TIDDIM OPERATIONS BY 5TH INDIAN DIVISION (13/10/1944)

This film is held by the Imperial War Museum (ID: JFU 117).

Synopsis

A tank track is repaired. A soldier takes a lump hammer to part of the tracks. Damaged bogeys on the tank. One man holds a small section of track as another uses a torque wrench on a bolt. An M3 Grant tank rolls across the countryside. Close-up of the tracks as it passes. White soldiers wearing bush hats and forage caps stand looking at a map. A jeep, with a canvas tilt, drives past on a rough road; a truck follows. Four Hawker Hurricane fighter-bombers (Hurribombers) fly over in formation and then dive-bomb a jungle-covered hillside. Indian Engineers use a metal detector to find mines on a road. A white soldier emerges from the jungle carrying a Lee Enfield rifle. Another follows possibly carrying a Thompson submachine gun. Two soldiers walk along a jungle path then through long grass.

The 5th Earl of Munster, Geoffrey FitzClarence, visits the town of Imphal. The Earl gets off a Lockheed Hudson plane and shakes hands with officers. The group examine a piece of paper. The group pause by a staff car; the Earl smokes a cigarette. A Stinson L-5 Sentinel taxis to a halt and the Earl emerges smiling. Officers gather round the Earl. They all walk off towards cars. The Earl in 2nd Division Camp; he is escorted by Major-General C G G Nicholson. A four-man guard of honour from 1st Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers is inspected; there are captured Japanese machine guns (possibly Type 11 and Type 92) in the foreground. A guard of honour from the 1st Battalion Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders is inspected. The Earl visits the canteen where he speaks to a woman in uniform. The Earl ducks into a tent where a sign reads "Library. Barbers Shop". The Earl chats to a member of the Highland Regiment; he then chats to a shirtless man. The Earl enters a tent with a sign hanging over the door reading "Ward G". There are rows of beds with sick and injured men in them. The Earl speaks to one of the men then he walks off through the camp. He gets out of a jeep which is at the head of a column of similar vehicles and walks up some rough hewn steps.

After capturing the town of Tiddim, Burma, Indian and British soldiers begin repairs to equipment and mine clearance and the Earl of Munster visits a camp at Imphal, India.

Notes

For more film relating to operations near Tiddim, and the Tiddim Road, see related items. According to the dopesheet the locations seen are a few miles north of Tiddim.

By September 1944 a growing undercurrent of discontent amongst servicemen in India and Burma had led to a questions in Parliament about the provision of welfare services in the theatre. Consequently Lord Munster (former Parliamentary Secretary for India and Burma) was despatched and after reporting his findings to Parliament more resources were allocated to welfare services in South East Asia Command. Changes included more aircraft being made available both to fly casualties home to the UK and to make home leave possible, more entertainments and leave centres, a new SEAC newspaper (see film JFU 164) and a higher ration of beer and cigarettes.

 

Titles

  • TIDDIM OPERATIONS BY 5TH INDIAN DIVISION (13/10/1944) (Allocated)
Series Title:
BRITISH ARMY OPERATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR
 

Technical Data

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

Production Credits

Production Countries:
GB
Sponsor
War Office Directorate of Public Relations
cameraman
Taylor, A (Sergeant)
Production company
SEAC Film Unit
 

Countries

 

Production Organisations