A Seaman's Story

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A Seaman's Story

This short film from 1942 was made by the Realistic Film Unit. It offers an intriguing insight into early documentary techniques as well as serving as a thematic cousin to the docu-drama 'Western Approaches'. The set up is simple: a seaman relates his wartime experiences on camera and they are illustrated (budget allowing) to a remote degree by the filmmakers. Not that this hinders enjoyment as the matter of fact manner in which the young man recounts his tales is utterly mesmerising. Indeed, such is the overall effect that one wishes the Imperial War Museum would issue an entire disc devoted to the Realistic Film Unit’s output.

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The courage and service of the British merchant seaman, typified by the story of a Newfoundlander who had been torpedoed four times, related in an interview in his room as he packs for a new trip.

After an opening convoy sequence, the film concentrates on the seaman (who is never named) and his interviewer, with occasional illustrative use of stills and stock shots, and interruptions by a commentator. Torpedoed first in the Spanish Civil War, second time in 1940 on the tanker 'Imperial Transport' which broke in two, the crew successfully bringing the stern section 300 miles back to England; after 2 years on coastal ships the seaman joined a liner in time to be torpedoed the third time on the way back from South America and to suffer 20 days in an open lifeboat before being picked up by a Portuguese ship. The fourth torpedo sunk the ship in which survivors of the third were being transferred to Gibraltar. Film ends with an encouraging epilogue from the commentator "the other side of the story is one of victory."

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Review information.

This is a simple short film in which a merchant seaman tells about his experiences of being torpedoed during World War II. In all he was torpedoed four times. On one occasion the crew succeeded in saving half their ship (the bow had been blown off) and returning to port. On another occasion he spent three weeks in a lifeboat in the Atlantic until it was picked up by the Portuguese navy (when many aboard had already died) and the occupants were taken to Lisbon. The British authorities then decided to send the survivors to Gibraltar, and *that* ship was torpedoed, too.

If I had been that seaman I would have been looking for a different line of work, but at the end of the film he is getting ready to ship out again.

What makes the film compelling is the simple straightforward narrative of the subject. He never embroiders his story, never exaggerates, or strives for effect. He speaks straightforwardly in what could even be called a dull voice, but the events are so extraordinary you cannot stop listening. A remarkable little testament of one man's experience of war.

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