EXERCISE SEA LANCE [Allocated Title]
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- Title: EXERCISE SEA LANCE [Allocated Title]
- Film Number: ADM 1521
- Other titles: POST-WAR NAVAL OPERATIONS - MISCELLANEOUS [Allocated Series Title]
- Summary: Major exercise by the Mediterranean Fleet.
- Description: Reel One plus Two. HA to a dghaisa (dghajsa) in Grand Harbour. The First Sea Lord, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor, is piped aboard the cameraship HMS Agincourt, where he meets officers and ratings from the ships of the First and Forth Destroyer Flotillas. After the visit, he is piped over the side and his barge departs. LSs of the destroyers of the First and Forth Flotillas anchored in Sliema Creek - HMS Charity (D.29), HMS Comet (D.26) and others. Cut to scenes onboard HMS Centaur as Avenger AS.5s of 814 Squadron land on. Planeguard Westland Dragonfly lands on. A tractor brings up a hitch for an Avenger (XB 311). MS to the nose of an AS.5, men waiting by the chocks as the aircraft is run up. Avenger XB 376 takes off, followed by XB 375. HMS Delight closes for a jackstay transfer of supplies and personnel. Delight withdraws. Dragonfly helicopter from HMS Albion lands on and the First Sea Lord deplanes - he is greeted by the Fifth Sea Lord, Rear-Admiral Bingley. LA of Deck Landing Control Officer as he directs landing of a 806 Squadron Sea Hawk. HA aft as a Sea Hawk lands on. Sea Hawk 162 taxies forward, wings folding. A Westland Whirlwind HAS.22 lands on and is chocked up. A Dragonfly also alights. LS along a range of Sea Hawks parked on deck in rough weather - they are secured to deck hard-points, their cockpits protected by canvas - the nearest aircraft is WM 913, a FB.3. Sequence showing AS Avengers landing on and taking off, and on after lift. Deck crew relax. MS as pilot of Sea Hawk FGA.4 169 (WV 859) fires starter cartridge and taxies the aircraft forward. Sea Hawk 173 lands on. Avenger XB 392 taxies forward after landing. XB 309 lands on. Centaur's two tractors move off from their station near the island. A fireman stands ready, suited up with an extinguisher on a trolley. RFA Olna closes on the carrier and a Costin gun-line is passed. Two hoses are transferred and fuelling begins - a Daring Class destroyer refuels simultaneously on the tanker's starboard side. Reel Three. Onboard HMS Albion. HA from the island as a Sea Hawk taxies onto the port bow catapult and is launched - three more follow - these are FB.3s of 898 and Squadron. A Sea Hawk FB.3 148 (WM 987) of 802 Squadron is towed aft to be struck down the after lift. A hitch is put on 146, and the aircraft is towed off to be struck down into the forward hangar. LS to HMS Centaur. Another FB.3 is hitched up. A tractor manoeuvres to tow off an AEW Skyraider of 849 Squadron, C Flight - the aircraft is brought forward past the camera. LA from a position on a starboard sponson, aft near the second arrester wire, as a Sea Hawk lands on - two more follow, the third aircraft taking the second wire, thus giving a good view of the wire in action and retracting. More Sea Hawks land on, one of them going round to land again after a bad approach. 152 folds its wings after landing. LS of escorting destroyer - probably Decoy - and pan right to Centaur - a C Class destroyer is also in distant company. A Whirlwind touches down in wet weather and the First Sea Lord deplanes. Reel Five. Cameraship HMS Tyne. LSs as the 'Orange Force' convoy and escort form up off Villagranche - present are the cruiser HMS Bermuda, the frigate HMS Urania (F.08), RFAs Fort Duquesne and Green Ranger, HMY Britannia, and a Bustler Class tug. LS fine on the starboard bow as Centaur and a Daring refuel from Olna. Dragonfly 902 flies in from Centaur and lowers Home Fleet Aviation Officer, Commander J G Baldwin, and his dunnage onto the quarterdeck of Tyne. Sequence showing HMS Decoy to starboard and HMS Daring to port for provisioning by jackstay. HMS Delight then closes from starboard for a jackstay transfer of personnel to Tyne, two BBC reporters, Wynford Vaughan-Thomas and David Woodward - a fine portrait of the destroyer breasting the swell as she runs alongside. LSs of Britannia and Avenger CAP. XLS sequence showing a simulated atomic attack on 'Blue Force' - a destroyer is encompassed by an unconvincing pall of smoke. Onboard Tyne the two BBC men look on in company with the C-in-C Home Fleet, Admiral Sir Michael Denny. Sea Hawks 'attack' Britannia, and one aircraft passes low over the cameraship. A Daring lays white smoke across Tyne's bows - meant to represent a second atomic attack. LSs of Sea Hawks attacking Britannia and a pair of Centaur's Wyverns diving on Olna. Britannia and Olna in close company - the tanker signals. Various shots of Sea Hawks passing low overhead in simulated attacks on Tyne - a photo-reconnaissance Meteor puts in an appearance. After the excitement is over the crew play tombola on deck.
- Alternative Title: POST-WAR NAVAL OPERATIONS - MISCELLANEOUS [Allocated Series Title]
- Colour: B&W
- Digitised:
- Object_Number: ADM 1521
- Sound: Silent
- Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
- Featured Period: 1946-1975
- Production Date: 1955-03
- Production Country: GB
- Production Details: Admiralty (Production sponsor)
- Personalities, Units and Organisations: McGrigor, Rhoderick Robert (person) Bingley, Alexander N C (person) Denny, Michael Maynard (person) Baldwin, J G (person) Woodward, David (person) Vaughan-Thomas, Wynford (person) Royal Navy, CENTAUR (HMS), aircraft carrier (regiment/service) Royal Navy, ALBION (HMS), aircraft carrier (regiment/service) Royal Navy, CHARITY (HMS), destroyer (regiment/service) Royal Navy, COMET (HMS), destroyer (1944) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, AGINCOURT (HMS), battleship (regiment/service) Royal Navy, DELIGHT (HMS), destroyer (1950) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, DECOY (HMS), destroyer (1949) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, DARING (HMS), destroyer (1949) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, BERMUDA (HMS) (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Tyne (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Urania (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Green Ranger (regiment/service) Royal Navy, FORT DUQUESNE (RFA), store ship (regiment/service) Royal Navy, BRITANNIA (HMY), yacht (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Olna (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 806 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 814 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 802 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 898 (regiment/service) Royal Navy, Fleet Air Arm, Sqdn 849 (regiment/service)
- Keywords: ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, light: Centaur (object name) ships, British naval - aircraft carrier, light: Albion (object name) ships, British naval - cruiser: Bermuda (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Charity (D.29) (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Comet (D.26) (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Daring (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Decoy (object name) ships, British naval - destroyer: Delight (object name) ships, British naval - frigate: Urania (F.08) (object name) ships, British naval - harbour: Tyne (object name) ships, British naval - private: Britannia (object name) ships, British auxiliary - supply: Olna (object name) ships, British auxiliary - supply: Green Ranger (object name) ships, British auxiliary - supply: Fort Duquesne (object name) aircraft, British naval - combat: Hawker Sea Hawk (object name) aircraft, British naval - helicopter: Westland Dragonfly (object name) aircraft, British naval - helicopter: Westland Whirlwind (object name) aircraft, United States naval - combat: Grumman Avenger & [British] (object name) aircraft, United States naval - combat: Douglas Skyraider & [British] (object name) operations, British naval - routine: replenishment at sea (object name) Malta (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: 2919 ft; Running time: 32 mins
- HD Media:
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