SOLDIER, SAILOR [Main Title]

Drama revolving around a convoy "guarded by gun crews of the DEMS (Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships) - sailors of the Royal Navy and Soldiers of the Maritime Royal Artillery [who] sail together under Admiralty Control".

(Reel 1) West Africa. A group of soldiers and sailors, survivors of a wrecked DEMS, are rescued and granted survivor's leave. Two of them, Mike (soldier) and Bill (sailor), meet an old colleague, Dave, in Benghazi. Later, on boarding their new ship at Alexandria, they find that Dave is one of the crew. The DEMS (with New Zealanders in the crew and called the "C. of Windsor" according to lifebelt) is loaded up and sets sail across the Mediterranean. Crew chats below decks. (Reel 2) AA gunners practice. Meanwhile, the Chief Engineer worries about recent repairs to the condenser pump. Ship arrives at Bari in Italy - brief shore leave and visit to "DEMS centro Organizative Angrafe Tributari di Bari". Back at sea, crewmen inspect trinkets picked up in Italy, dreaming of home whilst listening to a song on the radio. The damaged condenser gives way; the Chief Engineer doesn't know how long it will take to fix. (Reel 3) The captain explains the problem to the escort, but they cannot help immediately, the DEMS has to drop behind the main convoy. Crew waits below decks, playing cards and talking. Bill looks at a teapot which he bought in Bari, and explains why he has bought it in an extended flashback. (Reel 4) Bill finishes his story, then Mike and Dave tell stories about their trinkets in flashback. Bill has a rant against advertising. The gun crews intensify their watch after an enemy reconnaissance plane flies over. Later, the watch reports objects off the port quarter. (Reel 5) It is two attacking S-boats; the 4-inch gun is hit. The Bofors gun swings into action as enemy aircraft join in. In the ensuing battle, one of the S-boats is sunk and the ship is damaged by bombs. Mike is badly injured, but survives. The ship is patched up, the engines now working, rejoins the convoy and finally heads for home.

35mm