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  • Short Summary

    Equipment is loaded onto landing craft. Gliders are loaded and prepared for D Day.

  • Description

    Unissued / unused material - dates and location unclear or unknown.

    Various shots around Invasion beach heads. Sunk tanks and landing craft on beach.

    Bren gun carrier being loaded onto landing craft. Other tracked vehicle loaded. Artillery shells prepared. Pan across large number of landing craft covered in camouflage netting in preparation for D Day.

    Shot of British troops on landing craft on way to France.

    Spacing - British troops play cricket in camp just prior to D Day.

    Various shots of men of the Parachute regiment moving equipment to load gliders. Various shots of equipment being loaded onto gliders. Gliders are being painted with stripes. Pan across air field with lots of gliders lined up. More shots of Paras moving material onto gliders.

    CU cartoon style painting of Adolf Hitler - Knives are thrown at it.

    VS of NCOs of the Parachute regiments being briefed by senior officer. CUs of Paras.

    Glider troops prepare for invasion in camp. VS of carrier pigeon being put in case for flight. Watches are set and synchronised. Troops climb onto trucks.

    Dusk shots of troops - with camouflaged faces - boarding gliders. A Para straps on his 'chute. The men enjoy a cup of tea.

  • Tags

  • Data

    Film ID:
    1941.08
    Media URN:
    61488
    Group:
    Unissued unused
    Archive:
    British Pathé
    Issue Date:
    Sound:
    Mute
    HD Format:
    Available on request
    Stock:
    Black & White
    Duration:
    00:08:38:00
    Time in/Out:
    01:33:31:00 / 01:42:09:00
    Canister:
    UN 815 A

Comments (1)

  1. aps1966 says

    At around 6 minutes the shot shows my father Cpl Thomas Alfred Smith holding and packing a Pigeon into a case for the drop into France

    He was in the Royal Corps of Signals though he joined the Parachute Regiment some time after his return from India

    I told me years ago the story about the Pigeon and how it had bit him shortly and that he swore

    I remember him saying that they were filming and it was out there somewhere

    He died more than 30 years ago and I was emotional when I first saw the clip

    I would like to thank Elizabeth at Pathe for finding it for me

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