Video: Combined Ops Beach Landing Exercise

Reinforcements Arrive and Beach Landing Exercise

Lord L. Mountbatten (right) watches landing exercise at the combined operations

centre - Dundonald Camp, Irvine. The men use a dummy landing craft, and shallow pit

 filled with water to simulate a true amphibious landing. Photo - Histomil Historica

Introduction: One can find a wealth of excellent quality documentaries (approx. 10 min. length, free for the viewing) at Histomil Historica (along with very good quality photographs, as above) that were produced as Canadian Army Newsreels by the Canadian Army Film Unit at Merton Park Studios (South Wimbledon, London).

Though the film unit's chief subject is the Canadian Army, other branches of the Canadian Armed Forces are seen participating in various aspects of World War II. I will provide links to just a few of the films produced at Merton Park, ones which draw some attention to Canadians in Combined Operations and their work on landing crafts of various kinds in different parts of the war theatre.

At the end of this film one sees the Black Watch combined operations beach landing exercise. Please note, the photograph above relates to earlier forms of landing craft training at Irvine, Scotland.

Quote from the film: The Black Watch of Canada held a Combined Operations exercise to rehearse the part they might be called upon to play in the assault (D-Day Normandy), an assault that will dwarf every Allied military effort of the war. Once the landing craft hit the beach the real success depends on the Army.... Combined Operations encourages the spirit of co-operation in all fighting men united by the danger of their calling.

Link to Canadian Army Newsreel No. 22 - Reinforcements Arrive and Beach Landing Exercise

Synopsis, in part:

Arabian Princes Visit Canadian Corps - Amir Faisal and Amir Khalid, sons of King Ibn Saud of Arabia pay a visit to the Canadian Corps with Lieutenant General E.W. Sansom; they look at tanks up close and see an armoured division demonstration.

Power for Victory - Canadian Forestry Corps in the Scottish Highlands exploit the hydroelectric power source to work tools at the lumber yard and run other equipment.

Reinforcements Arrive – A British Port - Soldiers arrive at an unnamed port in England, crammed on the deck of the ship; The Canadian Women’s Army Corps on gangway; soldiers march off the ship; equipment is unloaded by cranes onto the dock; soldiers board trains and leave.

United to Conquer - A Black Watch combined operations beach landing exercise; land, climb up rocks, climb on ropes and slide down.

More films by the Canadian Army Film Unit can be viewed at Histomil Historica.

As well, please link to Video: Exercise Pirate - Rehearsal for Invasion