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Title:MERCURY STORY OF THE ROYAL SIGNALS [Main Title]
Film Number:DRA 1092
Other titles:
Summary: Army Instructional film, beginning with a brief look at military communications from classical times through to the middle ages, the 19th Century and the world wars, including scenes of Allied tanks advancing in the Western Desert and a Lancaster bomber dropping a ten-ton 'Grand Slam' bomb. The film then moves on to look at 1950s army communications, including a description of the Commonwealth Communications Army Network, a system with global range used to pass messages between the War Office, commanders overseas and allied countries. The use of this system to pass messages regarding the successful British atomic bomb test at Woomera in Australia in 1953 is described Training, types of vehicle used for communications purposes and the use of signals units in the control of artillery are shown and discussed. Army signals units are shown working in conjunction with the RAF, both on airfields and in calling for air support, and in amphibious operations. Finally, signallers are shown making parachute drops from US Air Force Fairchild C119 transport aircraft in support of British airborne forces.
Production Details: Army Kinema Corporation (Production sponsor)
World Wide Pictures (Production company)
Personalities, Units and Organisations:
Keywords:
Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W
Sound format: Sound
Soundtrack language: English
Title language: English
Technical Details: Format: 35mm
Number of items/reels/tapes: 1
Footage: 3043 ft; Running time: 38 mins
Notes: The film implies that the first British nuclear test took place in the Autumn of 1953 in the Australian desert; although British tests took place at this time in remote parts of Australia, the first UK weapon was tested off the Monte Bello islands on 3rd October 1952.
