1.
GV. Canoe is carried to fishing vessel
0.05

2.
LV. Canoe is carried aboard
0.10

3.
SV. Canoeists receive instructions for the journey
0.14

4.
LV. DITTO
0.19

5.
LV. Canoeists leave fishing vessel
0.24

6.
TOP V. Canoeists in canoe..PAN to others
0.32

7.
GV. Canoeists back paddling on leaving vessel
0.39

8.
GV. DITTO
0.44

9.
GV. Canoeists under way
0.48

10.
GV. DITTO
0.52

11.
GV. DITTO
7.03

12.
GV. DITTO
1.03

13.
SV. DITTO
1.06

14.
SV. DITTO
1.12

15.
GV. DITTO
1.15



Initials KJ/AW/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Fifty boys between the ages of 16 and 19 are taking part in a Cross-Channel canoe expedition to Cherbourg, France, which started from Poole Harbour near Bournemouth S. England, August 10.

In the early morning, in pouring rain, the canoes were taken by a fishing drifter to the coastal minelayer HMS Plover, waiting outside the harbour. Then the boys manned the 25 two-man canoes to set out on their journey which was expected to take them fifteen hours to complete.

The expedition is the first of two trial projects designed by the Navy to bring an insight into Naval life to civilian youth organisations.

Escorted by HMS Plover the boys are paddling a maximum of two hours each, taking turns with their crew-men. They are accompanied by a party of Royal Marine swimmer-canoeists to guard against accidents in the Channel. As an extra safety precaution, the Cross-Channel cruise was preceded by a two-day training period with trial runs.

The canoe expedition has now passed the half-way mark without any incidents. Because of difficult in-shore currents at Cherbourg, all the canoes will be embarked on board the HMS Plover on arrival in French waters and taken to St. Malo, where the boys will begin a three-day-paddle trip up the River La Rance to Ecluse-du-Chatelier.