OPERATION HALBERD ? [Allocated Title]

Mute newsreel in five episodes, containing three items of particular interest: the bombardment of the Libyan coast by the Mediterranean Fleet; Force H escorting a convoy from Gibraltar to Malta during Operation Halberd; Home Fleet forces attacking enemy transports at Petsamo, Kirkenes and Varanger Fjord in Operation E.F. This is edited material and unreliable - troop carrying LSIs have been included in Halberd and an Australian Leander Class cruiser in E.F.

I. "Kisa Haberler". Operation of a fleet mail office: sorting, typical broken packages - one containing some very bruised apples - censors at work.

II. Painting ship - a King George V Class battleship, probably HMS Prince of Wales. Men paint the hull, ship's crane, barrels of the 5.25-inch and 14-inch guns, funnel and searchlight platform, etc.

III. "Opening of the Attack in Libya". A coastal bombardment in support of the Army in Operation Crusader. The Mediterranean Fleet sorties - HMS Queen Elizabeth, HMS Valiant and HMS Barham. The bombardment is conducted by elements of the 7th Cruiser Squadron - the cameraship is possibly HMS Neptune, in company with HMAS Hobart and HMS Ajax. For the bombardment itself, which takes place at night, the camera shifts to HMAS Hobart. The naval footage is intercut with shots of aircraft and armour in the desert.

IV. Operation Halberd. Cameraship HMS Prince of Wales . Convoy at sea. AA defence. A distant raider crashes into the sea and another is fired at as it flies low over the sea. A crewman chalks up a victory score "2 Ities Less". XLS of a Nelson Class battleship and accompanying cruisers. LS over the convoy - one of the 'anti-aircraft' L Class destroyers is passing off screen right.

V. "The Navy Gives Aid to Russia". Force P attacks Kirkenes and Petsamo. Rear-Admiral Burrough addresses the crew of the Devonshire - in the background is a C Class cruiser, possibly HMS Curacao. Shots of the force underway - HMS Devonshire, HMS Victorious and Furious, the destroyer HMS Echo (H.23). Furious operates Fulmars and Albacores. AA defence by cruiser and destroyer. Returning aircraft land on.

35mm