Operation Shingle invasion convoy during Operation Shingle in World War 2. Opening scene shows view from a U. S. Destroyer showing a transport ship with several Higgins boats in water nearby, and some small invasion boats in distance. View from the Destroyer, close to land, as a lancing craft (Higgins Boat) passes in rough water. Next, Sailors on the Destroyer position a battery of 5 torpedo tubes into firing position on her deck. View from underneath the torpedo tubes, with a line of landing craft seen in distance. Sailors man an anti-aircraft gun on deck. Officer looks through binoculars. Several officers look through binoculars. Two sailors discuss a knife held by one. Warships seen in distant background. Sailors maneuver twin Bofors 40m anti-aircraft auto cannons. Destroyer's guns firing.
Views from a U.S. Destroyer, one of the warships supporting Operation Shingle (invasion of Anzio, Italy) during World War 2. View from bridge as Destroyer fires her guns. Heavy black smoke rising from two Allied ships bombed by enemy aircraft. Another view of the Destroyer's guns firing. A bomb bursting in distance. A formation of enemy aircraft seen momentarily overhead. Dense black smoke rising from bombed ship nearby. Two burning convoy ships in distance.
At beginning, several German armed patrol boats (Vorpostenboot) are seen underway in a river or canal headed toward Atlantic waters. A light signal flashes from one. A sailor seated in front of two double 3.7 cm Flak 18 antiaircraft guns, speaks into a radio. Navy gun crew at battle station. They fire at several low-flying Allied war planes passing by. The Flak 18 guns fire at the passing aircraft. Tracer bullets are seen against cloudy background. German sailor looks through binoculars, from a gun position. barrels of two large guns are seen next to him. Camera shows flak clouds in the sky overhead and tracer bullets fired across the water at a lower level. Glimpse of swirling water. Sailor wearing flotation vest stands near depth charge launcher. Six patrol boats viewed underway behind the camera vessel. Paintings of Allied aircraft and boats, for quick identification, are seen on the side of a German Patrol boat. View of bow as patrol boat plunges through rough water. Side view of it from another boat. Waves inundating a patrol boat in stormy waters. A barrage balloon being launched and seen above. Two German twin engine Heinkel He 115 torpedo bombers take off from a bay. View of pilot in cockpit of one. View from cockpit window of right wing and engine on one, as it flies over a convoy of ships below. Crew member in nose canopy of a Heinkel 115. Views of the other He 115 off right wing of camera plane. Another glimpse of crew member in aircraft nose. Views from cockpit of a Heinkel 115 seaplane flying only several feet above the water and rushing past boats underway. Crew member in the airplane using a signal lamp to communicate with a German Patrol boat. An Officer on a patrol boat, observing the signals from the airplane, calls crew to battle stations. Various antiaircraft gun crews, on the boat, prepare and commence firing. More views inside a Heinkel seaplane. View of engine room in a Patrol boat as it is hit by an Allied bomb. Crew responds to the emergency wearing their life preservers. A mascot dog runs up stairs along with the crew members. Below, crew members work to stem floods of water entering the engine room as a result of the bomb strike. Brief view of bomb damage in the hull of the boat. Sailor on deck using a direction finder. More views of shipboard antiaircraft guns firing, at Allied aircraft all around the boat. An Allied airplane crashes into the water. Large pieces of floating wreckage is recovered and placed on the boat deck. Film ends showing formation of Patrol boats plunging through the water at high speed.
Methods and machines used by Germans and Italians in maritime sabotage operations. One method in sneak craft is the use of midget submarines. Footage shows transport and use of a German Molch midget submarine. Trucks on road carry it. The submarine is launched in water and recovered from it. Gas engine is added to a larger, faster version of submarines called the Biber. Biber submarines in view. A crew member seated in the submarine. Submarine underway during World War 2.
British monarchs visit naval ships during World War 1. King George V of Britain and Prince of Wales board U.S. Navy battleship USS New York (BB-34) in North Sea prior to the ship sailing to accept the surrender of the High Seas Fleet following the armistice. U.S. Navy sailors present honor guard on the deck of the ship. British monarchs, Navy commanders and admirals stand and talk to each other at the deck of ship. Left to right are British Admiral Sir David Beatty, U.S. Navy Admiral Hugh Rodman, King George V, U.S. Navy Admiral William S. Sims, and the Prince of Wales. The British monarchs greet a line of U.S. Navy officers.
Film opens showing recently launched British Navy de Havilland DH.112 Sea Venom aircraft in the air headed away from the Aircraft Carrier, USS Antietam (CVA-36). Another British Sea Venom aircraft takes off from the Antietam. Next, a slate is seen with date 23 June, 1953 and titled "Royal Navy Air Ops." The tail of a British Naval aircraft is seen with "Royal Navy WF 172" stenciled upon it. In the next scene, a Hawker Seahawk (early vesion with extended straight wings) is catapulted from the deck. A British Pilot is seen in a single seat Supermarine Attacker F1 aircraft on deck. A straight wing version of a Hawker Hunter GA11 aircraft is catapulted from the deck. View of a A U.S. Navy Piasecki HUP-1 helicopter from the USS Antietam.