TRIALS OF CHURCHILL AVRES AND MODIFIED UNIVERSAL CARRIERS [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: TRIALS OF CHURCHILL AVRES AND MODIFIED UNIVERSAL CARRIERS [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ADM 999
  • Other titles: INVASION EQUIPMENT TRIALS [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Amphibious trials of British armoured vehicles at Instow Beach, North Devon, prior to the Normandy landings of June 1944.
  • Description: I. Bulldozer clears sand from before bows of LCT 340. The vehicle ramp is lowered, and a Churchill II equipped with AMRCR (anti-mine reconnaissance castor roller) disembarks. II. MLS broad on the starboard bow of LCT(4) with lowered vehicle ramp - Churchill Mk VI carrying chespaling on Twin Bobbins, disembarks into 6 ft of water and wades ashore. Cut to a different trial - a vehicle comes ashore from LCT 340. Final MS of the tank parked on the beach. III. LA.MS-CU as Churchill comes ahead onto deck of LCT. Cut to sequence showing disarmed Mk II crossing rocky shore below sea wall - CU of track and road wheels as the tank goes over a rocky ledge. IV. Trials with amphibious carriers: Blackburn rigid float carrier drives across flat sandy beach into a calm sea, swims about, and returns to shore; Kapok carrier repeats procedure - MS of carrier lying stationary in the water, emphasising the very low freeboard; Loyd carrier disembarks from LCT(5) into 3 ft of water and wades ashore; Bren gun carrier wades ashore, a tarpaulin splash cover stretched over the crew compartment; Straussler float carrier enters the sea obliquely from the beach - film cuts before the carrier begins swimming, and a caption notes that the trial was unsuccessful. V. Austin light utility attempts to drive up a sand slope to some dunes, but fails. Carrier equipped with TLC (tank landing craft) laying device then puts down carpet, and the Austin successfully negotiates the slope, followed by a Mack 5-ton 6x4 heavy breakdown truck. VI. MS as LCT(4) disembarks AEC Matador armoured command vehicle, which drives parallel to the shore and circles in shallow water.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details:
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, LCT 340 (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - amphibious: LCT[3] 340 (object name) ships, British naval - amphibious: LCT[4] (object name) ships, British naval - amphibious: LCT[5] (object name) armour, British - funnies: Churchill with Twin Bobbins (mat layer) (object name) armour, British - funnies: Churchill with AMRCR 8 (mine clearance) (object name) armour, British - carrier: Universal & [amphibious] (object name) armour, British - carrier: Loyd (object name) armour, British - carrier: Universal (object name) armour, British - funnies: Universal carrier with TLC (mat layer) (object name) armour, British - truck, special: AEC Matador Armoured Command Vehicle (object name) transport, United States - truck, special: Mack 6x4 5-ton heavy breakdown & [Allied] (object name) transport, British military - utility: Austin light utility (object name) transport, British civilian - engineering: bulldozer (object name)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: English
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 1034 ft; Running time: 11 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Notes:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ADM 999

  • Related IWM Collections Objects:
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