MINEWATCHING

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 12th Year

Issue

Issue No.

2

Date Released

Oct 1958

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1MARK TWAIN
2. 2COUNTY SHOW
3. 3MINEWATCHING
4. 4A TIME TO DIVE

Story

Story No. within this Issue

3 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: Northumberland miners who staff the Royal Naval minewatching service.
NCB Commentary - The coal port of Blyth stands at the mouth of the river of the same name. Leaving the pit are two mine workers whose spare time is taken up in minewatching - naval mines not coal mines. Jack Allison and Tommy Loud are just two among a number of colliery workers who devote their leisure to this nationally important job. Off shift for the weekend, it’s back home and a quick change. Loud will pick up Allison on his way to the shore.
This team of minewatching personnel are carrying out an exercise from a point on the cliff top. Their equipment is portable and easy to set up. Meanwhile a Navy helicopter wings out across the sea to drop dummy mines in this busy shipping lane. As the helicopter comes in for a first run over Tynemouth Castle the minewatchers are at the ready. Each man swings his instrument to and fro across a preselected area of sea. As he registers the fall of a mine the precise time and the mine’s bearing will be stamped on this card. The helicopter crew are ready to start dropping. Mining instructor Jack Allison handles the radio communications. The indicating pointers criss-cross the sea as the crew wait for a fix. And here goes a mine. Its position is pinpointed as the helicopter swings away.
Another run-in and another dummy mine hits the water. Coal filler John Arkle passes his stamped card to Tommy Loud. Now Jack Allison will radio back the information to Headquarters. In the logging centre in Blyth town, Bill Dearman repeats the details as they come over the air. Now the mine’s position is worked out and plotted on the chart.
Along Britain’s cliff tops the men of the minewatching service help to keep our coastlines secure.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 8th September 1958.

Keywords

Aircraft; Mining; Navy

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
Film User   Vol.13 No.150 April 1959, p193.
The National Archives COAL 32   /12 Scripts for Mining Review, 1956-1960

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board