Scenes of peasant agriculture and Buddhist temple bells near Mandalay, Burma.

Burmese peasant farmers thresh grain using bullocks to trample it underfoot. Close-up of this. Temple spires. RAF Spitfires overhead. A statue of a chinthe, or mythical lion-like guardian. Buddhist monks, with shaven heads and wearing their traditional robes, point up at the sky as the Spitfires pass. A Burmese boy drives a water-wagon drawn by a bullock. Close-up on the boy.

Notes

Dopesheet (written by Squadron Leader T D Connochie, Officer Commanding No.3 RAF Film Production Unit) explains that the purpose of this film was to capture the 'low, melodious sound' of Burmese temple bells. It continues: 'It was hoped to dispel the idea that these bells were anything like our church bells or an equivalent to the ones before "Time gentlemen!" as it has been understood from Kipling's [']Temple Bells are ringing and a man can raise a thirst.['] [This something of a misquote of Kipling's 1892 poem 'Mandalay'].

Dopesheet refers to separately recorded sound of temple bells ringing, though this appears not to have survived for Archive preservation.