regiment or service number of listed soldiers so this possibility is just that - a possibility. I
am attempting to locate the actual marriage certificate for the event which should effectively answer this question.
am attempting to locate the actual marriage certificate for the event which should effectively answer this question.
| Above: Smiling for the camera these East Surrey Regiment soldier/extras could hardly conceive what awaited them a few short years later on the beachs at Dunkirk or in the jungles of Malaya. |