THE KING VISITS THE HOME FLEET [Allocated Title]

King George VI visits the Home Fleet at Scapa in May, 1944, and is entertained by Admiral Fraser on his flagship HMS Duke of York.

Reel One. HMS Matchless closes on the cameraship HMS Duke of York, and Royal barge brings the King across to Fraser's flagship - among the ships in the background are Victorious and Ramillies. The King is greeted by Admiral Fraser. HM inspects the Royal Marines of the Guard of Honour. After some ceremony onboard the battleship, HM and Fraser set off on a tour of the fleet (HMS Belfast is in the background as they leave Duke of York). Cut to scene on HMS Victorious as the King and his party ride up on one of the lifts - in the background is the escort carrier HMS Searcher (40). Cut to Victorious at sea - HA aft to a running range of Corsairs. Aircraft take off. Forward starboard-side 4.5-inch turrets fire off a few rounds. Carrier aircraft stage a demonstration - Corsairs make low strafing runs and Barracudas launch torpedoes. Corsairs of the 47th Naval Fighter Wing (1836 Squadron) land on - the King watches from the Little directs operations. As a returned Corsair is struck down on the forward lift it is clear that the weather is worsening. Cut back to the anchorage and the King being piped onboard HMS Tyne - after the usual introductions he inspects destroyer divisions onboard the depot ship - alongside to starboard are HMS Whelp, HMCS Sioux, HMS Onslow and HMS Onslaught. Cut to HMS Bonaventure where the King meets the crew of an X-craft (possibly X.25), captained by Lieutenant J E Smart, and the two-man crew of a chariot wearing diving suits and oxygen re-breathing gear - the outlandish appearance of the divers seems to appeal to the King and he makes a joke - all laugh immoderately. An X-craft steams past, the Captain conning the boat - he goes below and the boat lowers air induction pipe and submerges. The King inspects an XE craft on Bonaventure - he does not go below. Cut back to Victorious at sea - HM watches Corsairs take off. Barracudas make a massed low-level fly past. LA sequence from position near batsman as a Corsair takes the wire. The scene then reverts to Scapa where the King inspects the ship's company - Corsairs and Barracudas are parked on the centreline - as HM hesitates at the head of a line of sailors, the divisional officer, a young Lieutenant RNVR, who is trailing behind rather than escorting the King, is given a sharp prod by a Commander. The inspection proceeds, and the crew then disperse. Reel Two. CUs of Admiral Fraser, the King, and Rear-Admiral Dalrymple-Hamilton at C-in-C's staff meeting onboard the flagship - at the end of the table is Commodore Slayter. Sequence onboard HMS Belfast - Royal Standard is raised and on the bridge the King takes the salute as the ship steams past HMS Anson and HMS Howe - Type 277 radar is scanning on Howe. Repeat of an earlier sequence on Duke of York, and final LA off the starboard quarter of HMS Tyne as the Royal barge departs to the cheers of the crew - alongside to port are the Norwegian destroyer Svenner (G.03) and HMS Verulam (R.28).

35mm