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We see Tom Blower in training at Dover being greased by his trainer and entering the water. We then see shots of Tom at sea (looking back towards the shore) and Tom taking on food and drink from his support boat.
The remainder of the film covers the actual record attempt on 4th August 1937. An intertitle informs us that the attempt commenced at Cap Grinez (Cap Gris Nez) at 5.1am and we see a tug boat (the Lady Brassey) carrying the officials and accompanying swimmers. We then see Tom taking on food mid-channel from his support boat. A further intertitle explains that "Capt. Pearson the pilot [the central figure in the rowing boat] rowed nearly 40 miles at the age of 72."
We then see the accompanying swimmers and officials on board the tug watching Tom eating his makeshift meal.
The next sequence shows the final stages of Tom's attempt, accompanied by his support boat. He swims the final mile with Edward Harry Temme, the previous record holder. An intertitle confirms that Tom has set a new English record of thirteen and a half hours and we see Tom complete his swim.
No credits specified
Tom Blower was a factory worker from Hyson Green in Nottingham. He was born in 1914 and, according to records held by Dover Museum, this was the first of three successful attempts he made to swim the English Channel (the others being in 1948 and 1951). The official time of this attempt (Cap Gris Nez to Abbot's Cliff) was 13h 29m and his time broke the previous record by 23m.
He was known as 'Torpedo Tom' by the local press and as well as swimming the channel, he was also the first man to swim the northern Irish Sea. He died in Dartmouth in Devon in 1955 aged just 41.