SCENES IN THE NORMANDY BEACH-HEAD D+1, D+2 (PART 10) [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: SCENES IN THE NORMANDY BEACH-HEAD D+1, D+2 (PART 10) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: A70 39-2
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: No 45 (Royal Marine) Commando finds itself cut off from 1st Special Service Brigade's lines, short of ammunition and burdened with casualties.
  • Description: Troops belonging to the Commando's 'C' and 'E' Troops take cover by the roadside during their abortive attack on Franceville-Plage on June 7. Expecting trouble, Royal Marines file along a street on the outskirts of the town. Next day, three Wehrmacht medical orderlies and an ex-Italian Army sergeant turned Organisation Todt worker are interrogated by commandos in Merville after being captured with two ambulances. A pall of smoke caused by British naval bombardments (?) hangs over the battered village. Distinguishable by hobnail boots, the corpse of a Wehrmacht soldier lies beneath a hedge. Commandos take up positions in anticipation of a German counter-attack. Stretcher bearers carry casualties from a regimental aid post through ruined cottages and across a bullet-swept orchard, accompanied by a commando waving a large Red Cross flag. Two commandos stand guard over one of the two captured German Renault ambulances which will take some of the wounded through German lines to Le Plein.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-06-08
  • Production Country: GB
  • 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: Royal Navy, Royal Marines & 45 Commando (regiment/service) OrganisationTodt (regiment/service) German Army, Medical Corps (regiment/service) Royal Italian Army (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: combat, British - artillery bombardment (object name) medical, British military - movement: stretcher (object name) medical, British military - emergency: regimental aid post (object name) casualties, German dead - battlefield (object name) casualties, British wounded - battlefield (object name) intelligence, military, British - interrogation: prisoners of war (object name) destruction, French military - area (object name) transport, French military - ambulance: Renault & [German] & [captured] (object name) Second World War, North West Europe & Operation Overlord & 7/6/1944 = 8/6/1944 (event) Franceville-Plage, Calvados, France (geography) Merville, Nord, France (geography) Le Plein, Calvados, France (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Footage: 184 ft; Running time: 2 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Summary: both the Renault ambulances seen here and their cargo of wounded fell into German hands on the way to Le Plein Remarks: good action footage
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    A70 39-2

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