Nazi Germany launches an airborne invasion of Crete, Greece during World War II. A map shows the advance of the German forces towards Crete. Airborne forces commanded by General Kurt Student advance forward. German pilots fly towards Crete. German Luftwaffe Junkers Ju 52 fly towards Crete. The aircraft drop bombs and attack. German paratroopers descend and land below. Machine gunners fire guns. Wrecked Allied aircraft. The German forces advance. German troops climb hills. German soldiers carry guns and attack Allied soldiers. Airplanes drop bombs on land. Soldiers fire artillery. Soldiers hide behind a rocky hill. Soldiers on foot march Allied prisoners (many of the POW appear to be British). The city after the invasion.
British troops on the battlefields and in the trenches of World War I. The Royal Family (King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret) in formal appearance on a balcony. Scenes of World War II. London ablaze in the Blitz air attack by Luftwaffe of Nazi Germany. Firefighters direct water hoses on burning buildings. Funerals for dead at Coventry who were killed in the blitz. Destroyed homes in London and destroyed industry throughout Britain from blitzkrieg. A British bus upended and leaning against a building destroyed by the blitz. Many graves in British Military Cemetery. British contributions to science and technology. An early revolving radar antenna. Early jet propulsion work yielding jet powered British V-Bomber aircraft in flight. A doctor administers penicillin shot to a child patient in a doctor's office. An atomic bomb test with mushroom cloud rising.
Period dramatization: British Royal Air Force (RAF) station groundcrew assist Vickers Wellington No. 149 Squadron RAF during taxiing and take off from RAF Mildenhall airfield during World War 2. A ground control crew member salutes to an officer, the air controller, entering the control room of a portable ground controlled approach radar equipment (GCA) room. Air controller stands on a wooden stool to look through a bubble window in the control room’s ceiling. Air controller tests his radio, saying, "ground control, are you receiving?" View of air direction indicator on air field. Engines running on Vickers Wellington bomber at sunset along with "OC" on fuselage. “You may taxi out and take off!” the air controller says after a pilot asks for clearance on the radio. A Vickers Wellington bomber taxiing. Evening view of lighted bubble window of air control trailer as air controller inside watches the Vickers Wellington bomber taking off. Vickers Wellington bomber flying over RAF Mildenhall airfield. “C for Charlie airborne sir! Nineteen hours thirty-five minutes!” a RAF officer says as he enters air control trailer. Air controller standing in control room dome relays information, saying, "C Charlie took off 19:35." Inside air control headquarters at RAF Mildenhall as RAF officer smokes a pipe while another RAF officer writes flight information on the blackboard. More Vickers Wellington bombers taxi and take off from the airfield one by one. Vickers Wellington OJ-F 'F for Freddie' kicking up dust as groundcrew watches. Vickers Wellington OJ-F 'F for Freddie' taking off as the last Vickers Wellington bombers in No. 149 Squadron departs for Germany at night. View of pilot in Vickers Wellington as he radios to crew, "OK chaps, here we go!" RAF officer writes down the last aircraft’s departure time as “19:51”.
Period dramatization: RAF Vickers Wellington OJ-F 'F for Freddie' flies back to the United Kingdom after successfully bombing its target in Germany during World War 2. View of bomber gunner through canopy while firing. German anti-aircraft artillery firing at night. Inside Vickers Wellington bomber as it is hit. Crew member falling to floor of aircraft. Bomber pilot in cockpit struggling to fly while radioing, "OK chaps, don't worry, everything's alright...anybody hurt?" Bomber pilot changing positions with copilot during flight. A RAF officer exits radio room at RAF Mildenhall and submits a message to fellow officer. RAF officers consult a map at RAF Mildenhall. Bomber commander tends to a radioman’s injured leg onboard while in flight. Bomber propeller spinning at night as pilot is in cockpit. View of Vickers Wellington oil gauge. Copilot notes to commander that "oil pressure is dropping." Vickers Wellington bomber begins descent. RAF officer smoking a pipe at RAF Mildenhall while observing a map. RAF officer radios, saying “control calling, how is the weather please?” View of PA speaker at control headquarters with voice heard over radio saying, "visibility is down to 500 yards." RAF officer, smoking a pipe, says “Hmm I was afraid of that."
A bald man sits at a table in a liquor bar. Glasses of beer on the table. Another man comes and sits with him. The bald man drinks. The second man calls the waiter and asks for a drink. Women seated on a table in the background. One of them smokes. The bald man takes out a handkerchief and wipes his tears. Points to a paper kept on the table. He talks animatedly to the second man. The conversation continues for a while. The waiter brings the second man a glass of beer. The men talk, gesture and laugh together. The bald man calls the waiter and asks him to refill the beer glass. The waiter gets a refill. The bald man begins to whisper something. The second man puts his palm over the bald man's mouth to prevent him from saying something.
World War II. Hitler Youth pull speed boats to the sea and jump in them. Propeller on long extender in the water. A youth operating the motor stands in the boat whereas others sit. German 'swastika' insignia on the arms of the youth. Boat reaches the beach. Youth jump out.