'SUNDERLAND STORY' - TRANSPORT AND EVACUATION OF BRITISH CASUALTIES BY SUNDERLAND FLYING BOAT AT DIBRUGARH, ASSAM, INDIA (7/1944)

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: ABY 12).

Synopsis

Reel 1: Shot from Sunderland of repairs to float and refuelling from DUKW amphibious truck. Airmen hanging washing out on hull of Sunderland. Airborne shots of Brahmaputra River below. Shots of engine, wing and wingtip float.

Reel 2: Ambulances gathering on lake shore. DUKW's pull away from Sunderland. DUKW approaching shore. Casualties unloaded from DUKW. One casualty appears to be African, possibly of the 3rd West African Brigade. Airborne shots. Raft approaching Sunderland. Supplies loaded onto raft from Sunderland. Laden raft passes in front of camera. Airborne shots. Sunderland on Lake Indawgyi loading with wounded. Airman with Sten gun. Japanese prisoner unloaded from Sunderland. Loaded raft comes ashore. Casualties board ambulance. Japanese prisoner brought ashore. Local people. Ambulances arrive at No. 49 Indian General Hospital. Japanese prisoner dismounts.

Reel 3: DUKW on lakeside. Ambulances driving along road. Sunderland comes into land with other boats in foreground. Indian man with armful of stretchers. Locals, including children, sit and watch from beneath umbrellas. Ambulances arrive at hospital, stretcher cases removed. A British nurse walks by. Airborne shots. Air-to-ground footage of Sunderland take off from Hooghly River (Hoogli/Hugli) at Calcutta . Some fine air-to-air footage, shot from a North American Harvard aircraft, of Sunderland in flight.

Sunderland and DUKW amphibians used to evacuate casualties of 111th Brigade during Operation River May-July 1944, in support of the Second Chindit Expedition.

Notes

See also ABY 9. Sunderland seen to be fitted with Air to Surface Vessel Mark II radar.

Other places mentioned in dopesheet include Ledo Pass and Mogaung Valley. Sunderland is DP180 of RAF 230 Squadron, one of two aircraft detached to the Brahmaputra from the squadron's base at Koggala, Ceylon (Sri Lanka). Over 32 days these two aircraft evacuated 537 men, DP180 having a lucky escape after surviving a strafing attack by a Japanese fighter during its last mission. The other aircraft, JM659, was lost at its moorings on 4 July 1944 after a whirlwind.

Multiple dopesheets for this film, one of which suggesting this footage was shot on 30 June 1944, and 3 July 1944. Second dopesheet dated 28 July 1944, detailing the rough assembly for a piece entitled 'Sunderland Story' and likely written after the events described.

 

Titles

  • 'SUNDERLAND STORY' - TRANSPORT AND EVACUATION OF BRITISH CASUALTIES BY SUNDERLAND FLYING BOAT AT DIBRUGARH, ASSAM, INDIA (7/1944) (Allocated)
Series Title:
ROYAL AIR FORCE OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
 

Technical Data

Year:
1944
Running Time:
22 minutes
Film Gauge (Format):
35mm
Colour:
B&W
Sound:
Silent
Footage:
1935 ft
 

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
Air Ministry Directorate of Public Relations
cameraman
Lang, T W (Pilot Officer)
cameraman
Towler, D (Pilot Officer)
Production company
Royal Air Force Film Production Unit
 

Countries

 

Production Organisations