Description
Object description
HMS Ajax returns to England and her officers and men, together with those of the Exeter are entertained to luncheon at the Guildhall. Other items include shots of fugitive Norwegian merchantmen gathered in Scottish waters and Ironside greeting men returning from Norway. A single sentence spoken by Captain Woodhouse of the Ajax is the only sound on the reel.
Full description
(i) 'Ajax Comes Home After Two Years'. LA of HMS Ajax alongside at Plymouth. Crewmen file ashore. MS to front of X and Y turret from camera on quarterdeck. To the battle honours on Y, a plaque is added reading 'THE PLATE. 1939'. Captain Woodhouse speaks briefly: "We all consider ourselves very lucky to have had an opportunity of meeting an enemy ship at sea." Men gathered on focsle and forward turrets cheer and wave for camera in eyes. 'Good Scenes' show men washing down the deck, repainting the ship's sides, pulling through the right-hand barrel of A turret, and working on the ship's Fairey Sea Fox. (ii) 'Scotland'. LS over convoy in Scottish anchorage. LA shots from cameracraft pick out some of the ships from German-occupied Scandinavian countries - Inger and Bruse from Norway and the Lifland and Lars Kruse from Denmark. The crew of Inger wave down to the camera, and the ship's dog, held up to the rail, has its paw waved by one of the men. (iii) 'South Norway: the Last Phases'. LA pan across soldiers looking out from a crowded troopship. The men disembark and form up on the quayside. Inside a warehouse the men are issued with kit which some immediately start to put on. In the company of some French officers, General Ironside visits and speaks with the troops - he is cheered by the men. (iv) An untitled sequence. King George VI reviews Royal Marines - where he is treated to a demonstration of 'synchronised semaphore' - and takes the salute at a march past of naval personnel. (v) 'T Navy's Here - For Lunch'. Officers and men of Ajax and Exeter are given lunch at the Guildhall. Present at the top table are Captain Woodhouse and Captain Bell with the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill, Sir Samuel Hoare and the Lord Mayor. After a few words from Captain Woodhouse, the First Lord addresses the company. After his speech there is applause and all rise in a toast. Captain Bell rises to speak.
Physical description
35mm