British Pacific and East Indies Fleets Phase 3

From the excellent VHS tapes as compiled by Roland R Smith
Continuing with this mammoth video picture record of the East Indies and British Pacific Fleets featuring, in as near chronicle date order possible, all the known surviving archive film will allow, this 3rd Phase episode commences with Adm. Brind, commanding the Fourth Cruiser Squadron, flying his flag in HMS SWIFTSURE, coming alongside the battleship KING GEORGE V mid-way through the 2nd Sakishima operation for a conference with his CinC Adm. Rawlings, no doubt to discuss the recent Japanese kamikaze attacks on the fleet. On conclusion of this operation the KGV leaves the task force and, escorted by the destroyers TROUBRIDGE, TENACIOUS & TERMAGANT, sails to the island of Guam for a courtesy visit and meeting between Adm. Rawlings and the American CinC Pacific Adm. Chester Nimitz. The crew of the KGV is immaculately turned out for the inspection by the American admiral and are then seen enjoying a very brief shore leave on the island. This is followed by some unique footage filmed on the flight deck of the carrier INDEFATIGABLE also during the 2nd Sakishima operation when at rest in the Cootie replenishment area, taking on board light stores and mail, hockey recreation on the armoured flight deck and eventual return to the operational area where she ranges and flys-off her various aircraft. In the East Indies new flag ship NELSON is seen at sea with the cruiser SUSSEX and the two American escort carriers AMEER & EMPRESS during operation `Livery' followed by some good view s of the Australian manned destroyer NORMAN. The latest Fleet Carrier IMPLACABLE reinforces the BPF and, by means of an airborne camera, we witness an attack on the Japanese home islands. And this is only a partial account of what is to be found in this further sixty minutes episode recording some of our naval history of WWII
Certainly in order to compile the material for this latest programme I had to search far and wide for this additional footage to compliment the period covered herein, and one can only wonder what film might be still out there which has not yet found its way into the archive of the Imperial War Museum, for there still exists some unexplained gaps in our naval film collection, but some fifty years on it is now almost impossible to find any satisfying answers to this perplexing anomaly. Aside
from that matter I am suffering a guilt complex in that I have yet to start work on a programme featuring the long turbulent struggle of the Royal Navy in the Mediterranean during WWII. This has occurred due to my getting involved with the EIF/BPF story, for when I commenced work on this subject matter I had no idea it would take up so much of my time, and indeed stretch into what I now know will be a final 4th Phase episode on this subject. Trouble is 'time' has now become our worst enemy, for already many of our shipmates have now sadly decommissioned for the very last time. But as long as I am able I will continue to `work ship' and endeavour to see this naval video voyage through to its conclusion. Roland R. Smith