Scenes of mortar training, a crashed Japanese bomber, mountainous scenery, a wounded Japanese prisoner and captured equipment, and a brigade planning conference in 5th Indian Division's area in and around Kalemyo, Burma.

View from the edge of a wood with an aircraft passing in the distance. A multitiered pagoda at Kalemyo. Men of 221 Anti-Tank Battery, 56th Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Artillery seen drilling with their Ordnance ML 3-inch mortars. A crashed Japanese bomber, probably a Mitsubishi Ki-21, 7 miles east of Kalemyo. Views of various parts and of souvenir hunters picking through the wreckage. One of the souvenir hunters is a lieutenant with a shoulder title that reads 'Official ..' (possibly 'Official Photographer'). Views of the Myittha River. Damaged wooden buildings in Kalemyo. Indian troops bathing in the Myittha. A mule column. A mule passes a signpost with a (probably Ordnance QF 6-pounder) anti-tank gun parked next to it. Close-up of the signpost shows distances to Tiddim, Kalewa, Falam and Pyinthaseik (this signpost probably at a crossroads just outside Kalemyo). A jeep passes; it is fitted with square metal frames probably for carrying stretchers. A jeep and trailer passes camera. A Chevrolet CMP lorry passes close-by the camera; the cameraman has to step aside as it passes him. An apparently wounded Japanese prisoner of war on a stretcher. A number of Indians lift the stretcher and place it on a jeep ambulance. The jeep sets off for an Advanced Dressing Station and is driven by Volunteer Robert W Marshall of the American Field Service. Dopesheet gives his hometown as Sherrill, New York State, USA. Close-up of American Field Service shoulder title. Second shot of signpost showing directions to Kalewa and Falam and inscriptions in Burmese and English. Scenic shots over the Letha Range; tilt down to damaged buildings at Fort White. A single soldier walks amongst the broken buildings. A jeep drives through Fort White. Private J Coulter of Millon, Cumberland, cuts the hair of Private G Dempsey of Sheffield, South Yorkshire. A captured Japanese 20mm cannon (an apparently Oerlikon-based design, possibly Type 98) is demonstrated by Gunner H R Savage of Euston, London. Various close-ups showing fittings and the gun's elevation and traversing mechanisms and a close-up, looking directly at the muzzle of the gun, as Gunner Savage elevates the barrel. Senior officers' conference; Brigadier J A Salomons, commander of 9th Indian Infantry Brigade, Lieutenant-Colonel Narain Singh (commander 4th Battalion Jammu and Kashmir Infantry (Indian State Forces)) and other senior officers talking. Other officers seen include a major with 'Kashmir' shoulder title and a British captain with 'Punjab' shoulder title (probably 3rd Battalion, 2nd Punjab Regiment, also part of 9th Brigade). Close-ups of Salomons and Singh. Officers depart. More footage of the crashed Japanese aircraft. An Ordnance QF 40mm Bofors gun being set up.

Notes

This film documents the later stages of 5th Indian Division's long advance along the Tiddim Road from Imphal since July 1944. A few weeks after this film was shot, 5th Indian Division was withdrawn from the front, having been in action for 14 months.

The American Field Service was a voluntary ambulance service formed in 1915 by Abram Piatt Andrew. It continues to exist as an international voluntary service organisation.

Before Indian independence Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state under Hari Singh. The Jammu and Kashmir Infantry were one of a number of state-raised units (as distinct from regiments of the Indian Army raised by the Raj) that served as part of 14th Army.

This film was shot on three different dates, noted above, and is documented on three separate dopesheets.