The Lost Battalion (1919)

The Lost Battalion Poster Country USA Directed by Burton L. King Release Date July 2, 1919 Language Silent Studio MacManus Corporation Distributor W. H. Productions Company Main Cast Character Actor Lt. Col. Charles W. Whittlesey Himself Major-General Robert Alexander Himself Major George McMurtry Himself Captain William J. Cullen Himself Private Abraham Krotoshinsky Himself

The Lost Battalion is a 1919 American silent World War I film directed by and produced by Edward A. MacManus. The movie describes the events of the encircled units of the U.S. 77th Division by German forces in the Argonne Forest in 1917. The movie features many actual soldiers including the commanding officer Major Charles W. Whittlesey who portrayed themselves.

In 2001, the movie was remade by Russell Mulcahy.

The following weapons were used in the film The Lost Battalion:

Pistols

Colt M1911

The Colt M1911 is used by American soldiers including Major (then Captain) George McMurtry and one German soldier of an MG-crew.

Colt M1911 (dated 1913) - .45 ACP

Capt. McMurtry holds his Colt as he is under fire.

Rifles

Enfield M1917

American troops are armed M1917 Enfield rifles in the movie. This is correct since the Enfield was more massively produced in World War I as the Springfield M1903 was in short supply when the US entered the war. The Lost Battalion may be the first movie ever to feature this rifle (except for war footage), since the Enfield M1917 issued two years earlier.

M1917 Enfield - .30-06 Springfield

American soldiers present their Enfields.

An American takes aim.

The rifle lies upside down in a foxhole.

Two soldiers spot an Allied plane.

The chamber can be seen open.

A soldier with his slinged Enfield awaiting a mailable message.

Beaumont M1871

German soldiers carry rifles with straight bolt handles that appear to be single shot Dutch Beaumont M1871 rifles.

Dutch service Beaumont-Vitali M1871/88 - 11.3x50R mm. The M71 looks the same without the magazine.

German soldiers in a trench await the attack. Note the missing front armor of the Stahlhelm.

The side-mounted bayonet is seen.

A view of the rear sight, chamber, and the bolt handle.

Machine Guns

BAR M1918

The Browning Automatic Rifle is used by one soldier of the Lost Battalion. Like the M1917 Enfield, it is also most likely the first movie that featured this gun.

Early-version (M1918) Browning Automatic Rifle - .30-06

Promotional Picture of the BAR on the right.

"The guy that invented this gun ought to be pinched for aiding the enemy."
The soldier reloads his BAR while complainting about the low magazine-capacity.

The soldier open fire at charging Germans.

Hotchkiss M1914

What appears to be a French Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun is used by German soldiers.

M1914 Hotchkiss Machine Gun with tripod - 8x50mmR Lebel / 7.92x57mm Mauser / 11mm Gras

German soldiers fire the gun.

The ammunition strip glimbs out of the bush.