THE TRIUMPH OF BRITAIN'S SEA POWER [Main Title]

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Media files

  • Title: THE TRIUMPH OF BRITAIN'S SEA POWER [Main Title]
  • Film Number: IWM 571
  • Other titles: GERMAN NAVY FORCED TO AN INGLORIOUS SURRENDER (on copy held) [Alternative Title]
  • Summary: Surrender of German naval forces, November 1918.
  • Description: (Reel 1) Text of Admiral Beatty's message to the Empire. Beatty's flag (Vice-Admiral's) is broken out, and the Grand Fleet puts to sea: US battleships of 6th Battle Squadron in line astern; medium shots of HMS Queen Elizabeth and King George V and Orion Class battleships of 2nd Battle Squadron; HMS Renown and Repulse of 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron. Beatty acknowledges cheers from the Fleet. Gun crews, some in anti-flash gear, clear for action "in case of treachery". Medium shot sequence showing the "inglorious procession" of the German fleet: various battleships including SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm, Friedrich der Grosse, Bayern, Seydlitz, Kaiser, Hindenburg, Frankfurt and cruisers of the ersatz-Koenigsberg and Dresden Classes. HMS Castor, flying Commodore Tweedie's flag, leads in a line of German destroyers. Long shot as signal ordering the German flag to be struck is flashed across the Fleet from distant flagship (W Class destroyer in foreground). Medium long shot of HMS Curacao escorting U-boats into Harwich, and views of the surrendered craft - some shots are repeated to give an impression of greater numbers. "The embarking of Germany's shame" - U-boat crews take passage home. (Reel 2) German fleet at Scapa Flow - battleships include Seydlitz, Hindenburg, Kaiser and Koenig Classes. Medium shot, SMS Frankfurt. Tracking medium and medium close-up shots past German destroyers - G.85 and S.53 Class ships - crew members watch at the rail, fish, gesture to camera. Royal visit to the Grand Fleet - HMS Oak passes between the lines of ships - K Class submarines in background. King George V and Queen Mary are greeted by Beatty on the flagship - another vessel of 5th Battle Squadron lies in the background. Final series of individual portrait close-ups of the royal couple and notable naval officers.
  • Alternative Title: GERMAN NAVY FORCED TO AN INGLORIOUS SURRENDER (on copy held) [Alternative Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: IWM 571
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1914-1918
  • Production Date: 1918
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor) Engholm, F W (Production company) Engholm, F W (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: George V, King (person) Mary, Queen (person) Edward, Prince (Duke of Windsor) (person) Jellicoe, John Rushworth (person) Tyrwhitt, Reginald Yorke (person) Sturdee, Frederick Charles Doveton (person) Keyes, Roger John Brownlow (person) Bacon, Reginald H S (person) Bingham, Edward Barry Stewart (person) Sims, William Sowden (person) Rodman, H (person) Wemyss, Rosslyn Erskine (person) Madden, Charles E (person) Beatty, David Richard (person) Royal Navy, Queen Elizabeth (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Renown (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Repulse (regiment/service) Royal Navy, CASTOR (HMS), light cruiser (regiment/service) Royal Navy, CURACOA (HMS), light cruiser (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Oak (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Kronprinz Wilhelm (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Friedrich der Grosse (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Bayern (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Seydlitz (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Kaiser (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Hindenburg (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, Frankfurt (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, UC96 (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, UB122 (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, U164 (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, U124 (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, U139 (regiment/service) German Imperial Navy, UB143 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - battleship: Queen Elizabeth (object name) ships, British naval - battleship: Renown (object name) ships, British naval - battleship: Repulse (object name) ships, British naval - battleship: King George V Class (object name) ships, British naval - battleship: Orion Class (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Curacao (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Castor (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Oak (92) (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: W Class (object name) ships, British naval - submarine: K Class (object name) ships, German naval - battleship: Kronprinz Wilhelm & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - battleship: Friedrich der Grosse & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - battleship: Bayern & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - battleship: Seydlitz & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - battleship: Kaiser & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - battleship: Hindenburg & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - cruiser: Frankfurt & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - cruiser: Koenigsberg (II) Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - cruiser: Dresden (II) Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - destroyer: G85 Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - destroyer: S53 Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UC96 & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UB122 & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UB143 & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: U164 & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: U124 & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: U139 & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UCII Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UBIII Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UB133 Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: U105 Class & [surrendered] (object name) ships, German naval - submarine: UEI Class & [surrendered] (object name) operations, British naval - preparation: clearing for action (object name) recreation, German naval - casual: fishing (object name) communications, British naval - direct: signal searchlight (object name) 12/3(261.2).9 (event) First World War, Armistice & German Navy, Internment of & 21/11/1918 (event) GB, Scotland & Scapa Flow, Orkney (geography) Harwich, Essex, England, UK (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 2 Footage: 2333 ft; Running time: 39 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    IWM 571

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