Sherman Medium M4 Tank Duplex Drive. The Sherman DD- A report to the Commanding General, European Theater of Operations. Sherman Duplex Drive (DD) in water. Four soldiers on Sherman. Sherman covered with canvas. Technician at Metropolitan Cammel Midlands factory works on the Sherman. Gauges on tank. Machines on tank. Canvas side wall goes up. Technician puts struts into place. The canvas expands. He pushes a lever and the canvas goes down. Barrel of artillery visible. He turns its barrel. (Note: filmed at Metropolitan Cammel Midlands factory, Birmingham, England who built and designed the DD equipment to be fitted to U.S. built Sherman tanks. As it is a prototype, the air controls are not in the same place as on production machines.) (World War II period).
Construction of a concrete Caisson at Portsmouth harbor in England. These wartime project "Phoenix" caissons, were to be used to form instant breakwaters for the invasion Harbors (code-named "Mulberry" harbors). Men work at the construction site with cranes in background. A man on the deck of a ship, with a pair of binoculars around his neck. (World War II period).
A wartime project "Phoenix" concrete caisson being towed in water off Portsmouth harbor in England. British military personnel aboard the caisson. The caisson is identified as "A 30" indicating it is destined to be part of an artificial harbor (code-named "Mulberry") at Omaha beach in the Normandy invasion of World War II. An antiaircraft gun is mounted on a platform at the top of the caisson. Royal engineers turn valves to allow water to enter interior chambers of the caisson, where the water level rises to 23 feet. British troops take up positions on the superstructure of the caisson.
U.S. Army troops preparing, three days before the invasion of Normandy, France during World War II. Several Army soldiers watch as several Coast Guardsmen explain operation of 20mm antiaircraft gun aboard a Landing Craft Infantry LCI(L), docked at a pier in England.
Queen Elizabeth II visits the British industries fair in Birmingham, England. Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and members of the Royal family, visit the fair. The President of the British Board of Trade welcomes Queen Elizabeth II. They are shown a miniature model of the Queen's coronation chair. The miniature coronation chair even has a removable Stone of Scone. Prince Richard (Richard Alexander Walter George), and Prince William (William Henry Andrew Frederick), the sons of Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, are seen viewing mechanical models of cars. Sir Miles Thomas, Chairman of British Overseas Airways greets the Royal guests and shows them an aircraft model of the Comet jet liner, the world's fastest passenger plane.
D-day minus 1 (June 5, 1944) during World War 2. U.S. soldiers eat a meal while seated on the deck of a Large Landing Craft Infantry LCI(L) number 88, docked in Weymouth, England. (This ship would be the first LCI(L) to carry troops to the Easy Red landing zone during the second wave of landings at Omaha beach, on D-Day. Among troops landing there would be the 16th Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, with support from 7th Field Artillery Battalion;1st Engineer Combat Battalion; 1st Medical Battalion; 741st Tank Battalion (DD); 62d Armored Field Artillery Battalion; and 20th Engineer Combat Battalion.) A Captain and a field grade officer sit next to each other on the ship's deck. One soldier looks through his binoculars at an English woman standing outside her back door, looking back at him through her binoculars. Wash is drying on her line. The soldier tries to call out to her, but stops, realizing it is futile. Several of his buddies are amused by the whole event. Scene shifts to U.S. Army Air Forces B-26 bombers flying in formation, and then to aerial views from an aircraft, of bombs exploding on the ground in a city below. Next, a formation of B-17 bombers is seen, escorted by P-47 fighters. Scene shifts back to Weymouth harbor again, where American troops attend a Roman Catholic mass on the pier, adminstered by a military chaplain, wearing traditional clerical garb. LCL(L)s number 89 and 93 are seen tied up in the background. Coast Guardsmen gather around one of their ship's officers who briefs them on the operation.
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