Battle of the Seas

Series

Series Name

The Gen

Issue

Issue No.

13

Date Released

1944

Length of issue (in feet)

1564

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Battle of the Seas

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 1

Summary

A survey of the defensive (and offensive) work of the RAF, and especially Coastal Command over the seas around Britain. Convoy protection (an essential prelude to the invasion of Europe) is illustrated briefly with film from the Atlantic and Mediterranean. A Sunderland of Coastal Command files over. Captured film: a U-boat torpedoes a cargo vessel, and a JU-88 bombs a convoy (good shots within the German plane - the pilot looks pleased as survivors struggle onto rafts); Hitler decorates U-boat commanders, and crewmen are also decorated; Admiral Doenitz, with senior colleagues, addresses assembled U-boat crews. But Coastal Command begins to "find and strike" from basis in Britain, Gibraltar and the Azores. A U-boat captain attempts to dive before a Catalina can attack; a Mosquito tackles a Condor (FW 200K); various dogfights are shown. Hitler smiles as the Bismarck is launched, but the battleship at sea is observed by Coastal Command Catalinas - sequence on the sinking (use of "reconstruction") [sic punctuation]. As convoys get through, and Britain equips for the invasion, focus shifts to the Channel. The U-boats’ steel and concrete pens are attacked by Bomber Command with 12,000 lb bombs; E-boats (shown arming with torpedoes at Le Havre) are also bombed. German observers sound alarm as the invasion approaches; U-boats and E-boats rally. Film of Lancaster, Beaufighters; US troop carrier fighting off German air attack; the beach, after successful landings. Allied land advance forces greater German reliance on coastal shipping - but leaves the RAF more free to attack. The Tirpitz is bombed and crippled. A Catalina flies into the sunset.

Keywords

Politics and government; Ships and boats; Aviation; Occupied territories; Navy; Military; Launchings; Awards and honours; Newsreels

This series is held by:

Film Archive

Name

Imperial War Museum Film and Video Archive

Email

film@iwm.org.uk

Web

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/film

Phone

020 7416 5291

Fax

020 7416 5379

Address

Lambeth Road
London SE1 6HZ

Notes

The IWM also preserves the original nitrate film copies for the World War II period of British Paramount News, Gaumont British News and Universal News.

Series held

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