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Title:BRITISH TROOPS CROSS THE SEINE AT VERNON [Allocated Title]
Film Number:A70 135-4
Other titles:
Summary: 43rd (Wessex) Division's 129th Brigade is brought by road to the Seine and is sent across the river against German opposition.
Description: A DUKW convoy (297th GT Company RASC?) is seen during a pause in the journey to Vernon. Troops belonging to the 4th Battalion Somerset Light Infantry riding in DUKWs, Universal carriers and trucks cross 11th Field Company RE's Bailey bridge over the Eure river at Pacy-sur-Eure. At Vernon, a 15/19th Hussars 'C' squadron Cromwell tank fires its main armament at German positions on the north bank of the Seine as men from the 5th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment's 'A' company take cover behind parked vehicles and a storm boat from automatic and rifle fire. A section from the company's No. 8 platoon advances cautiously to the river's edge, there to board a storm boat manned by a 583rd Field Company RE steersman which then ferries it across the Seine through a smoke-screen put down by 43rd Division's artillery.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Grant, Ian James1917-04-16Family origin: Edinburgh, Scotland (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Hussars, 15/19 (regiment/service)
British Army, Div, Armoured, 11 (regiment/service)
British Army, Wiltshire Regiment, 5th Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Bde 129 (regiment/service)
British Army, Somerset Light Infantry (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Army Service Corps (regiment/service)
British Army, Div 43 (regiment/service)
Keywords: armour, British - tank: Cromwell (object name)
armour, United States - amphibious: DUKW & [British] (object name)
armour, British - carrier: Universal (object name)
operations, British military - routine: river crossing (object name)
weapons, British - CBW: smokescreen (object name)
engineering, military, British: Bailey bridge (object name)
arts, French - heraldry: flag, Tricolour (object name)
transport, British military - truck: Bedford 15cwt 4x2 truck (object name)
Eure, France (geography)
Seine (River), France (geography)
Vernon, Eure, France (geography)
Notes: Note: Pacy-sur-Eure is approximately ten miles from Vernon. See with A70 135-3 and 5, 136-9, 10, 11 and 12, 139-1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8, 140-5, 141-3, and 142-6, 7 and 9 for footage taken of 30th Corps' crossing of the Seine at Vernon. The 5th Wiltshire's 'A' company was eventually overrun on the north bank of the Seine, having lost many men from drowning during the actual crossing.
Remarks: Good action footage. Best seen with items listed above, notably A70 135-3 and 5 and 136-11.
Documentation/associated material: read 'The 43rd Wessex Division at War 1944-1945' by H Essame, 'The History of the Corps of Royal Engineers : Volume IX' by Major-General Pakenham-Walsh, 'The Account of the Operations of the 2nd Army in Europe 1944-1945 : Volume 1' by 2nd Army HQ.
