INVASION OF SICILY [Allocated Title]

Scenes on troopship Reina del Pacifico en route to Sicily, troops going ashore in LCAs and scenes of disembarkation on the beaches.

I. Troopship at sea. Sequence showing troops at PT. CU of men cleaning weapons - a Bren, Lee-Enfield, Thompson sub-machine gun. Two soldiers read SOLDIER'S GUIDE TO SICILY. Men relax at cards. Man cleans a .38 Smith and Wesson. Others mend clothes or simply look out at the other ships in the convoy - SS Orient is visible in the distance. One man writes a letter. HA onto port bow of HMS Tetcott (L.99) come close alongside the cameraship - a light heaving line is passed across. Various MSs of troop transports astern and in a neighbouring column. Soldiers onboard continue to check their equipment - one man cleans and reassembles a two inch mortar, another disassembles a 36M grenade, removing the striker lever, striker and striker pin, while a third cleans the cylinder of a .38 revolver. MLS over the convoy - the three-funnelled Queen of Bermuda is nearby. Sequence showing the approach of HMS Tetcott and the passing of a light line. Further shots of the convoy, including the Orontes and either Strathnaird or Strathnaver.

II. Arrival off the Sicilian coast. HA from the cameraship as a LCR heads inshore. The sun rises over the invasion fleet. LS of three LCAs heading for the shore. LS to the coast, partially obscured by smokescreens - three LCTs move right to left in mid-ground and a Colony Class cruiser bombards. The cameraship begins disembarking troops - troops clamber down scramble netting into LCAs which then make off - LCP(S) 43 is also alongside. Nearby is LSI(S) Amsterdam (?) also disembarking troops. MS to Reina del Pacifico as cameraman departs in a LCA - the craft heads inshore past LCI(L)s and LCTs to run up on the beach.

III. Cameraman on the landing beach. MS as LCI(L) 295 disembarks men - in the background LCI(L) 169 runs inshore and lets go brow ramps - heavily laden soldiers wade ashore along guide ropes held by RN crewmen, one of the soldiers stumbling and getting thoroughly wet. Soldiers help push ashore a Bedford AT Portee. A White Scout Car and a Stuart tank are disembarked. Organised by a Lieutenant with a loudhailer, the troops file along the beach - all are heavily laden, carrying rifles, a Bren, PIAT. A signal is flashed by Aldis lamp. LS to the beach exit - a lower frame is a notice BEACHMASTER HQ AND AMO. A soldier passes camera pushing a GS bicycle with his rifle in clip.

35mm