Normandie August 1939

[CGTNORMANDIE]

For those of you, who are Normandie aficionados and arm chair ocean liner historians, Youtube has just posted SS Normandie Le Harvre New York 1939.  This is a color film taken by a French engineer who was testing some new color film and equipment.  He and his wife were given a First Class ticket to New York so he could film Normandie in service.  This film shows Paris and New York as well as many glorious shots of the beloved Normandie with her incredible interiors.  It also shows the destruction of Normandie in New York harbor at the hands of incompetent Navy overseers and fire departments when the ship could have been saved.  The ship’s designer, Yourkevitch and members of the Normandie fire squad begged the Navy to go onboard and scuttle the ship.  Instead the ship was allowed to be filled with water topside and rolled over…a total loss.  French citizens all over France saw the newsreel of the fire and destruction and the wept in the theaters and on the streets at the news of Normandie’s destruction.  We ocean liner historians are thrilled with this film.  There were very few color pictures or films of Normandie.  This film was recently discovered by the son of the engineer who made the film.  
SS Normandie Le Harvre New York 1939 on YouTube.  

Edited February 18 by CGTNORMANDIE

[norboy76]

Here are some nice souvenirs in my collection including a red fabric mystery item as I haven’t ever been able to identify what it is, interior postcards, postcard with the commodore, a Normandie tootsie toy still with it’s original paint on it, a postcard booklet, a reproduction of the gift clock *the original was given only to first class passengers if I’m right? 
it’s the last photo *the red item* which I’m not sure what it is, it’s all cloth, red on one side, cream on the other side, only the red side has the illustration on it though.

*Please note the very fancy tile work in the galley where the meals were made, very ornate for a galley floor

Edited February 18 by norboy76
Updated

[CGTNORMANDIE]

Thanks for the memories Norboy.  The red cloth looks like a scarf.  The clock is very impressive…and yes they were only given to First Class pax.  I see you have the Blue Book…in excellent condition…very nice.