Have We Got OLD News For You! BRITISH PATHE NEWSREEL

British Pathe, the world’s leading multimedia resource with a history stretching back over a century. It documented almost every aspect of life – the remarkable and the run-of-the mill, the extraordinary and the everyday. Covering everything from major world events and exotic foreign travelogues to the pageantry of state occasions and gritty social issues, the company amassed a unique documentary record of 20th-century life.

We encourage you to visit the British Pathe website to explore their extensive archive of film and stills.

For your home enjoyment during Heritage Open Days 2020, we highlight below some of their newsreel relating to Gosport.

CLICK THE IMAGES to view the videos

Gosport (1950) (02:46)

New submarine ‘snorting’ device being demonstrated at Gosport.

Escape Tower (1962) (01:42)

A submarine moves through Gosport Naval Dockyard. Panning shot to the only Escape Tower in Europe – a means of training submariners to escape from stricken craft.

Foudroyant (1951) (01:07)

Girl sea rangers train on tall ship “Foudroyant” at Gosport.

Motor Boat Patrol (1953) (02:54)

A motor patrol boat with a new lightweight diesel engine is tried out at Gosport.

Beating Retreat (1955) (01:05)

Marching in costume of an earlier era are trainee marines at H.M.S. Vincent at Gosport.

Seasickness Taught: One Easy Lesson (1958) (02:08)

Naval scientists test out pills to stop seasickness with wave making machine in Gosport

Model Yacht Racing (1960) (02:00)

Model yachts compete for an International Championship.

Submarine Escape School (1950) (01:20)

Submarine Escape School – H.M.S. “Dolphin” Gosport, Hampshire.

Deep Diving Trials Unit (1965) (01:18)

Royal Naval Physiological Laboratory, Gosport, Hampshire. L/S new building housing the ultra-deep sea diving tank

Deep Sea Trials (1968) (01:17)

US navy divers practise in royal navy’s deep sea diving simulator. Gosport, Hampshire.

New Sub Escape Techniques (1954) (02:08)

The new “free ascent” method of submarine escape is demonstrated in Gosport. H.M.S. submarine “Alaric” alongside dock

Deep Dive Simulator 1966 (02:40)

Frogmen at the Royal Naval Physiological Laboratory are tested in a deep dive simulator.

Queen Visits Portsmouth (1959) (02:07)

Gosport views from 1:16.

Princess Margaret Visits Portsmouth (1950) (05:58)

Princess Margaret visits Portsmouth and the training ship “Foudroyant”, Hampshire. L/S HMS Victory.

Viking Invasion (1962) (08:13)

Footage of new Norwegian motor torpedo boat off coast of Gosport, Hampshire.

Escape Suits Will Avert ‘truculent’ Tragedies (1950) (08:13)

New escape suits for submarine ratings. Submarine ‘Acheron’ lying alongside dock in Gosport.

Navy Tests Gas Turbine (1955) (01:37)

Gosport. New Rolls Royce RM 60 engine is fitted to H.M.S. Grey Goose to be tested at sea….

The Old 33rds (1925) (02:14)

The Old 33rds. Presentation of New Colours to 1st Battalion Duke of Wellington’s Regiment. Gosport, Hampshire.

Boy Soldiers (1953) (00:56)

Boys of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Training School put on a toy soldier tattoo

Tournament Toy Soldiers (1952) (01:46)

Boys of the Royal Army Ordnance School, dressed as toy soldiers – they are practising for the Royal Tournament.

Good Luck Sir Thomas (1930) (00:57)

Sir Thomas Lipton’s yacht “Shamrock V” has its first outing in Gosport, Hampshire.

Navy Tests New M.T.B’s (1951) (00:56)

British Navy test out new Motor Torpedo Boats. Gosport, Hampshire.

America’s Cup Challenger (1934) (07.54)

America Cup Challenger, yacht “Endeavour” is launched in Gosport.

Lee-On-Solent Naval Display (1962) (01:29)

Aviation veterans watch display by Royal Navy aeroplanes at Lee-on-Solent.

Flying Display A Rn Air Station (1950) (03:47)

Air-sea rescue and fire fighting demonstration by RN Fleet Air Arm at Lee-on-Solent

Naval Air Display (1950) (00:41)

Crowds gather to watch naval aircraft display in Lee-on-Solent

Naval Aircraft Display In Britain (1947) (00:26)

Naval display of aircraft and helicopters old and new during Lee-on-Solent military airshow

Goodbye Endeavour (1947) (01:22)

Former America’s Cup yachts, the Endeavour and The Endeavour II, are auctioned.

Atlantic Crossed Under Water (1953) (00:57)

Submarine “Andrew” returns to Gosport, Hampshire, after recording the worlds first Atlantic crossing underwater.

‘copter Rescue By Scoop-Net (1955) (01:18 )

New rescue device demonstrated at Gosport. Rescue net being fixed to helicopter by the inventor Lieutenant Commander Spraule,

The Fleet’s Out (1964) (01:17)

The Fleet’s Out. Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Helicopters For Malaya (1952) (01:23)

Royal Naval Station, Gosport, Hampshire. The helicopters are from 848 Squadron and are being sent to help the fight against rebels in Malaya.

Helicopter Rescue (1951) (01:33)

Helicopter rescue at Gosport, Hampshire. Various shots men of 705 Squadron of Royal Navy Safety Equipment and Survival Training School getting on board a Westland Sikorsky helicopter.

Suit To Save Life (1966) (01:08)

“Gosport. Suit To Save Life”.
Gosport Depot ‘HMS Dolphin’, Hampshire. A new submarine escape suit is demonstrated.

“Men Like These …!” (1931) (04:11)

Admirals, Officers & men see Elstree’s epic admiration of the ‘Heroes of the Hidden Fleet’. Rear Admiral Dunbar-Nasmith and Admiral Evans arrive at cinema with their wives. Groups of sailors arrive in uniform – they are men from the submarine depot at Gosport. They make their way through the foyer of the cinema.

English Mourners Turn Out For Admiral Of The Fleet Jellicoe’s Funeral Procession… (1935) (02:39)

The state funeral procession for Admiral of the Fleet John Jellicoe moves slowly down the misty grey streets of London, through Trafalgar Square to St. Paul’s Cathedral, accompanied by a sombre funeral march

Duke At HMS Dolphin (1961) (01:24)

Duke opens new manoeuvring tank and watches submarine escape exercise on HMS Dolphin.

Saucer And Science – Barrow-In-Furness (1959) (03:40)

Saucer and Science Hit Headlines. Various shots submarines docking at Gosport, Hampshire.

Heroes Of The Poseidon (1931) (01:53)

Gosport. Heroes of The Poseidon. Leading Seamen Nagle & Holt decorated with British Empire Medal by the Commander in Chief. Sailors and submariners lined up in ranks at Naval base.

Bring Back That Cup – Shamrock V Aka Bring That Cup Back – Shamrock V (1930) (01:07)

“Bring that Cup back, Shamrock V for our veteran sportsman owner, who so richly deserves it!” Lady Shaftesbury names and launches Sir Thomas Lipton’s fifth Challenger for the America Cup. Gosport, Hampshire.

To Win America’s Cup For Us At Last? (1933) (01:30)

Launch of yacht designed to win the America’s Cup for Britain – the Valsheda. Gosport, Hampshire

Selected Originals – Helicopters For Malaya (1952) (01:57)

Royal Naval Airport, Gosport, Hampshire.
Various shots of 848 squadron helicopters in flight and shots of ground from helicopter.

Home Is The Sailor… (1957) (02:10)

Submarine HMS ‘Thorough’ entering Gosport after eight years of service.

The Royal Marines (1932) (02:32)

The Royal Marines. Troop their new Regimental Colour before Admiral of the Fleet, Sir Roger Keyes, Honorary Colonel Commandant of the Division.” Portsmouth, Hampshire.

Commander Crabb Mystery (1956) (04:43)

Exclusive shots of Commander Crabb, the frogman whose activities near the Soviet cruiser Ordzhonikidze, while she was at Portsmouth, have created a mystery and started a storm.

Atlantic Crossed Underwater (1954) (03:58)

Submarine Tally-ho crosses the Atlantic underwater using its ‘snort’ apparatus. Tally-ho cruising past Port Blockhouse, Gosport

Navy Christmas Party For War Orphans (1949) (01:46)

Unissued / Unused material. Navy gives Christmas party for war orphans. Gosport, Hampshire.

Return Of Ship King George V To Portsmouth (1940-1949) (01:09)

Various shots of crowds waving flags as the battleship King George V draws alongside quay in Portsmouth. Various shots of the ship’s Captain speak into mike on quayside – no sound.

New Lifeboat (1968) (00:32)

Lifeboat ‘Charles Henry’ undergoes self-righting trials. Portsmouth, M/S of the lifeboat at the dockside at Portsmouth.

The Complete Invader (1966) (02:55)

Air view of HMS Fearless, the first assault landing ship, at sea near the Solent harbour.

Churchill At Portsmouth (1941) (04:34)

Unedited material from 1941. Winston Churchill inspecting new warships at shipbuilding yard. Churchill visiting Admiral Nelson’s ship, the Victory. Churchill inspecting Civil Defence workers and nurses in tin hats. He is smoking a cigar and wearing nautical-style hat

Meet HMS Dreadnought (1963) (04:19)

Portsmouth, Hampshire & Brixham, Devon. GV. First Britain’s atomic submarine HMS Dreadnought alongside Portsmouth Harbour.

Headlines From The Pathe Newsdesk (1945) (02:15) Includes:

THE RADIO PROXIMITY FUSE BOMB Location unknown. Mute negative for the first 35 seconds

PARADE OF CHILDREN’S FASHIONS – COMMENTS BY PETULA CLARK
KING GEORGE V GRAVING DOCK Southampton, Hampshire. Good shot of the ship Queen Elizabeth with smoking funnels.
AIR SPEED RECORD Herne Bay, Kent.

‘formidable’ Comes Home (1946) (00:53)

Item title reads – ‘Formidable’ comes home. Portsmouth, Hampshire. Various shots as aircraft carrier ‘Formidable’ sails into Portsmouth Harbour. Various shots of crowds on the quayside waving.

HM Australian Submarine (1928) (01:02)

H.M. Australian Submarines – “Oxley” and “Otaway”… leave on their 12,000 miles journey to Sydney from Portsmouth. Good views of Gosport.

Funeral Of Member Of Crew Of H.29 Submarine (1926) (01:10)

Funeral of Chief Engine-room Artificer Bob Dalton. Submarine sank on 9th August 1926 Southsea, Hampshire.

Training Gunners (1950) (02:10)

Marine gunners being trained on the shore establishment of HMS Excellent, Portsmouth.

Look Out Nelson (1959) (00:43)

Guns from Admiral Nelson’s ship “Victory” are tested.

Self-Propelled Pontoon (1969) (00:56)

The self-propelled pontoon ferry coming into shore at Havant.

Operation Puts Pipeline Under Channel (1945) (04:36)

Operation Puts Pipeline Under Channel Various shots of huge reel of pipe in sea.

Southampton – First POW Ship Home (1953) (02:40)

Southampton, Hampshire. “Asturias” brings home 500 ex-POW’s from Korea. Several interviews with the troops reveal the true story of the rumours that many Britons have turned communist in captivity.

Naval Explosion – Sabotage? (1950) (01:07)

BEDENHAM Gosport. Royal Navy warships in Portsmouth Harbour including an Aircraft carrier. The pier was wrecked by an explosion while ammunition was being loaded. Sailors are searching through remains and it is decided that the explosion was caused by Sabotage.

The Great Endeavour (1934) (00:37)

Full title reads: “THE GREAT “ENDEAVOUR” – Mr T. O. M. Sopwith’s challenger for America’s Cup leaves Portsmouth for USA – and victory.” Portsmouth, Hampshire. Several shots of England’s boat “Endeavour” with its crew leaving Portsmouth harbour to sail to America to win America’s Cup.

Endeavour I Home Again (1937) (04:57)

Endeavour I is towed to Gosport after an ordeal at sea.

HMS Dreadnought Trials – Portsmouth (1963) (05:04)

Portsmouth. Commander Samborne Captain of H M S Dreadnought standing on the submarine. Bow of Dreadnought ploughing through the sea. Below decks of general activity, plotting room and periscope etc. Crew eating in mess and getting rum ration.

The Portuguese Training Ship Portsmouth (1954) (01:01)

Portsmouth Harbour. The Portuguese naval training ship ‘Sagres’ a square-rigged warship. The “Sagres” at moorings. Crew in training on the yards, climbing up & down the rigging. The Lecture Room below. Engine room crew writing home. The wine issue. Mess Deck. Officers on deck. The Captain (in Mufti) Luciano Sena Pentinho leaving Steering wheel and Motto Crew dressed for shore, leaving ship.

Out Takes / Cuts From Cp 300 – Animal Hospital, Model Yacht Racing And Venetian Fete (1960) (02:36)