US National Archive Footage

Comprised in six movies below, is actual footage of the US Military exercises that took place off of the Devon coast between January and March of 1944. The movies form part of The US National Archives and Records. There is no sound.

To scroll through the available movies, click and drag, up or down, the playlist to the right of the main viewer. To select a movie, click on it in the playlist, then press the “play” button in the main viewer or in the control bar below.

Mouse out of the viewer area to hide the control bar

[html5video id=2 autoplay=false preload=true autoload=true scrollmode=true]

Copyright ©2016 The US National Archives and Records.

MOVIE 1: US ARMY & NAVY LANDING MANOEUVERS, SLAPTON SANDS, ENGLAND: 8th January, 1944

ARC Identifier 76270 / Local Identifier 428-NPC-1929

Description: 1) LS LCs manoeuver. MS Men on deck, LCT 207. 2) LS MS LCT, LST manoeuvering, anchored etc.-SV. 3) LS LCMs & LCVPs manoeuver, LSTs, LCIs etc.-SV. 4) MS Talker on bridge. SHS Engineers debark LCT 207. 5) MS Bulldozer debarks, pulls beach matting-SV. 6) MS Explosion of Bangalore torpedo, troops debark LCI-SV. 7) LS MS LCTs beach, drop ramps, etc.-SV. 8) LS Engineers lay track matting. MS Navy radiomen on beach. 9) GV Engineers, bulldozers, LCT, LCIs, LSTs, troops & trucks debark etc.-SV. 10) SHS Freighters off shore. COMM A.A. 11) SHS MS Men, pup tents, Navy radio crew, blinker, lookeut etc.-SV.

MOVIE 2: US DUCKS & TRUCKS; SLAPTON SANDS DWELLINGS EVACUATED ROYAL MARINES & SAILORS TRAIN US ARMY AT DARTMOUTH: 10th January, 1944

ARC Identifier 76272 / Local Identifier 428-NPC-1933

Description: 1) LS MS US Army ducks pass thru village-SV. (Slapton Sand) 2) MS SCU Army trucks pass camera. 3) MS SCU Men load furniture truck in evacuation-SV. 4) GV Slapton Sands beach–hazy. LS Old Abbey Tower. 5) MS US soldiers read bulletin board, unload bunks into house-SV. 6) MS SCU Woman watches furniture loaded, leaves home reluctantly-SV. 7) MS LCM approaches, US soldiers & Royal Marines observe (Dartmouth Harbor). 8) MS US truck backs into British LCM, British Marines & signalman FG. 9) MS SCU Royal Marines & sailors pull on LCM mooring line. 10) HS Royal Marines, US officers etc. watch LCM mooring on ramp.

MOVIE 3: JOINT ARMY & NAVY AMPHIBIOUS MANOEUVERS, SLAPTON SANDS DEVON, ENGLAND: 14th February, 1944

ARC Identifier 76059 / Local Identifier 428-NPC-1544

Description: 1) LS Wave of LCMs. LS flame thrower on hillside. 2) GV LCMs, & LCTs underway, cliffs, shore BG. 3) LS LCT, LCIs hit beach, troops debark-SV. 4) LS Wave of ducks approach. MS SCU Duck loaded with troops passes-SV.

MOVIE 4: JOINT ARMY & NAVY AMPHIBIOUS MANOEUVERS, SLAPTON SANDS, DEVON, ENGLAND: 14th February, 1944

ARC Identifier 76060 / Local Identifier 428-NPC-1545

Description: 1) LS MS Wave LCMs hit beach, ducks & LCMs BG-SV. 2) GV Cub plane passes over men on beach, tanks on beach LCMs BG. 3) GV 2 LCIs, shore BG. LS-Pan LCI, LCMs & ducks underway. 4) MS LCI passes, duck & LCI BG. LS Wave of LCPs. 5) MS LCT with tank, tank fires, shore BG. 6) LS Phosphorus smoke shells burst on beach. 7) LS Beach, man on tank with binocs.-SV. 8) GV Water-proofed tank leaves beached LCT over barbed wire. 9) LS 3 water-proofed tanks leave beach in surf, (dirty & scratched).

MOVIE 5: JOINT ARMY & NAVY AMPHIBIOUS MANOEUVERS, SLAPTON SANDS, DEVON, ENGLAND: 14th February, 1944

ARC Identifier 76061 / Local Identifier 428-NPC-1546

Description: 1) LS Smoke on beach, dirty. MS Men on tank aboard LST. 2) MS Med. tank aboard LCT, smoke columns on shore BG. 3) LS Tank, aboard LCT fires 75MM. 4) LS Rocket ship fires, rail FG. 5) MS LCT backs up to LST, bow, jeeps & trucks transfer forward. 6) GV Jeeps & trucks in LCT. 7) GV Truck & jeeps exit LCT on beach-SV.

MOVIE 6: TRAINING AMPHIBIOUS MANOEUVERS, SLAPTON SANDS, ENG: 17th March, 1944

ARC Identifier 76109 / Local Identifier 428-NPC-1631

Description: 1) AVH-Pan LCTs & LSTs underway & on beach, trucks, LVTs & markers on beach-SV. 2) AVO-Pan LCIs, LCs off shore & on beach-SV. 3) AVO-Pan AKs, LSTs, LCTs, LCIs off shore. 4) AVO LCs circle in rendezvous area, APs BG. 5) AVO-Pan Wave of LCs underway, LCs on beach. 6) AVO Camouflaged British cruiser underway. 7) AVL LCs silhouetted in sunset. 8) AVH-Pan LCPs underway, British cruiser.