Troops of 17th Indian Division seen attacking the village of Pyawbwe, on the road to Rangoon, Burma, and scenes after its capture.

Footage taken from a shell scrape or foxhole; troops of 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment advancing. The muzzle of a Lee Enfield No.3 rifle, with bayonet fixed, protrudes into the bottom of the frame. A wounded Burmese man is put aboard an armoured car (of 16th Light Cavalry?) which drives away. Officers of 48th Indian Infantry Brigade watching with binoculars. Indian troops (signallers?) with a parked jeep, motorbike and lorry. Troops of 6th Battalion 7th Rajput Regiment advancing along a street in Pyawbwe. Troops moving through the village. An ambulance. A motorcycle despatch rider approaches camera. A dead Japanese gunner lying over the trail of his gun. Another dead Japanese soldier. Motor transport passes through the village.

Notes

Pyawbwe was taken by a three-brigade envelopment by 17th Indian Division, with the West Yorks (part of 48th Brigade) attacking from the east. Pyawbwe was stoutly defended and after its capture some 1,110 Japanese dead and 13 guns were counted. The official history describes the fight for Pyawbwe as 'the only large action in the Battle of the Rangoon Road' and says that it 'finally shattered [the Japanese] 33rd Army'.

An Indian Public Relations cameraman attached to the Sikh Light Infantry (99th Brigade) also filmed operations near Pyawbwe. See related items.

The dopesheet identifies one battalion as 6/7th Punjab Regiment. However, as there was no 7th Punjab Regiment, this seems likely to be a mistake in place of the 6/7th Rajput Regiment, which was part of 17th Indian Division's divisional infantry.