CRUISERS LAND BRITISH TROOPS AT PIRAEUS [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: CRUISERS LAND BRITISH TROOPS AT PIRAEUS [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ADM 546
  • Other titles: MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary: Mute newsreel showing air defence of the Mediterranean Fleet and the despatch of military forces to Greece.
  • Description: I. The cargo ship Belgian Airman is transferred from the British to the Belgian mercantile marine. The ship has just fitted out and is riding very high in the water, her propellers threshing the surface. Interior views show the engine rooms and the officer's messing and cabin arrangements. II. "Navy Smash Mass Raid". Air defence of the Mediterranean Fleet. HMS Malaya at sea. CUs of Vice-Admiral Cunningham with Rear-Admiral Willis. A Fulmar lands on HMS Illustrious. Formations of SM.79s appear, and Malaya puts up a barrage. Cameraship (HMS Berwick ?) fires off 4-inch and 4x.50 calibre AA. XLS to Malaya and Ramillies on the horizon as bombs explode around them. Some impressive sticks of bombs fall near the cameraship. Illustrious fires 4.5-inch AA. Onboard shot as Malaya fires twin 4-inch AA at maximum elevation. LS of a pall of smoke on the horizon. Sequence showing the rescue of downed pilots - a destroyer hoves to and lowers a boat for one pilot, but for another the cameraship merely closes and hooks the parachute, dragging the man through the water and half drowning him - he is presumably an Italian. A third pilot receives more gracious treatment, being helped up a scramble net onto the focsle. Final LS of a Queen Elizabeth (Warspite ?) against a setting sun. III. "Greeks Press On As British Aid Grows". Establishing shot of Athens, and national leaders - King George II and General Metaxas. Queen Frederica visits Greek wounded in hospital. CUs of Italian POWs, including Alpini and air crew. Sequence showing HMAS Sydney and a Town Class cruiser (Gloucester ?) disembarking troops with transport and stores at Piraeus. The man are mainly support troops - RASC, Signals, Royal Engineers, etc. The unloading operation is watched by Major-General Gambier-Parry, Chief British Liaison Officer, and Air Vice Marshal D'Albiac, Air Officer Commanding in Greece. The soldiers receive a friendly reception from the local population and men of the Greek Army and Navy. IV. "King Visits Home Fleet". King George VI inspects RN air base and WRNS. Sequence showing HMS Furious and Formidable (?) in line ahead - Formidable turns to starboard and the camera pans right to show a County Class cruiser in the van. Back in the anchorage the carriers are inspected by the King. A further interpolated sequence shows Fulmars and Albacores being flown off Formidable. HM visits HMS Suffolk and HMS King George V where he is greeted by Admiral Tovey - as the battleship passes the crew of HMS Dorsetshire cheer the King. "Censored Scenes" are portraits of Tovey and the King - in the background are visible the two UP projectors side by side on X turret.
  • Alternative Title: MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: ADM 546
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1940
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor) British Paramount News (Production company)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Cunningham, John Henry Dacres (person) Willis, Algernon Usborne (person) George II, King of Greece (person) Frederica, Queen of Greece (person) Metaxas, Joannis (person) Gambier-Parry, M D (person) D'Albiac, John Henry (person) George VI, King (person) Tovey, John Cronyn (person) Royal Navy, Malaya (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Illustrious (regiment/service) Royal Navy, FURIOUS (HMS), light cruiser (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Suffolk (regiment/service) Royal Navy, King George V (regiment/service) Royal Navy, DORSETSHIRE (HMS), heavy cruiser (regiment/service) Royal Australian Navy, SYDNEY (HMAS), light cruiser (1934) (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - battleship: Malaya (object name) ships, British naval - battleship: King George V (object name) ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, fleet: Illustrious (object name) ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, fleet: Furious (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Suffolk (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Dorsetshire (object name) ships, Australian naval - cruiser: Sydney (object name) ships, Belgian civilian - cargo: Belgian Airman (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: Fairey Fulmar (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: Fairey Albacore (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: Fairey Swordfish (object name) combat, British naval - anti-aircraft (object name)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: English Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Number of items/reels/tapes: 1 Footage: 1002 ft; Running time: 11 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ADM 546

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