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.
