HOME FLEET EXERCISE WITH THE ROYAL CANADIAN NAVY'S ATLANTIC FLEET [Allocated Title]

Joint exercise between Royal Navy and the Royal Canadian Navy in the North Atlantic and entry into Halifax.

Reel One. Senior officers are briefed. CUs of ammunition hoist for 15-inch shells - presumably on Vanguard. The shells are laid on racks to be taken up from the magazine to the turret. Cut to scene at sea - HMS Maidstone and Daring Class destroyers in line astern of the cameraship, HMS Ceylon. LS off the port bow of the Canadian carrier HMCS Bonaventure, the camera holding as she comes abreast of Ceylon - the carrier leads the frigate HMCS St Laurent (205), followed by two more of that class, and the anti-submarine conversion Algonquin. Forming the rear of the line is a group of Improved Tribal Class destroyers. The Canadian line is cheered as it passes, and there is an exchange of signals. The British line deploys into an approximation of line abreast. Cut to a sequence showing RN clearance divers at work beneath HMS Ceylon (C.30) as she lies alongside in harbour - possibly a training session, for the divers seem rather inept. HMS Ceylon carries out a shoot at sea. A and B fire to starboard in full salvos. A single 40mm Bofors is elevated and trained but not fired. Starboard 21-inch TT (torpedo tubes) is trained outboard and a torpedo is fired. While Ceylon is still underway a boat is lowered to retrieve the practice torpedo and tow it back to the ship. Boat and torpedo are recovered. CUs of the ship's badge and battle honours, and the ship's bell. Cut to camera on HMS Bulwark as she enters Halifax - Sea Hawk FGA.4 and FGA.6s of 898 and 801 Squadrons parked on deck and crew manning ship. A Tide Class tanker and St Laurent Class frigates - including HMCS Ottawa (229) - are already alongside. HMS Camperdown (D.32) passes left to right. The men manning ship jog on the spot to keep warm. As Bulwark berths alongside a RCN Whirlwind takes off with a senior officer - perhaps a Canadian observer. At sea again on Bermuda (?) for the passing of the Canadian line - RN Whirlwind drops a mail-bag (?) onto the quarterdeck. LS of a destroyer replenishing from a Tide Class tanker. Bulwark recovers aircraft. MS to Ceylon in line ahead as she fires a salute. General shots of HMCS Bonaventure and the Canadian line. After the Canadians have passed the British line redeploys - HMS Daring (D.05), Dainty (D.108), Barfleur (D.80) and Camperdown (D.32) are among the destroyers variously in company with the cameraship - there are good shots of the two Battle Class ships shipping water over their bows as they steam at speed in the cameraship's wake. Rating takes notes on sea conditions. Another mail delivery by helicopter. Jackstay transfer of personnel between cameraship and HMS Maidstone (A.185). Reel Two. Life onboard ship - which one is unclear: radar operator and plotters in operations room; Navigational Officer at work - he has marked in a depression ESE of Newfoundland; Medical Officer examines a patient, orderly bandages a man's knee; dentist and victim; English instruction for ratings - the master has written on the board the cardinal points of précis technique, and the men take notes. Cut to views from Maidstone at Halifax (?) - the port is shrouded in heavy snow. Bulwark is already alongside. More shots of the Canadian forces at sea - Bonaventure, St Laurent Class frigates, etc. The film then returns to Halifax - this time shot from HMS Bulwark. Snow blows across the flightdeck, where Sea Hawks, Sea Venoms, AEW Skyraiders and a Canadian CS 2F Tracker are parked up. Men are busy shrouding the aircraft to protect them from the weather. Cut to shots from Maidstone at sea - a mail bag is passed by line to HMS Barfleur. HMS Camperdown closes to flash a signal - the destroyer's bows dig in occasionally in the heavy sea. Cut again - this time to the Caribbean - the cameraship is moored off a French West Indian Island, and receives a visit from a party of local officials. Nearby, the freighter Cavalaire is unloading. A sailing party set off in the ship's whaler. At sea again - aerial sequence shot from one of Bulwark's helicopters showing HMS Bermuda (C.52) refuelling at sea. HMS Ceylon is also in company. The aircraft returns to Bulwark and lands on.

16mm