Title:ACTIVITIES IN THE ORNE BRIDGEHEAD, JUNE 1944 (PART 8) [Allocated Title]
Film Number:A70 47-5
Other titles:ACTIVITIES NORTH OF CAEN, JUNE - EARLY JULY 1944 (PART 6) [Alternative Title]
Summary: Airborne troops and commandos are seen in action in the Orne bridgehead; plus scenes of Sappers working on a new crossing on the Mue River.
Description: I. Horsa gliders which carried 6th Airlanding Brigade into action on D-Day lie abandoned in the countryside around Ranville. Two airborne Royal Engineers use a pneumatic drill to dig an observation post slit-trench.
II. At Amfréville, troops from No 3 Commando complete a dug-out and man defensive positions in their sector of 1st Special Service Brigade's front. At a house used by the commandos as their HQ, two Frenchwomen relax in the sun while British troops go about their business. Signs chalked onto its walls point the way to front-line positions and make sombre comments on the fighting in this sector. Commandos take turns to man positions; a signaller repairs his No 18 wireless set. Lieutenant-Colonel Young, officer commanding No 3 Commando, gives a two-man patrol a final briefing; the two men head towards the German lines. From a Vickers machine gun position, he observes their progress; a few yards away behind the same hedgerow are more men in position.
III. At Reviers, two men from 183rd Field Company RE check piles driven into the river bed while others dry themselves after a swim in the Mue River. Military vehicles cross over the narrow store bridge nearby.
Alternative Title:ACTIVITIES NORTH OF CAEN, JUNE - EARLY JULY 1944 (PART 6) [Alternative Title]
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: Young, Peter Francis (person)
British Army, 1st Special Service Brigade (regiment/service)
British Army, 3 Commando (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Engineers, Airborne (regiment/service)
British Army, Royal Engineers, Field Coy 183 (regiment/service)
Keywords: aircraft, British - glider: Airspeed Horsa (object name)
engineering, military, British: observation post slit-trench (object name)
engineering, military, British: bridge building (object name)
communications, British military - electronic: wireless, No 18 (object name)
operations, British military - sortie (object name)
weapons, British - smallarm: Vickers machine gun (object name)
recreation, British military - casual: swimming (object name)
Second World War, North West Europe & Operation Overlord & 15/6/1944 (event)
Ranville, Calvados, France (geography)
Amfreville, Calvados, France (geography)
Reviers, Calvados, France (geography)
Meuse (River), France (geography)