Description
Object description
A series of unedited tapes showing members of 40 Commando carrying out training in preparation for what would become Operation Telic.
Content description
(Tape 1) 40 Commando embarkation onto HMS Ocean (16 January). "Procedure Alpha". 845 Naval Air Squadron helicopters touch down. (17 January) Flight deck shots, 20mm shoot, Phalanx being loaded.
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(Tape 2) Scenes on board HMS Ocean, including Sea King Helicopter drills. Piece to camera by Captain Johns. Briefing in hangar with Brigade Commander (very poor audio). (ca 20 January)
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(Tape 3) Views from Sea King helicopter, taking off from HMS Ark Royal. Aerial shots of Ark Royal, HMS Northumberland (F238) and HMS Ocean: helicopter lands on board the latter. On board Ocean, Marines line up in the hangar deck and put on their life jackets before being briefed. On the flight deck, they board Sea King helicopters, which take off and fly in formation before returning. (Some of the helicopters are in white and green camouflage.) Marines below deck; they stand on the elevator, which rises to the flight deck. Helicopter take-offs. Marines board a covered LCP, suspended on the side of the ship; briefing after they have boarded. Helicopter lift exercises; Sea King lifts 105mm gun and trailer; the gun is later moved manually on deck by four Marines. Sea King helicopter, rotors folded, is lowered onto the hangar deck (good shots). Chinook ZO575 lands. Another Chinook practices lifting the gun. (22 January)
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(Tape 4) Royal Marines on board HMS Ocean off the coast of Cyprus (Limassol) for Exercise Wader. Helicopter lifting operations: Chinook and Sea Kings with 105mm gun as underslung load. Sea King helicopters. Marines on deck lift. Royal Marines board Sea Kings (one in zebra livery. View from bridge during rainstorm. Waterspout on horizon. Interview with Captain Johns of HMS Ocean: preparing for an exercise in Cyprus with Ark Royal and other ships. Lynx helicopter on deck. More helicopter exercises. (27 January)
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(Tape 5) Further scenes from Exercise Wader, Cyprus. Helicopter with underslung vehicles drops its payload on land. Rain on lens. Quad bike. Marines moving inland; they set up .50 calibre guns on their tripods: dry drills, no firing. Anti-ambush drills with Land Rovers and Pinzgauer vehicles, followed by debriefing and further drills, including an advance on foot while firing. Amphibious landing exercise in Cyprus, staged for the press: assault boats come ashore, and Marines advance up the beach. Landing craft (LCPs) follow. Interviews on beach with civilian reporters and TV crews. Routine operations on board LCP; including view of wheelhouse and from on board as it travels at speed. It approaches and docks with HMS Ocean (?) (rear ramp). View of HMS Ocean from LCP. Docking with Ocean.; Marines embark onto LCP. Further LCP operations. Landing ship alongside. View of HMS Ark Royal; various other ships also seen, including RFA Argus (A135) and destroyer (D92). RFA Fort Victoria (A387) alongside. Liquid RAS from RFA Oakleaf (A111). The vessels sail together in formation for PHOTEX (photographic exercise). (27 January)
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(Tape 6) HMS Ocean during her transit of the Suez Canal. Recreation on flight deck. GPMG practice on quarterdeck. Combat PT flight deck. (Early February ?)
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(Tape 7) Members of 40 Commando recce troop loading a vehicle into a CH47. Firing of GPMG from WMIK mounting on Land Rover. GPMG, LCVP, fire fighting. RAS from RFA Oakleaf. CH47 lifting loads. Troop drills. (Early February ?)
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(Tape 8) Royal Marines on board HMS Ocean off Kuwait. Sea King lift from HMS Ocean. LCAC hovercraft alongside HMS Ark Royal. Aerial shots of HMS Ocean and landing craft. Lynx, Chinook and Sea King helicopters. Movement of troops by Sea King and Landing Craft. "Action stations" in ops room on board HMS Ocean. (10 February)
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(Tape 9) Sea King sortie with 845 Squadron from HMS Ocean over the Kuwait desert. Sports (tug of war, volleyball) on flight deck. Visit of CDS, who gives a briefing on board Ocean. Padre "signing off". (21 February)
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(Tape 10) Activities at sea involving HMS Ocean. PHOTEX (Photographic Exercise): aerial shots showing three ships (HMS Ocean, a frigate and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel) involved in RAS (replenishment at sea). Helicopters (Chinooks, Sea Kings) also seen. Live firing of .50 heavy machine guns. Members of 867 Squadron receive their operational orders on board HMS Ocean. (12 March)
Physical description
Beta-SX (Sony)