The merchant seamen who helped bring in vital supplies to a Britain under siege during World War Two performed one of the most daring and dangerous tasks of the war. The battle of the Atlantic was mercitess, and the Merchant Navy lost more men than any of the British armed forces. In 1944, the Crown Film Unit set out to document the bravery of the merchant seamen and expose the harsh dangers faced by making "Western Approaches". Generally regarded as one of the best British documentaries of the war, the film uses merchant seamen to re-enact their roles for the cameras and was shot in colour - unlike many film of the same era. The storyline was both realistic and dramatic. Trying to run the gauntlet of U.Boat Wold Packs on its way home from America to Britain, a merchant ship is torpedoes and sunk. The survivors take to a lifeboat and await resure - unaware that the U-Boat which sand them is still lurking in the area, just waiting for the rescue boat to turn up... Digitally Remastered. Directed by Pat Jackson Writing credits Pat Jackson Cast (in credits order) Eric Fullerton .... Convoy Commodore Captain Duncan MacKenzie .... Convoy Naval Captain (as Captain Duncan MacKenzie) Captain W. Kerr .... Convoy Naval Captain Eric Baskeyfield .... Chief Officer on Leander Bart Wadham .... Wireless Officer on Leander H.S. Hills .... Gunner on Leander (as Chief Petty Officer Hills) Pat Jackson .... Gun Crew Officer on Leander Captain P.J. Pyecraft .... Lifeboat Captain Chief Engineer Russell .... Lifeboat Chief Engineer Fred Armistead .... Lifeboat Steward Jim Redmond .... Sparks Also Known As: The Raider Runtime: 83 min Country: Netherlands / UK Language: English Color: Color (Technicolor) Sound Mix: Mono Certification: Finland:S / Sweden:15
