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Summary: 15th (Kent) GHQ Troops RE assist 43rd (Wessex) Division troops in ferrying men and vehicles across the Seine.
Description: Men belonging to the 5th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment's 'A' company (?) drag a Class 5 ferry boat across a field to the river's edge at Vernon under the cover of a smoke-screen. After it has been launched, two ramps are placed across the boat onto which a jeep is then manhandled. Manned by engineers from 583 Field Company RE, the ferry carries the jeep to the north bank of the Seine.
Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor)
Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company)
Ginger (Sergeant) (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: British Army, Wiltshire Regiment, 5th Battalion (regiment/service)
British Army, Bde 129 (regiment/service)
British Army, Div 43 (regiment/service)
British Army, Corps 30 (regiment/service)
British Army, Army Film and Photographic Unit (regiment/service)
Keywords: operations, British military - routine: river crossing (object name)
transport, United States military - light utility: jeep & [British] (object name)
weapons, British - CBW: smokescreen (object name)
Vernon, Eure, France (geography)
Seine (River), France (geography)
Notes: Note: See with A70 135-3 and 4, 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 4 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 and L F Ellis' 'The History of the 2nd World War - Victory in the West : Volume 1'.
