Summary: Impressionistic account, without commentary, of day-to-day life onboard the destroyer HMS Coventry as she sails from Portsmouth to Hong Kong via Singapore.
Description: "...19th MAY PORTSMOUTH" HMS Coventry sets off from Portsmouth, waved on by well-wishers. The captain briefs the crew on deck. Ship arrives in tropical climes.
"FRIDAY" Crew wakes and prepares for day (shaving, breakfast, ships DJ at work). Steering malfunction exercise; hand pump steering used. Anti-submarine helicopter exercise: torpedo dropped and retrieved. PT on deck. Crew relax at end of day - rock music, uckers.
"SATURDAY" Combat exercise, including routine rescue drill after simulated explosion below deck. Meal in officers' mess: toast to wives and sweethearts.
"SUNDAY" Religious service. Recreation: volleyball, pleasure trip in helicopter (ratings take photos of ship), folk singing, sunbathing; station's DJ signs of ('Mars' by Holst). Evening prayer.
"MONDAY" Replenishment at sea from RFA Resource. CBC - the ships TV station - in action. Briefing for "Operation Counterstrike", joint exercise between the RN and RAAF.
"TUESDAY" Operation Counterstrike gets underway - scenes of ops room and weapons in action (Sea Dart missiles, 4.5-inch gun). Evening concert: rock band, magician, singalong.
"WEDNESDAY" Coventry pulls into Hong Kong. Captain (voiceover) praises his crew. Union jack is raised as she pulls to shore.
Production Details: Ministry of Defence (Production sponsor)
Central Office of Information (Production sponsor)
AFP (Production company)
Davey, John (Production individual)
Davey, John (Production individual)
Dean, Dixie (Production individual)
Still, Colin (Production individual)
Still, Colin (Production individual)
John, David (Production individual)
Sprague, Christopher (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, COVENTRY (HMS), destroyer (regiment/service)
Keywords: combat [simulated], British naval (object name)
operations, British naval - routine (object name)
ships, British naval - destroyer: Coventry (D.118) (object name)
Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, UK (geography)
South China Seas (geography)
Hong Kong (geography)
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: Colour
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 16mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 1065 ft; Running time: 29 mins
