I. Families Day, Portsmouth, 1 May, 1959. HA as guests arrive by launch and onboard the dockyard tug Grinder. The spectators crowd the island as the Sea Hawk FGA.6s of 801 Squadron make a mass start. Visitors watch a dive-bombing demonstration. Sea Venom FAW.21s of 891 Squadron start up. A Sea Hawk lands on. Visitors watch a shoot by the portside 40mm AA.

II. Filming of Swordfish sequences for "Sink the Bismarck" while in transit to Lossiemouth. Two Swordfish take part, painted with the codes 5A and 5B to represent aircraft of 818 Squadron from HMS Ark Royal. A Swordfish makes a low pass and then lands on - the film-maker's cine camera is located behind the batsman. General flightdeck shots. The torpedo-armed 5B takes off into a dramatically cloudy sky - at the end of the shot an incongruous SAR helicopter appears in frame. 5A takes off, performs a 'bolter' or touch and go, and lands on.

III. HMS Centaur in Copenhagen is visited by the King and Queen of Denmark. Royal Barge crosses the harbour to run alongside the cruiser HMS Gambia. King Frederik IX and Queen Ingrid board Gambia and are greeted by Rear-Admiral R H Wright, Flag Officer Flotillas, Home Fleet.

IV. Representatives from HMS Centaur and the First Destroyer Squadron lay wreaths at the 1914-1918 War Memorial in Lisbon on 31 May. LS of the memorial as band of the RAF Regiment marches past followed by men of the Household Brigade, Royal Marine and Royal Naval detachments. Captain Law arrives to lay wreath at the monument. Royal Marine trumpeters sound the salute and Guards and RM detachments present arms. The units march past Captain Law and General Gonzaga Da Silva Dominguez, Military Governor of Lisbon. Captain Law and the General shake hands.

V. Aden. HA to two camels of the Aden Protectorate Levees on deck of Centaur - they have blankets put on their backs and two crewmen then mount. The camels pad off down the deck. The two now recumbent beasts are inspected by Admiral Flaherty and Captain Semmes of the US Navy. The camels are put through their paces, before Captain Law and Commander Pope try a short ride about the deck.

HMS Centaur in Denmark, Portugal, Aden and other places.

Notes

Summary: Fairey Swordfish LS 326 (5A) is a Swordfish II, currently preserved at RNAS Yeovilton as part of the Fleet Air Arm Historic Flight. The second aircraft (LS 428, 5B) was NF 389, which is now preserved as a static display at RNAS Lee-on-Solent. See also ADM 2058