Summary: Drama-documentary demonstrating the way Lease-Lend helps to keep the British war machine working.
Description: (Reel 1) A new tank, the "T414" is tested: the War Office decides to go into production but special machine tools are needed. Sir William Roach at the Ministry of Supply arranges to get them delivered from the US. Over in America (establishing shots of New York and the Capitol in Washington) the Lend-Lease Administration Committee meets: lease of the machines are agreed. However, the deadline of three weeks: the Ministry of War Transport's New York Office is informed. Room is found at short notice on a freighter, the Argus, and arrangements are made to pick up the machines from the Bullard Company in Bridgeport. Time is tight - "we sail at midnight". (Reel 2) At a US Defense Plant, a convoy of lorries sets off, past the Bullard factory and across snowy Connecticut landscape, passing through town (Ridgefield) while the Argus empties holds in preparation. The Police Radio Division in New York arranges for an escort. As the deadline approaches, the convoy enters the city, crossing the George Washington Bridge and driving through neon-lit Manhattan, finally reaching Pier 97 where the crated machines are craned aboard. The ship sets sail for Canada to join convoy. In Ottawa, Naval Control coordinates operations. At the assembly point, a convoy conference is held where sailing orders are given. She sets sail at 8am. Meanwhile, at the Sayers Pelham firm in England, space is cleared on the factory floor in preparation. The captain of Argus gives a progress report on the convoy. (Reel 3) A U-boat approaches the convoy (interior shots, evidently taken from another source). She is spotted, and attacked by the escort I-49 which fires anti-submarine torpedoes and blows the U-boat out of the water in a spectacular eruption. At Sayers Pelham, construction of the T414 is well ahead of schedule and management requests the Ministry of Supply to divert the ship to Liverpool rather than Glasgow. At the Ministry of War Transport's Shipping Diversion Room, representatives from the ports agree diversion and redeployment of Argus' other cargo; they also arrange for trains to be laid on. After Argus docks, the trains go directly to Sayers Pelham, where the "Bullard Mult-Au-Matic" machines are installed - the impressive new gears are built and the tanks are completed. Final shot shows the T414s (actually Matilda tanks) being transported away by train.
Production Details: National Film Board of Canada (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Information (Production sponsor)
Ministry of Supply (Production sponsor)
Ministry of War Transport (Production sponsor)
US Government (with the assistance of) (Production sponsor)
Crown Film Unit (Production company)
Dalrymple, Ian Murray1903-08-261989-03-28 (Production individual)
Spiro, Julian (Production individual)
Addinsell, Richard (Production individual)
Cameron, Ken (Production individual)
Fowle, H E (Production individual)
Stone, Sidney (Production individual)
Hales, Gordon (Production individual)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Subtitle language: None
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 3
Footage: 2445 ft; Running time: 27 mins
