BEACH OBSTACLES [Main Title]

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Media files

  • Title: BEACH OBSTACLES [Main Title]
  • Film Number: ADM 1039
  • Other titles: INVASION EQUIPMENT TRIALS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Trials of various methods of overcoming passive beach defences at Westward Ho and Braunton, watched by military experts at the Combined Operations Experimental Establishment based at Appledore (Devon).
  • Description: I. Reel One. Churchill II runs over a series of beach roadways: 2 inch steel tubes laid on matting; coir matting over Somerfeldt track; 2 inch tubular steel laid on sand. II. Churchill with TLC Carpet Laying Device successfully crosses a low barrier of firmly picketed barbed wire, but a subsequent attempt against a high barrier of loose wire fails, because the wire springs back behind the tank, distorting the carpet and making it impassable for infantry. III. After failing to climb unaided over 2-1/2, 2 ft and 1-1/2 ft walls, a Churchill attempts the same obstacles, equipped with a Twin Bobbin device for laying chespaling track - the 2 ft wall is successfully surmounted. IV. Churchill, turret reversed, charges an obstacle 70 ft long, 18 ft deep and 12 ft high, constructed from 2 inch steel tubes. The tank breaks through, overturning the whole structure. A Matilda tank also drives through, widening the breach, and is followed by a non-armoured recovery tractor. V. Reel Two. Series of tests with 2-pounder and 6-pounder AT, 6-1/2 lb 'beehive' charges, and a 47 lb hand charge, used against concrete obstacles. Matilda tank with 'carrot' charge on AMRA 1a mounting, and a similarly equipped Covenanter, lay 200 and 700 lb charges against walls and concrete 'egg' obstacles. Reel Three. Churchill and Matilda negotiate breached walls. A 350 lb 'hayrick' charge is used to demolish a wall 9 ft high and 6 ft thick. A 200 lb 'carrot' with fragmentation plates is used against a tubular steel obstacle and a wire-filled gully. 200 lb 'carrot' clears a gap in a lightly covered minefield. VI. 200 ft of Cortex fuse fired from a Schermuly pistol. Wire cutting grapnel fired 250 yards by 5 inch CW rocket. Test of an improvised grapnel made from two pick-heads welded together. VII. Percussion pole charge of 20 lb of '808' high explosive on a 25 ft pole - the spar is carried by a small motor launch.
  • Alternative Title: INVASION EQUIPMENT TRIALS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised: Yes
  • Object_Number: ADM 1039
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Combined Operations Experimental Establishment (Production sponsor)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations:
  • Keywords: armour, British - tank: Matilda (object name) armour, British - funnies: Churchill with TLC Laying Device (mat layer) (object name) armour, British - funnies: Churchill with Twin Bobbins (mat layer) (object name) armour, British - funnies: Matilda with AMRA Mk 1a (mine clearance) (object name) armour, British - funnies: Covenanter with AMRA Mk 1a (mine clearance) (object name) weapons, British - demolition: carrot (object name) weapons, British - demolition: hayrick (object name) weapons, British - demolition: beehive (object name) weapons, British - demolition: 47-pound hand charge (object name) weapons, British - demolition: 20-pound pole charge (object name) engineering, military, British - Mulberry: chespaling track (object name) engineering, military, British - Mulberry: Somerfeldt track (object name) engineering, military, British - Mulberry: steel tube beach roadway (object name) defences, British: coastal, egg obstacles (object name) defences, British: coastal, steel tube obstacles (object name) defences, British: coastal, barbed wire (object name)
  • 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: 3 Footage: 2854 ft; Running time: 32 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ADM 1039

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