OPERATION CORKSCREW [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: OPERATION CORKSCREW [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ADM 459
  • Other titles: MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Bombardment and assault on Pantelleria. Cameraship HMS Aurora.
  • Description: I. Reel One. At sea with covering and bombarding force. LS of dramatic cloudy sky. Flag signal is hoisted. HMS Penelope passes right to left across cameraship Aurora's wake. The two cruisers begin a bombardment of Pantelleria. The assault convoys are visible on the horizon, and a Tribal Class destroyer (either Tartar or Nubian) lies between the bombarding cruisers and the island. Allied bomber forces join the attack on the island which lies shrouded in smoke - the men enjoy the show, 4x2-pounder gun crews sitting relaxed at their stations. LSs of invasion craft including the two LSI(M)s Princess Beatrix and Queen Emma of Convoy A from Sfax. LS of destroyer HMS Laforey. LS to HMS Newfoundland and HMS Orion in line ahead of cameraship and Penelope astern. Reel Two. Covering force continues to steam in line ahead. HA onto the open door at the rear of B turret which is trained over the port bow - the starboard bow wave streams down the side of the ship. Orion signals. Dramatic clouds at sunset. Night bombardment - MS aft as Y turret fires - flash lights up men watching on the bridge - flares are fired. Daylight - HMS Laforey flashes a signal as she passes - the destroyer's director and all guns are trained onto her starboard quarter. HA shots to A and B turrets and to Oerlikon position aft the bridge on the starboard side. LSs of Laforey and another destroyer on Aurora's starboard quarter as they bombard - answering shell fire bursts in the water around the two ships and Laforey turns to port to open the range. II. Reel Three. Malta. Eisenhower goes onboard HMS Aurora, accompanied by Admiral Cunningham. Captain Agnew introduces his officers. III. Off Pantelleria. LSs of the island shrouded in mist and smoke from explosions. LS of HMS Troubridge (?). Aurora bombards - Captain Agnew and Eisenhower watch from the bridge. HMS Penelope makes smoke from canisters on her focsle. Further shots of the smoke shrouded island and bombarding cruisers. Troubridge follows in Aurora's wake. A lookout scans the sky with binoculars. A Tribal makes smoke. Cunningham and Eisenhower talk together on the bridge. CU study of starboard bow wave. Shot from eyes of the ship to A and B turrets - the barrels of A are depressed. Port bow wave. Final LS to destroyer astern.
  • Alternative Title: MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: ADM 459
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1943-06-11
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: British Paramount News (Production company) Hardy, Douglas H J (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Eisenhower, Dwight David (person) Cunningham, Andrew Browne (person) Agnew, William Gladstone (person) Royal Navy, AURORA (HMS), light cruiser (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Penelope (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Orion (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Laforey (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - cruiser: Aurora (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Penelope (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Orion & [-] (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Laforey & [-] (object name) ships, British auxiliary - amphibious: Princess Beatrix Class LSI[M] (object name) combat, British naval - bombardment (object name) Operation Corkscrew 1943, Pantelleria, Italy, Second World War (event) Italy & Pantelleria (geography)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 3 Footage: 1851 ft; Running time: 21 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ADM 459

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