I. German forces withdraw from Sicily to Italy. Animated map of Italy and Sicily. After reportedly inflicting heavy enemy losses over previous six weeks, German forces now embark in Sicily for mainland; motorbikes and combinations board ferry as part of transfer of all war matriel. Flak, providing protective umbrella from both sides of Straits of Messina, opens up against enemy planes overhead, as bombs fall in water near ferries. Burning mass (barrage balloon ?) slowly descends in flames. 8.8cm Flak battery fires. German landing craft arrive at Italian mainland and unloads transport onto beach. Tail of shot-down Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress (J23305E). General Hube, one of last to leave after leading brave resistance against numerically stronger enemy, stands smiling in olive grove and shakes hands with his officers.

II. German and Italian torpedo bombers attack British convoy. Geschwaderkommodore Major Klumper gives outdoor briefing to his torpedo bomber aircrews. Men don life jackets and Alsatian and boxer mascots climb aboard plane (close-up view conceals identity, presumably Heinkel He 111). Convoy fires anti-aircraft guns and Italian plane, elsewhere, fires torpedo (shot repeated), contributing to reported total of 170,000 tons of shipping sunk with this weapon.

III. Second voyage of German auxiliary cruiser Thor. Thor sails through heavy seas; casually dressed German sailors on deck prepare bait for whale-fishing; others repaint lifeboats in order to confuse enemy. Change of watch. Arado Ar 196 flies over ship and lands alongside after reconnaissance flight; pilot reports to bearded Kapitn zur See Gumprich. Sighting of ship on horizon prompts Gumprich to light his customary "battle cigar"; after noise of brief exchange enemy puts out six lifeboats, from which Indian crew clamber up netting to come on board Thor. Ship is reportedly taken as prize. After sailing through heavy seas, Thor intercepts small tanker and sends boarding party across in tender. Views on board captured vessel show No smoking sign in English and bow gun. (Abrupt stop. "The next steamer is recalcitrant and is accordingly ---")

Notes

Technical: print lacks first seven items in Bundesarchiv catalogue and ends abruptly