Lonely Lightship's Christmas

A crew of not-so-lonely lightshipmen enjoy a festive knees-up - 40 miles out at sea - in this heart-warming newsreel.

This heart-warming newsreel item radiates joy and good cheer, as Christmas comes to the crew of the Lynn Well lightship, 40 miles out in the North Sea. A visiting chaplain brings aboard the festive fare: mistletoe and a giant goose - plucked with gusto for the camera. Next, the men hold a service on deck and enjoy a spot of dancing, but never forget to keep their lamp-lights shining.

The Lynn Well was possibly stationed at the entrance to the Lynn Channel in Norfolk, marking the one safe passage from the North Sea to the shallow and hazardous Wash. A lightshipman was typically relieved from his dangerous and demanding duties just once each month. Chaplains from local seaman's missions offered a lifeline, especially at Christmas, interrupting a long and potentially lonely vigil. This newsreel item contains a (possibly incomplete) bonus story, 'Rare Bull-Dog Breed' - a simple portrait shot of a 90-year-old worker-tuned-war hero, which tugs at the heart strings that little bit harder.