Film shot by Sergeant Abbott: Aerial footage; the camera looks through the windscreen of an RAF Douglas Dakota transport aircraft of RAF 194 Squadron towards hills shrouded in cloud. The camera aircraft overflies a thickly wooded area which is covered in the parachutes of previous supply drops; cloud drifts over the trees and another Dakota can be seen a short distance in front. Shot facing aft showing three airmen waiting to despatch a stack of supplies. Series of shots looking out of the open door showing supplies being pushed out and the passing jungle canopy. Brief shot looking forward over the port engine. Another bundle is pushed out. Close-up of a member of the flight crew. Forward-facing view through windscreen. Instrument panel with pilot's hands on the controls. Somewhat soft-focused close-ups of the navigator at work. Landscapes and cloudscapes. At an airstrip at Imphal the aircraft is loaded with supplies from the back of a lorry; the word 'SNAKE' can be seen on the rear fuselage. Views of sacks being thrown aboard; they are not fitted with parachutes and so may be sacks of fodder for mules. Parachute bundles follow. A Dakota takes off. Very brief shot showing Squadron Leader Ridd checking the location of the dropzone (DZ) on a map with Captain A J Chase, Air Liaison Officer at Imphal.

Film shot by Sergeant Watson: Footage looking through the door of a Dakota as the aircraft takes off. View (through a fuselage hatch?) of the terrain below with rivers, roads, paddy fields etc. Airmen despatching supplies. Bundles falling from the aircraft with parachutes inflating.

RAF 194 Squadron deliver supplies by parachute to 25th East African Brigade (11th East African Division) on the Tamu-Sittaung road, Burma.

Notes

This film gives a particularly clear impression of the low altitude from which supplies were dropped, and the difficulty posed by cloud or other weather conditions. For other film of 194 Squadron in action over Burma, see related items.

Dopesheet names the following individuals:

Warrant Officer T Hamilton of Renfrew, Scotland: Pilot.

Flight Sergeant W Butterworth of Hull: Observer.

Warrant Officer K Mittelstadt of Ottawa, Canada: Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.

Flight Sergeant J Taylor of Oldham: Wireless Operator/Air Gunner.

Squadron Leader B C Ridd of Swansea is identified as the squadron commander, however he is not listed as such in a number of secondary sources. It would seem he was acting commander of a detached Flight of 194 Squadron which was based at Imphal at the time this film was shot.

The 'SNAKE' marking reveals that the aircraft had been delivered direct to South East Asia Command and was not, like much of the equipment in this region, a left-over from some other campaign in a different theatre.

This footage is used in an edition of Indian News Parade. See related items.