Atlantic Trawler

"Atlantic Trawler" is a 1944 black-and-white Ministry of Information film. An opening scrawl reminds the viewer that: "In peacetime fishermen’s lives are hard and dangerous. In wartime, all their best ships and many of their young men are in the Navy. Those who are left must face not only the ordinary dangers of the sea and storm, but enemy aircraft, floating mines, U-boats and the minefields that cover their old fishing grounds." The film continues with hots of a steam trawler at work and general views of trawler and deck (mark 01:00) before moving on to the crew discussing jammed machine gun (02:00). We see shots of women on a pier mending nets and gutting fish (03:00) as well as a trawler in heavy seas (03:35) with various shots of deck, wheelhouse, trawl and gear. Charts showing position of minefields follows starting at mark 05:30 with more general shots of crew, one using a sextant, interior of boiler and engine room, and in the galley at mealtime. We see the crews in their bunks (mark 10:15) and hots of wives collecting pay on shore (mark 10:45) — "the only day of the week the women remember you" quips one sailor. The film rolls on with street views mixed with scences of men repairing nets (mark 11:22) and more views of the sea and starting near mark 15:20 at ashore, shopping with their families, in the pub, playing cards, and strolling. The skipper visits office (mark 15:56) to settle the next trip and the areas which have to be visited while an official warns of minefields. At mark 19:07 the crew arrives onboard the vessel Flying Admiral (H66), and the skipper prepares to set sail. As the picture draws to a close we see the steam trawler "Hondo" and learn that it was the vessel "on which this film was made (and) went back to sea with a different crew. She was lost with all hands." Credits (.36); In peacetime fishermen's lives are hard and dangerous. In wartime, all their best ships and many of their young men are in the Navy. Those who are left must face not only the ordinary dangers of the sea and storm, but enemy aircraft, floating mines, U-boats and the minefields that cover their old fishing grounds. Shots of a steam trawler at work. General views of trawler and deck (1.28); Crew discuss jammed machine gun (2.51); Shots of women on pier mending nets and gutting fish (3.22); Trawler in heavy seas. Various shots of deck, wheelhouse, trawl and gear. Charts showing position of minefields (5.53); General shots of crew, one using a sextant, interior of boiler and engine room, in the galley at mealtime (7.52); Various shots of trawlers at the quay as catch is landed and packed into hold (10.06); Crew in bunks (10.32); Shots of wives collecting pay on shore. General views of street (10.59) On deck repairing trawl (11.46); General views of sea and crew at work (14.24); Shots of others, naval and fishing vessels (15.08); Various shots of the crew ashore, shopping with their families, in the pub, playing cards and strolling. General shots of streets, possibly in Grimsby (16.06); The skipper visits office to settle the next trip and the areas which have to be visited. Official warns of minefields (16.49); Crewmen and families. Various shots of streets, parks and shops, a billiard hall and card table (18.39); General views of shore (18.56); Shots of trawlers in harbour, crew arrive on board vessel, "Flying Admiral" H66, and the skipper prepares to set sail (20.27); The steam trawler "Hondo" on which this film was made went back to sea with a different crew. She was lost with all hands (20.40)

Credits

Produced by: John Taylor

Complete catalog record

Transcription

for [Music] 300 mil from her home Port one of our West Coast trollers is fishing they have been out 8 days now but the fishing so far has been very bad [Music] have a look at this dumb gun SC it's Jam somewhere there's somewh wrong with it I it all over I don't know what's wrong jum what's going to happen if Jerry rolls along throw call at him let's have a look at it good all the pan Grim long as he doesn't come while we're doing this well we're unlucky if he does that so hang on to that York I can see a bullet jammed in it all right well you best take it down to the Chief and uh ask him if he's got anything you can pull it out with I hope he's not going to try and pull it out with his teeth well you better keep them up here okay no sign of any Jes yet no we don't want to see any either although in this position last trip there was one ship machine guned anybody h no not seriously just machine gun the decks just R these decks with machine gun fire that's good enough then although you know gmy two or three years ago it was a 50/50 chance whether well as far as that goes whether he got home or not he was all machine g a bomb and you can go around to any fishing port and find Fisherman's widows even now [Music] back at se it is hauling time the weather has turned nasty and that means another poor [Music] hole leave away [Music] [Music] [Music] well if we don't do any better than this we'll be in the [Music] workhouse all right pull it aboard we'll Ste for an hour or two s one on up here bill let to go south Tom South and let me know when you're getting to the boy all mine feels mine feels nothing but blasted minefields that's where the fish have gone to now boys here we can't go north so it's left to come South well if we was allowed to use a wireless we be able to get in touch with the ship's fishing sou as we can't we just have to chance it and go Sou South in search of fish [Music] dinner out [Music] she's not getting along very well Charlie what are you doing with her she's only logging about eight well you ask her she ain't got the power in her we're doing no best down there worky Lake AR we love all all these old tubs is not much use charie compare this one and that ship the admiralty took off me enough to make you cry well in my birth here the water's teaming down right away from the top and down the side I all leave bunk wet even mine is so is mine drip drip on my head so I've changed ends and let it drip on my feet but there's an old tub worse than this if the war wasn't done the door be scra now for that first Hall down south [Music] [Applause] [Music] well that was a lot better Bill how much do you think there was there I'm not sure that time about 20 buckes mostly eh [Music] oh well that was a nice bug of fish that time Grim took a bit of Shifting now never mind we've got them there below now all the drink who is it again they're better than women Tom oh well come on gly let's have 5 minutes before we all hey what day is it today Friday all day good God it's payday the only day in the week women remember you [Music] [Music] oh la [Music] and so the work goes on when the fishing is good they keep at it day and night haing every 3 or 4 hours often trolling men work 20 hours out of the 24 for days on [Music] Endy up to come on grimy all right time well I know know where I'd soon to be now Grimmy where's that in the legion I've been a [Music] point hey hey [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] AI come on how many more times you want call it all right what's the matter with you never see a block to sleep like him what why he's all right what about this fell we're all about beat now come on Grimmie I'm all right oh we haven't fish so bad this last day or two Bill how much fish do you we have board about 650 boxes maybe 700 oh I think we'll have another roll and then push off home all [Applause] right give me a little Cozy Corner in an armchair for two somewhere there's no B we we do there stands a lovely RO with coconuts there stands a lovely row of balls there stands me wife the Eyes Love [Music] a take for you there skips okay thank go [Music] Bill quite a few ships head of a z SE yes they're here for the weekend the same as we are think well hope we get in this morning Bill I don't want to disappoint the Old Dutch because I was told I should be here today hello up goes the signal off we go [Music] thank you The Goode thank God for that good morning SK good morning sir when are you serving tomorrow morning you got your physic bit with you yes thank you and I you just show me on the top which where you going well we're going south this time down here we was fishing North last time and the fishing was very bad well there's nothing fresh down there but I want to draw your particular attention to that Minefield don't take any risks in going too near it I have a suspicion that on one or two of their previous trips a few Skippers have been getting dangerously close but I know I can rely on you not to do that yes you can good when I have you anything to report for your last trip no we never saw anything at all last trip no aircraft or anything but there's nothing else Skipper and all I can do now is wish you the very best of luck [Music] good I [Music] [Applause] la [Music] oh [Music] [Music] hell Bill hello hello shimmy hi you All Aboard Bill yes right I done by all go for look [Music] [Laughter] [Music] off I [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Sources

YouTube channel: PeriscopeFilm · video ↗ — title, year, format, description, catalog record, video
Wikidata · Q123288887 ↗ — country, credits

Original permalink · Record added 2025-01-23 16:36:40