TASK GROUP 111.2 ENTERS HONG KONG [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: TASK GROUP 111.2 ENTERS HONG KONG [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: ADM 1195
  • Other titles: BRITISH NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST [Allocated Series Title]
  • Summary:
  • Description: I. Reel One. Rear-Admiral Harcourt transfers his flag to HMS Swiftsure for entry into Hong Kong. HA.MS from Swiftsure as ship's boat approaches carrying Harcourt and his staff. Harcourt comes onboard and greets Captain McLaughlin. LS into Hong Kong Bay - HMS Kempenfeldt precedes the cameraship. LS to waterfront, sunken merchantman alongside. MS as HMS Ursa (D.29) passes right to left. Armed party is sent ashore in one of the ship's boats - HMS Kempenfeldt visible in the background. CUs as camera-launch passes towed boats carrying a shore party from Euryalus - Swiftsure is visible in background for part of the shot. Ahead of the camera-craft, a LCVP approaches the quayside. Captain Warre (?) talks with a Japanese officer on quayside - also in frame is Commander Donald Craven, an ex-POW. Armed RN parties enter the city, and begin rounding up parties of Japanese who are then frisked. Final sequence shows smiling RM guard, armed with a Thompson SMG, inside the gates of Admiralty House - Chinese look in from outside. II. Reel Two. HMS Indomitable. HA.MS along the deck as Avenger 372 lands on - Mr Nakamura disembarks, dressed as a Japanese officer and carrying a sword - he is escorted below. Dark interior shots show something of the subsequent negotiations. The envoy boards TBD 376, watched by off-duty crew - the aircraft takes off and climbs away into a leaden sky. XLS of accompanying carrier HMS Venerable, and cruiser. III. Views from Indomitable as she enters Hong Kong Bay in misty conditions - 4.5-inch DP turrets are at high elevation, ready for trouble. Crew members stare towards the shore. Aircraft pass overhead. LS to HMHS Oxfordshire anchored in the bay. People wave from local small craft. Crew fall in to man the side. MCU of Lieutenant-Commander (Air), RNVR, as he stares to shore. Corsair flies past, very low over the water. LS pan over Victoria. Minesweeper, HMAS Strahan (J.363) passes close by. Pan over upper works of HMAS Wagga (J.315) as it passes. Out of focus shots of small craft, Hong Kong, the hospital ship Oxfordshire, and ships of the task group. IV. Reel Three. Repeat from episode I showing Harcourt's transfer to Swiftsure, and the entry into Hong Kong Bay. Cut to RM party in an alley in the city - they are in full kit with rifles and fixed bayonets. Interior shot as the search party works through a building, entering rooms off the central corridor - the leading man carries a Thompson. CU of RM on a balcony - he has a Bren balanced on the rail, and fires off a few rounds into a waterfront warehouse. HA.MS from the balcony to two Japanese, one carrying a briefcase, who run down the street below, gesturing and saluting to show friendly intent - they run on past. CU of a long line of Japanese standing with hands on heads, and pan right to British guards. Sequence from episode I, following LCVP into quayside, waterfront conversation with Japanese officer, and rounding up and frisking of Japanese. MS pan over group of Japanese sitting on the ground - most are stoical, but one is rubbing his eyes as if crying - a group of junior officers sit somewhat apart from the men, watched by a casual RM with rifle and bayonet. RM approaches the camera on a newly liberated bicycle. A party of prisoners is marched away to start clearing rubble. Crewmen of submarines alongside watch the Japanese at work - one gestures offensively at the POWs. CU of a group of more senior Japanese officers, surrounded by smiling armed marines. LA as a White Ensign is broken out. RN shore party starts moving supplies - two of the group are wearing Japanese steel helmets. Two Orientals in civilian dress approach, arms held high, while a RN shore party fires into warehouse (the same as featured earlier) with rifles and Sten guns. Final sequence repeats earlier episode showing RM guards within the gates of Admiralty building - the gates sag inwards from the weight of local spectators, and a small Chinese girl peers through the gap between them.
  • Alternative Title: BRITISH NAVAL OPERATIONS IN THE FAR EAST [Allocated Series Title]
  • Colour: B&W
  • Digitised:
  • Object_Number: ADM 1195
  • Sound: Silent
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1945-08-30
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Harcourt, Cecil Halliday Jepson (person) McLaughlin, P V (person) Craven, Donald (person) Royal Navy, Swiftsure (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Ursa (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Kempenfeldt (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Indomitable (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Oxfordshire (regiment/service) Royal Australian Navy, STRAHAN (HMAS), corvette (regiment/service) Royal Australian Navy, WAGGA (HMAS), corvette (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ships, British naval - cruiser: Swiftsure (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Ursa (D.29) (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Kempenfeldt (object name) ships, British auxiliary - assistance: Oxfordshire (object name) ships, Australian naval - minesweeper, ocean: Strahan (J.363) (object name) ships, Australian naval - minesweeper, ocean: Wagga (J.315) (object name) Liberation of Hong Kong 1945, Pacific War 1941-1945, Second World War (event) Pacific Ocean (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: 1646 ft; Running time: 18 mins
  • HD Media:
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    ADM 1195

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