Title:HMS COLOSSUS FLIES POW CONTACT TEAMS INTO SHANGHAI [Allocated Title]
Film Number:ADM 1766
Other titles:BRITISH NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST [Allocated Series Title]
Summary: HMS Colossus cruises with destroyers of TG 111.3 some 25 miles from Shanghai. POW Liaison Teams are flown off in Barracudas to help establish contact with the 15 camps in the area.
Description: A pilot walks away from the island, waving casually to his companions. MS across the deck as the Liaison parties walk towards their aircraft - a Corsair is parked at frame left, wings folded. One of the contact party, carrying a coat and despatch case, talks with friends - he pats his holstered revolver in a comic gesture of reassurance. HA to Barracuda IIIs of 827 Squadron ranged aft, men gathered about the leading aircraft. LA as a pilot takes his seat, while another man takes the radio operator's position on Barracuda 370 (serial PM 951). LA to a pilot at his controls - this aircraft has been decorated with a cartoon of a flying vulture and the - presumably satiric - name of THE SWIFT. A man clambers into the navigator's seat. LA.CU of Barracuda's airscrew as the aircraft runs up. 370 takes off. HA aft as more Barracudas take off. Cut to LSs of two destroyers in line astern in rough weather - a third closes on a parallel course on the port quarter. HA to HMS Tyrian (D.52) come close alongside for a transfer - the destroyer's bows dig in spectacularly in the rolling swell. The handling party forms up on the carrier's deck and the first man is transferred from the destroyer by a canvas-sided platform sling. More POW Liaison men follow, one a soldier carrying a No 5 jungle carbine. HA from the island to Tyrian as she signals before departing, and pan right to the handling party as they walk away smartly with the messenger line cast overboard from the destroyer. HMS Tyrian makes off.
Alternative Title:BRITISH NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST [Allocated Series Title]
Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor)
Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, COLOSSUS (HMS), aircraft carrier (regiment/service)
Royal Navy, Tyrian (regiment/service)
Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 827 (regiment/service)
Keywords: ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, light: Colossus (object name)
ships, British naval - destroyer: Tyrian (D.52) (object name)
aircraft, British naval - combat: Fairey Barracuda (object name)
prisoners of war, British - repatriation: POW Liaison Team (object name)
