Air-Sea Rescue

1944 , Great Yarmouth (Norfolk)

Royal Navy air-sea rescue trials off Great Yarmouth.

The trials off Great Yarmouth of drops of a large lifeboat supported by four or five parachutes. The film is shot from a Royal Navy boat and films the Quay as it leaves the harbour. There are views out to sea of a plane dropping the parachutes and the lifeboat landing. Other craft can be seen, including an inflatable life raft and small boats. There is a lengthy shot of one of the naval officers. As the boat returns to harbour, the camera pans the Quay and the sea front at Yarmouth. At the port, other naval craft are visible. The crew alights from the ship and some of the ordinary seamen pose for the camera. The next sequences are taken at night. The film is shot from aboard a speed craft and there is a shadow in the background of a warship passing as well as other craft. There are men in a life raft and a plane makes a night drop. The speed boat heads back towards the coast.

Featured Events

Air-sea rescue trials at Great Yarmouth in 1944

Keywords

Air-sea rescues; Royal Navy

Background Information

Richard Beard was a master mariner who served as a Squadron Leader, based at Coltishall, during World War II. He was a member of a group who helped to design the air-sea rescue package filmed. This must be a very rare film. Normally these trials would not have been allowed to have been filmed during wartime, even by an officer. Yet the crew pose for the camera, so it was obviously shot with knowledge of those involved if not actually with official permission. Richard Beard died in 1967.

Manifestations

Air-Sea Rescue

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