Summary: Film of a combined exercise using US troops and demonstrating new methods of amphibious attack against cliff coastlines, thus overcoming restrictions imposed upon conventional operations by a shortage of good beach exits.
Description: The landing (on Hive Beach, Burton Bradstock, Dorset) is carried out by LCAs, each carrying six 2-inch rocket projectors fitted with grapnel heads and attached to rope ladders. Upon beaching the rockets are fired and men begin to scale the cliff (Burton Cliffs) using the ropes thus provided. Grapnel lines pull away some of the entanglements from the cliff top. Light chair-legs are rigged to lift mortars, MGs etc. Once the bridgehead has been won, portable steel ladders are erected, and if well sited, some of these will provide a safe route up the cliff "... whatever fire the enemy may bring to bear". Swans (amphibian DUKWs fitted with 100 ft extensible ladders) provide easy access for troops of the second wave. The Swan's armament, tactical control equipment, and maximum handling capacity are described. The film ends with a subtitled frame informing the audience that an operation similar to the one portrayed, took place on 6 June, 1944, at Pointe du Hoe, Normandy - within 20 minutes "... this vital battery was overrun and the guns destroyed".
Production Details: Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Royal Naval Film Section (Production company)
Thompson, H (Lieutenant) (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: None
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 789 ft; Running time: 6 mins
