OPERATION RHEOSTAT ONE - MEN OF TG 65.2 RELAX AT ISMAILIA [Allocated Title]

British crews and divers enjoy some R&R at Ismailia. Minehunters at work in the canal negotiate one of the many pontoon bridges controlled by the Egyptian Army.

Aerial LS of one of the tankers trapped in the Great Bitter Lakes. The helicopter approaches Ismailia, where HMS Abdiel is visible alongside the jetty with one of the minehunters. Cut to CU of a welcome sign outside the air force base at Ismailia, and pan over some of the buildings - a man looks back at the camera from a balcony. A US CH-46 alights on the distant field. At Abdiel's moorings, the British crews are entertaining themselves with 'water sports' - men swing on a rope from the ship aiming to drop into a buoyed target area in the water, pillow fights are held on a plank so that the loser falls into the water, men attempt to race over a line of bobbing flotation bags. To add to the holiday atmosphere some of the participants have adopted fancy dress - one of the men wears a well-stuffed brassiere. MS of HMS Bossington as she steams close to one bank of the canal. Sequence showing a ceremony presided over by the Egyptian President, Anwar Sadat - presentations are made, and he delivers a speech to a cheering audience. Cut to sequence on air field at Ismailia, where a RAF C-130K Hercules transport takes on cargo then taxies onto the runway and takes off. HMS Bossington makes stern way to clear her moorings alongside Abdiel and then steams off down the canal. Shot of a minehunter in the canal - a countermine is exploded. Interior of men's mess - one man rummages in his trunks, another lies flat on his bunk, a bottle wedged upright between his legs (!). LS along the canal as a minesweeper negotiates a gap in a pontoon bridge. MS of Abdiel as half-leader Wilton leaves her moorings. Passing a tanker in the lakes, Wilton re-enters the canal channel to begin clearance work near a prominent war memorial. She passes a submerged wreck - possibly that of bucket dredge No 23. The Nada and another launch carrying the FCDT, pass along the canal. CUs of divers working from the Gemini. HMS Maxton (M.1165) passes by. The main windlass on the sweep deck recovers the kedge anchor and Wilton returns through gap in pontoon bridge. A sequence shot on the bridge before the gap has been opened shows a UN-marked Land Rover crossing to be saluted by the ARE Army sentry. CUs of local lads fishing in the canal - one catches a small fish. A smoke float burns on the water near Wilton as a marker for a US CH-46 which comes in to hover above the ship - the helicopter lowers a line and recovers an empty MEDEVAC stretcher from the ship.

16mm