This 1940s black and white educational film provides the history of the RMS Queen Elizabeth and RMS Queen Mary ocean liners operated by Cunard Line, which provided weekly service between Southhampton, UK and New York City. It is presented by John H. Rutherford, a Priority Production and narrated by Peter Watson. The Queen Elizabeth moves through the water. Her officers are shown on deck and navigating. Her crew cleans the deck. Valets stand at attention. Passengers play. A couple strolls on deck (:45-2:09). The Queen Mary is loaded with cargo after being refitted for passenger service following the war and relaunched (2:12-4:00). 1931, construction is made on Hull #534 at Clydebank, which would become the Queen Mary. The depression halted construction, which was restarted in 1934. Footage is shown of workers on various parts of the ship. September 26, 1934, King George V watches as Queen Mary launches her namesake ocean liner. Various still of the ship are shown (4:01-10:28). Her inside dining and lounge areas are shown (10:29-11:00). Passengers look down at the waving people on the dock for her May 27, 1936 maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Various shots are shown of the passengers, including the elderly and babies (11:01-13:00). May 12, 1937. Scenes are shown as King George VI and Queen Elizabeth arrive by carriage and are coronated (13:01-13:56). Construction begins on Hull 552, which would become the Queen Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth arrives to christen the ship on September 27, 1938. War arrives and soldiers are mustered. March, 1940, the now painted drab gray ship begins a secret escape to New York to escape the Nazis. She sails past the Statue of Liberty and to the Queen Mary, already there (13:57-19:30). She then was moved to Australia for refitting for troops, shown boarding. Scenes of Churchill and Dunkirk are shown. The sister ships continued to transport troops, shown disembarking and onboard. Tanks roll across the African sand. Cannons are fired. An Australian soldier dances a jig (19:31-28:52). Troops scramble to their battleships at the warning alarm as they perform a drill. The men lie in tiered cots attached to the walls. They read, sew, play instruments, play cards, and write letters. They disembark and get a donut (28:55-31:35). June 6, 1944, scenes of the beach at Normandy are shown (31:36-23:26). The Victoria Memorial is shown, where crowds celebrate in victory. Winston Churchill passes, sitting in an open convertible and smoking a cigar (23:27-33:12). Troops are transported home on the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth. During the voyage, the men hold boxing matches. The ship’s deck is crowded with soldiers as it passes the Statue of Liberty. A dirigible floats above (33:13-35:07). The Queen Elizabeth is shown from multiple angles as she has been restored to her original appearance. Cargo is loaded via a crane. A boxer dog sits on deck, wearing a tag. Passengers and luggage board through the Southern Railway entrance. The tugs pull the ship out. A chef looks out a porthole (35:08-37:42).

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com