SUPPORT FORCE EAST COVERS THE LANDINGS NEAR SYRACUSE AND AUGUSTA IS BOMBARDED [Allocated Title]
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- Title: SUPPORT FORCE EAST COVERS THE LANDINGS NEAR SYRACUSE AND AUGUSTA IS BOMBARDED [Allocated Title]
- Film Number: ADM 538
- Other titles: MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY [Allocated Series Title]
- Summary: Cameraship HMS Uganda helps escort a fast troop convoy to the British sector between Syracuse and the Pachino Peninsula, and provides fire support for the landings. On the night of 11/12 July, Port Augusta is bombarded and a channel swept to the port. On 12 July, further bombardment by Uganda, Orion, Mauritius, and the monitor Erebus, causes the abandonment of the coastal defences. The submarine Bronzo is captured by the fleet minesweepers Seaham, Boston, Cromarty and Poole when she inadvertently surfaces in the midst of the British force.
- Description: I. Invasion convoys. LS of a Bangor Class minesweeper escorting LCTs. In company with HMS Mauritius, cameraship Uganda escorts a convoy of troopships - the cruiser's main armament is elevated ready for AA defence. II. Sicily. Smoke rises from fires started onshore. An Insect Class gunboat lies off the coast. Uganda bombards with A turret, the Captain observing the effects through binoculars. Pan over troopships (including a three-funnelled Can Pac liner) and LSTs lying close inshore - HMS Mauritius and a Tribal Class destroyer are also present. An explosion onshore throws up an impressive pall of smoke. III. Air attack. 4x2-pounder fires off. Bombs explode nearby. IV. Capture of Augusta. HA rear view of the ship's Captain wearing whites and relaxing in sunny weather, seated with his feet up on the lip of the bridge - he carefully adjusts his solar topée. Sequence showing Orion and Mauritius in line astern. Blurred telephoto LS off the starboard beam of HMS Erebus - at the end of the take she fires with 15-inch turret. On Uganda's bridge a Lieutenant-Commander crouches down out of the sun while reading some papers. LS sequence showing the capture of the Italian submarine Bronzo by minesweepers - they circle the surfaced craft which is then taken under tow by HMS Seaham (J.123). MS off the starboard bow of HMS Orion. LS of three BYMS ("British Yard Mine Sweepers") in quarter line for a sweep - in the background is HMS Mauritius. Blurred telephoto LS of explosions onshore. Dusk - HMS Orion passes left to right in silhouette, with Mauritius in the background. Night firing sequence - AA defence by the task force. Daylight - LS to buildings along the coast. MS of HMS Mauritius steaming right to left with shoreline in the background - frame right cuts off ship's afterbody about mainmast.
- Alternative Title: MEDITERRANEAN OPERATIONS OF THE ROYAL NAVY [Allocated Series Title]
- Colour: B&W
- Digitised: Yes
- Object_Number: ADM 538
- Sound: Silent
- Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
- Featured Period: 1939-1945
- Production Date: 1943-07
- Production Country: GB
- Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor) Gaumont British News (Production company) Turner, P J (Production individual)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations: Royal Navy, Uganda (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Mauritius (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Orion (regiment/service) Royal Navy, EREBUS (HMS), monitor (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Seaham (regiment/service) Royal Navy, BOSTON (HMS), minesweeper (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Poole (regiment/service) Royal Navy, CROMARTY (HMS), minesweeper (regiment/service) Italian Royal Navy, Bronzo (regiment/service)
- Keywords: ships, British naval - cruiser: Uganda (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Mauritius (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Orion (object name) ships, British naval - gunship: Erebus & [-] (object name) ships, British naval - minesweeper, ocean: Seaham (J.123) (object name) ships, British naval - minesweeper, ocean: Cromarty (J.09) (object name) ships, British naval - minesweeper, ocean: Poole & [-] (object name) ships, British naval - minesweeper, ocean: Boston & [-] (object name) ships, Italian naval - submarine: Bronzo & [captured] (object name) Operation Husky, Allied Invasion of Sicily 1943, Italy, Second World War (event) Sicily, Italy (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: 1 Footage: 774 ft; Running time: 8 mins
- HD Media:Yes
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